One of the last two opportunities for New Hampshire voters to hear the Republican and Democratic nominees debate live on the same stage in the final days of their competitive US Senate race has been canceled.
New Hampshire Public Radio announced Thursday that an Oct. 29 forum between Republican former US senator John E. Sununu and Democratic US Representative Chris Pappas was called off because Sununu declined to participate.
A campaign spokesperson told NHPR in an email Wednesday that Sununu wouldn’t attend the forum “given our schedule,” according to the station, which noted that both nominees had been invited six weeks earlier, on the day after winning their Sept. 8 primaries.
This cancellation comes after Pappas declined last month to participate in a debate with Sununu that New England College in Henniker, N.H., had intended to host.
Neither campaign answered when the Globe asked spokespeople on Thursday why they had each declined a debate invitation.
The two nominees have sparred in two other debate-style forums so far this month, and both campaigns confirmed their plans to participate in WMUR’s Granite State Debate, scheduled for Oct. 28 at 9 p.m. — which means the televised event will be their last big chance to land a few more rhetorical punches and impress voters.
Pappas campaign manager Rachel Petri slammed Sununu for skipping the NHPR forum, which had been planned to take place in Hanover, N.H., in partnership with the Valley News. In a statement, she said Sununu made “major blunders” at the first two debates that included failing to articulate the Social Security changes he has in mind.
“Granite Staters know that Chris Pappas is the only candidate in the race who will stand up to Donald Trump, work to lower costs, and reverse Trump’s health care cuts — and Sununu’s bizarre duck-and-cover strategy to close out the campaign only reinforces that message,” she said.
Sununu campaign spokesperson Mike Schrimpf said the criticism from the Pappas campaign is “a laughable attack,” since the Democrat had himself declined one debate and knew that others had been agreed upon.
In a statement, Schrimpf said Sununu “easily won both debates, caught Pappas in a lie, and strongly encourages voters to check them out in full.” (He shared links to videos from an Oct. 13 debate in Conway and an Oct. 14 forum in Salem.)
Sununu and Pappas — who took part in separate conversational interviews with NHPR — are competing for the seat currently held by Democratic US Senator Jeanne Shaheen, who endorsed Pappas shortly after announcing her retirement.
Most public polls show Pappas is favored to win, but the contest is still viewed as competitive, especially considering Sununu’s strong name recognition and financial backing from Republican groups at the national level.
A third Senate candidate, Edmond J. Laplante Jr., who is affiliated with the Constitution Party, will also have his name listed on the Nov. 3 ballot.
Events lineup
Here is a rundown of the forums and debates for New Hampshire’s high-profile contests:
- Oct. 6: In the First Congressional District race, NHPR partnered with the Laconia Daily Sun to host a forum with Democrat Stefany Shaheen and Republican Anthony DiLorenzo in Meredith.
- Oct. 13: In the US Senate race, the Mount Washington Valley Council sponsored a debate with Pappas and Sununu in Conway.
- Oct. 14: In the US Senate race, the Southern New Hampshire Chamber of Commerce hosted a forum with Pappas and Sununu in Salem.
- Oct. 15: In the Second Congressional District race, NHPR partnered with the Keene Sentinel and the Monadnock Ledger Transcript to host a forum with Democratic US Representative Maggie Goodlander and Republican challenger Lily Tang Williams in Keene.
- Oct. 19: In the First Congressional District race, New England College hosted a “Live Free or Die” debate with Shaheen and DiLorenzo in Henniker.
- Oct. 20: In the Second Congressional District race, New England College hosted a “Live Free or Die” debate with Goodlander and Tang Williams in Henniker.
- Oct. 20: In the governor’s race, the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce hosted a debate between Republican incumbent Governor Kelly Ayotte and Democratic challenger Cinde Warmington.
- Oct. 22 at 6 p.m.: In the governor’s race, NHPR will partner with Manchester Ink Link to host a forum with Ayotte and Warmington in Manchester. A recording will be broadcast the following day.
- Oct. 26 at 10 a.m.: In the First Congressional District race, the Mount Washington Valley Council will sponsor a debate between Shaheen and DiLorenzo in Conway, with a live broadcast from Valley Vision, according to The Conway Daily Sun.
- Oct. 28 at 8 p.m.: In the Second Congressional District race, WMUR’s Granite State Debate between Goodlander and Tang Williams will be broadcast live, according to the station’s programming listings.
- Oct. 28 at 9 p.m.: In the US Senate race, WMUR’s Granite State Debate between Pappas and Sununu will be broadcast live.
- Oct. 29 at 6 p.m.: In the US Senate race, NHPR had partnered with the Valley News to host a forum with Pappas and Sununu in Hanover, but the event was canceled after Sununu declined to participate.
- Oct. 29 at 8 p.m.: In the First Congressional District, WMUR’s Granite State Debate between Shaheen and DiLorenzo will be broadcast live.
- Oct. 29 at 9 p.m.: In the governor’s race, WMUR’s Granite State Debate between Ayotte and Warmington will be broadcast live.
Steven Porter can be reached at steven.porter@globe.com. Follow him @reporterporter.