The two Republican candidates for Schuylkill County District Attorney will face off against one another in a debate on Friday night.
Challenger John Urbanski challenged incumbent DA Mike O’Pake to a debate earlier this month. He even rented a venue to hold the debate.
After coming to a consensus on the terms of the forum, the two candidates agreed to take questions and explain their stances on issues facing Schuylkill County and the DA’s office.
The debate will be held at American Hose Co. in Mount Carbon, starting at 6 p.m. Friday. Questions for the debate will be fielded from Republican Party Committee members. It will be moderated by Party Chairman Gary Feathers and past Chairman Howie Merrick.
One of the terms of the debate that each candidate agreed to is the prohibition on livestreaming and video or audio recording. That means you’ll have to check back with Coal Region Canary to get FULL coverage of the debate, including reactions to the event.
This debate is being held just a few days before a critical Primary Election on Tuesday.
The winner of the GOP Primary on Tuesday in this race and several others around Schuylkill County will have a clear path to victory in the November General Election. There are no Democrat challengers for District Attorney and there have been no hints at any third-party candidates that might enter the race.
This will be O’Pake’s first election since switching to the Republican Party after defecting from the Democrats earlier this year.
O’Pake first won election to the DA’s office back in 2017, when he defeated then-incumbent Christine Holman. In January, he announced he’s switching to the Republican Party because the Democrat Party no longer aligned with his personal beliefs.
“I’m looking forward to an open and honest discussion about the qualifications, or lack thereof, of the candidates,” O’Pake says.
Urbanski touts himself as a true Republican and has been critical of O’Pake’s decision to leave the Democrats to win elections. The GOP has more than a 2-to-1 advantage in registered voters in Schuylkill County.
“What I hope to get out of this debate is simple: an open and honest conversation in front of the people for whom we’re running to serve,” Urbanski says. “Voters deserve a chance to hear where Mike and I stand, what we’ve done and what we plan to do. My goal is to bring clarity, integrity, and real solutions to the table and let the people of Schuylkill County decide who they trust to lead.”
Subscribe to Coal Region Canary
Get email updates from Coal Region Canary by becoming a subscriber today. Just enter your email address below to get started!Support Coal Region Canary
Like our reporting and want to support truly local news in Schuylkill County? Your small donations help. For as little as $5, your contribution will allow us to cover more news that directly affects you. Consider donating today by hitting the big yellow button below ...