Spanberger, Vega congressional debate canceled

WASHINGTON - Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger pulled out of her debate Friday night with Republican opponent Yesli Vega, citing security concerns, poor planning and disagreements over proposed moderators. 

The debate would have taken place at Garfield High School in Woodbridge and would have been the first debate for the two. Debate organizers lined up conservative radio talk show host Larry O'Connor to co-moderate, who Spanberger objected to. FOX 5 reached out to Larry O'Connor for comment but have not heard back.

"The Vega campaign needed to install someone who she’d presumably be comfortable with on stage, so that’s the issue there. Here’s a person who’s called democrats ‘monsters,’ who’s used vitriolic language, and fundraised for my opponent? That’s not a non-partisan debate. I want a serious debate or the issues," said Rep. Abigail Spanberger. 

But Vega says the voters are being deprived an important forum before the election.

"They won’t get to hear directly from the candidates. They don’t get to see facial expressions; they don’t get the body movements, the emotion, the rawness that a debate brings so I think it was a missed opportunity for voters for Abigail to not show up," said Vega. 

One of the most expensive races in the U.S. - with $20 million spent so far and non-stop commercials -  is likely to have voters go to the polls without getting to see their candidates actually square off in person.

Spanberger says she’d agreed to an earlier debate at University of Mary Washington which Vega did not agree to.   But both candidates tell FOX 5 that they are not closing the door on a potential debate.