McCaffrey ducks Newsmakers debate with opponent Pisaturo

WPRI.COM

Ted Nesi

Updated: Aug 10, 2012 3:05 PM

State Sen. Michael McCaffrey is putting up a lot of signs around Warwick as he makes an energetic bid for reelection. But will he debate his primary opponent?

McCaffrey, the powerful chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a potential successor to Senate President M. Teresa Paiva Weed, hasn’t accepted multiple invitations from WPRI 12 to debate his fellow Democrat Laura Pisaturo during a taping of Newsmakers next Friday morning.

Pisaturo has agreed to the debate and will be a guest on the program regardless of whether her opponent shows up. McCaffrey, a Warwick Democrat, was first elected in 1994 and is seeking his 10th consecutive term in the Senate.

He did not respond to a request for comment on Friday.

Two others incumbents who are part of the General Assembly’s Democratic leadership agreed to debate their opponents on Newsmakers in response to invitations this month: Rep. Peter Petrarca, the House’s senior deputy majority leader, and McCaffrey’s colleague Sen. Dan DaPonte, the Senate Finance Committee chairman.

McCaffrey and Pisaturo are competing in the Sept. 11 primary for the Democratic nomination in Senate District 29. There is no Republican candidate for the seat, which means either McCaffrey or Pisaturo will be the district’s next senator.

Tim White contributed to this report.

Copyright 2013 WPRI.COM. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Political Pulse

We welcome your thoughtful comments. Be the first to participate in the discussion. All comments will display your username and avatar.