Dan Ball’s relentless call for a debate among all six candidates seeking the 36th Congressional District seat has three takers, but the remaining three have turned a deaf ear to his pleas.
Ball, a real estate agent and former television reporter and anchor, has repeatedly called for the debate on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
To date, Doug Hassett and Stephan J. Wolkowicz, both of La Quinta have accepted Ball’s invitation to debate. Ball and Hassett are political newcomers.
This is not the first time Wolkowicz has sought a seat in Congress. Wolkowicz, the director of finance for Embassy Suites Palm Desert, also ran in 2016, saying he was encouraged by Donald J. Trump’s success.
In the 2016 Republican Primary for the 36th Congressional District seat, he received 9.9 percent of the vote while Jeff Stone received 31.6 percent to earn a place on the Republican ballot in the General Election.
Neither incumbent Democratic Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz, was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2012, nor Kimberlin Brown Pelzer, also a political novice, has taken Ball up on his offer to mix it up. Also remaining silent is Robert Bentley who has been quiet throughout this campaign cycle.
All but Ruiz are Republicans and all six appear on the June 5 ballot.
(Photo Courtesy of Dan Ball for Congress)
“With six people running for a seat I believe the people deserve to hear from individuals wanting to represent them,” Ball told Uken Report. “Too often candidates with more money can simply hide behind their campaign slogans and catch phrases. The people never really get a chance to hear directly from the candidate.”
California’s 36th Congressional is located in the southeastern portion of the state and includes most of Riverside County, including the area from Hemet to Blythe. It also includes the desert communities of Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Indio, Coachella, Rancho Mirage, Desert Hot Springs, Indian Wells and Cathedral City.
