UPDATE: With both Chris Koster AND Margaret Donnely dropping out of the debate, the Young Dems have cancelled the event all together.

Jason Rosenbaum of the Columbia Tribune reports that Democratic Attorney General candidate Chris Koster* will not be at next week’s debate hosted by the Truman State Young Democrats.

James Lang, the president of the Truman State Young Democrats, e-mailed me today telling me that Sen. Chris Koster, D-Harrisonville, has backed out of next Thursday’s attorney general debate.

“Since we spoke last, Koster went from confirmed to tentatively coming to not coming at all,” Lang said in an e-mail.

Lang said Koster cited a “scheduling conflict” as a reason for not going to the debate held at Truman State University.

A Koster campaign spokeswoman later confirmed to Rosenbaum that a scheduling conflict will prevent the Koster from attending Thursday’s debate.

She did say that Koster will participate in a May 22 debate at CCP in Kansas City and a May 30 debate at Missouri Bar function in Lake Ozark.

Two of Koster’s opponents, Margaret Donnelly of St. Louis and Jeff Harris of Columbia, are expected to attend Thursday’s debate, which Rosenbaum will help moderate.

*Full disclosure: Chris Koster is a client (website design) of PubDef.net publisher Antonio D. French

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                       Press contact: James Lang (314) 852-5452

Democratic AG Candidates to Debate at Truman State University

KIRKSVILLE, Mo.-  The Missouri Democratic Party’s candidates for Attorney General are set to debate on the campus of Truman State University on April 24th.   This event is sponsored by the Truman State Young Democrats.  “Since the 2006 election Northeast Missouri has been experiencing a resurgence of Democratic politics. This region of the state will be a focal point for every statewide candidate running in 2008,” said James Lang, President of the Truman State Young Democrats. “We have designed the structure of the debate so each candidate will have the opportunity to speak not only to issues affecting college students but the larger issues affecting the state as a whole.”

Truman State Senior Sam Hodge, an active Young Democrat, said, “Students are excited and enthusiastic about having all of the Democratic candidates for Attorney General debating the issues at our university.”

The debate will be hosted in Viollete Hall 1000 at 7:30PM.  The debate will feature a moderator and a panel of three questioners. Debi Boughton from Kirksville, a lawyer and Director of Tourism for the Kirksville Area Chamber of Commerce JoEllen Flanagan, a Truman State College Democrat and Jason Rosenbaum from the Columbia Tribune will make of the panel of questioners.  The debate will last 90 minutes. 

UPDATE on 4/19/08: Jason Rosenbaum of the Columbia Tribune reports that Democratic Attorney General candidate Chris Koster* will not be at next week’s debate hosted by the Truman State Young Democrats.

James Lang, the president of the Truman State Young Democrats, e-mailed me today telling me that Sen. Chris Koster, D-Harrisonville, has backed out of next Thursday’s attorney general debate.

“Since we spoke last, Koster went from confirmed to tentatively coming to not coming at all,” Lang said in an e-mail.

Lang said Koster cited a “scheduling conflict” as a reason for not going to the debate held at Truman State University.

A Koster campaign spokeswoman later confirmed to Rosenbaum that a scheduling conflict will prevent the Koster from attending Thursday’s debate.

She did say that Koster will participate in a May 22 debate at CCP in Kansas City and a May 30 debate at Missouri Bar function in Lake Ozark.

Two of Koster’s opponents, Margaret Donnelly of St. Louis and Jeff Harris of Columbia, are expected to attend Thursday’s debate, which Rosenbaum will help moderate.

*Full disclosure: Chris Koster is a client (website design) of PubDef.net publisher Antonio D. French