Georgia Senate: Ossoff challenges Perdue to 5 televised debates

In his bid for re-election, Republican U.S. Sen. David Perdue, left, faces Democrat Jon Ossoff.

In his bid for re-election, Republican U.S. Sen. David Perdue, left, faces Democrat Jon Ossoff.

Senate Democratic nominee Jon Ossoff on Thursday challenged Republican U.S. Sen. David Perdue to a series of five, live televised debates across Georgia before the November election.

Ossoff, who owns an investigative journalism firm, issued the call for debates in a letter to the first-term incumbent that urged him to “give the voters the debates they deserve.”

“Georgians deserve to hear candidates for office debating these issues publicly,” he wrote. “I am asking you to join me in committing to five live, televised debates sponsored by media organizations throughout our great state. Georgians deserve nothing less.”

Ossoff emerged from a seven-candidate field last week to win the Democratic nomination outright, and he’s tried to paint Perdue as part of a dysfunctional Washington status quo. The Republican has framed Ossoff as a “socialist” wannabe politician who is too liberal for Georgia.

The race is one of two U.S. Senate contests in Georgia. U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler faces 20 challengers in a November special election with no primaries to filter out nominees.

>>More: Georgia Democrats set new primary turnout record, outpacing GOP voters

>>More: Georgia’s Ossoff-Perdue race for Senate presents a striking contrast

>>More: Ossoff avoids runoff to win Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in Georgia