Molinaro, Riley set to debate at WNYT on Oct. 10

ALBANY — A debate in the 19th Congressional District race between Republican U.S. Rep. Marc Molinaro and his Democratic rival Josh Riley is set to take place Thursday, Oct. 10, at WNYT NewsChannel 13 in Menands — though that exchange is the only one of a possible four regional debates in which the required minimum of two candidates have signed on.
 
The proposed debates are the product of an unprecedented partnership of four of the Capital Region’s leading news organizations: the Times Union, WAMC/Northeast Public Radio, WMHT Public Media, and WNYT NewsChannel 13 (and its My4 affiliate).
 
For a planned debate in the 21st District, Republican U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik did not respond to the Upstate Debate Consortium’s invitation by the Aug. 1 RSVP date, though her Democratic opponent Paula Collins agreed to take part on Thursday, Sept. 26, at WNYT NewsChannel 13.
 
In the 20th District, Democratic U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko agreed to debate on Thursday, Oct. 3, at “The Linda,” WAMC/Northeast Public Radio in Albany, though his Republican challenger Kevin Waltz did not respond.
 
In the U.S. Senate race between Democratic incumbent Kirsten Gillibrand and Long Island Republican Mike Sapraicone, neither candidate agreed to the Consortium’s invitation to meet on Thursday, Oct. 17, at WMHT Public Media in Troy. Sapraicone’s campaign never responded to the invitation; Gillibrand’s campaign said that its debate schedule has been set, though no debate involving the senator has been publicly announced.
 
Each debate was scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. and would be moderated by journalists from consortium partners, with questions selected by a panel of reporters and contributed by members of the general public. The U.S. Senate debate, if it happens, will be made available for broadcast statewide.