Rep. Rob Kauffman Calls Shippensburg University Students “Unprofessional”

As is becoming a trend across the Commonwealth, Republican Representative Rob Kauffman is refusing to debate his Democratic opponent, Susan Spicka.

This is not surprising.  Yet, Kauffman brought debate-dodging to a new low by not just declining to debate Spicka, but by berating the non-partisan group that made the grave mistake of cordially inviting him.

The most recent debate dodged by the Kauffman campaign was hosted by the Shippensburg University Student Association, Shippensburg’s student government organization.

Shippensburg Student Association President Ethan Goldbach invited Rep. Kauffman to a debate that would be sponsored by the student government group and hosted by both the Shippensburg College Republicans and the Shippensburg College Democrats.

Despite the non-partisan nature of the event, Kauffman refused, and the proceeded to berate Goldbach in an email, telling Goldbach that his invitation was “not only unfortunate but unprofessional.” Kauffman intimated to Goldbach that he “immediately call[ed] the intentions of event into question.”

From the looks of it, Kauffman has adopted an innovative new campaign strategy in which he makes every effort to infuriate and disrespect students in a Presidential election year–you know, the only cycles in which students actually show up and vote.

The race for the 89th is turning into a case study in campaign melt-downs.

Under almost no circumstance should a Democrat be able to win in the 89th General Assembly district, but when an incumbent Republican makes a comically long series of missteps and the Democrat is at the top of her game, it begins to look possible.