— The Democratic nominee in the 2nd Congressional District race accused his Republican rival of dodging the opportunity to debate issues important to voters.

Rob Wallace, a former state and federal prosecutor from Fort Gibson, recently said the GOP nominee skipped a forum Monday night in Sallisaw. Wallace said Markwayne Mullin also declined invitations to debate the issues that were extended by the McAlester News-Capital and the AARP.

The AARP debate would have been televised live during prime time by the NBC affiliate in Tulsa had Mullin accepted the invitation. Mullin, a Westville businessman who owns a Broken Arrow-based plumbing services company, agreed to debate his opponents during an event sponsored by Rogers State University. Wallace said Mullin limited what was supposed to be a one-hour debate to 30 minutes.

“It is unfortunate we cannot debate the issues at length, directly in front of the voters,” Wallace said in a challenge released to the media. “I hope Markwayne changes his mind, so I will issue him a challenge: Debate me in a series of one-hour debates.”

Wallace suggested the debates be conducted in Muskogee, Poteau, Idabel and Durant in addition to the opportunities already available in McAlester and Claremore.

Tim Ross, Mullin’s campaign manager, dismissed Wallace’s challenge as “nothing more than another disingenuous political ploy from a negative campaigner who will say anything to get elected.”

“It is more of what voters are sick of,” Ross said. “This is a classic lawyer’s trick: Issue a ‘challenge when he knows full well that we are already in the process of planning and scheduling various debates, including one that is already formalized.’”

Kyle Gott, who manages Wallace’s campaign, said he is unaware of any other debates being planned other than the two with which Mullin refused to participate and the Oct. 29 debate in Claremore. Gott said the only trick being played is Mullin’s “magician trick — trying to disappear from the voters.”

Ross said several organizations, including AARP, have requested to host debates. Gott said the scheduling deadlines for accepting the invitations for those had past.

“They are clearly not wanting to debate,” Gott said about the Mullin campaign. “They chose the last possible date to do it, and they even limited that to 30 minutes.”

Gott said debates are needed for the voters to distinguish “where the clear differences lie” among the candidates.

“If Mullin wants to be a congressman, then he should show he is prepared to serve as a congressman,” Gott said. “He needs to show the voters he can handle the tough challenges our country faces. An intelligent discussion on the issues is the best way to do it.”

Mullin and Wallace face Michael G. Fulks, an independent from Heavener, in the Nov. 6 general election.

Reach D.E. Smoot at (918) 684-2901 or dsmoot

@muskogeephoenix.com.