GOP congressional hopeful Raul Labrador has issued a blistering press release in response to incumbent Rep. Walt Minnick's decision to back out of a scheduled debate against him on KTVB-TV and its partner KREM-TV; in it, Labrador recalled Minnick's comments in 2008 about the value of debates, when he challenged then-Rep. Bill Sali to a series of 10 joint town-hall meetings across the district. “What a difference two years makes; it was all the time it took for Walt Minnick to become a fat cat Washington insider who shows nothing but contempt for the voters of Idaho and for his own previously held values," Labrador declared. "Washington has tainted Walt Minnick and it’s time for the voters of Idaho to send him into retirement.  But before he goes I am asking him to honor his word and stop canceling the few opportunities voters will have to hear both candidates debate and discuss where they stand on the issues.”

The two candidates are scheduled to face off on Oct. 14 in a debate to be aired live statewide on Idaho Public Television; yesterday, Minnick pulled out of the additional televised debate on KTVB/KREM, which had been scheduled for late October. You can read Labrador's full statement here. John Foster, Minnick's campaign manager, had this response: "Over the last three months it has become increasingly clear that Raul Labrador knows nothing else but petty name-calling and untruthful attacks. He lies repeatedly about Walt's record, struggles for support and now demands free television time to prop up his campaign. This latest desperate salvo does little more than reinforce the troubling questions about Raul's character and qualifications for office."