Kristin Lyerly, Tony Wied finalize format for their 8th Congressional District debate

[The following is abstracted from two articles by Jesse Lin that were published by the Green Bay Press-Gazette on September 11 and 13, 2024]

GREEN BAY — Democratic 8th Congressional District candidate Kristin Lyerly and Republican candidate Tony Wied’s campaigns agreed Wednesday evening to the format, rules and moderators for their sole scheduled debate.

Both candidates will have the chance to make their case to constituents in northeast Wisconsin formerly represented by U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher, who vacated his seat in April.

Here’s what you need to know.

How long will the Lyerly-Wied debate be?

The debate will run from 7 to 8 p.m. with a two minute break halfway through.

Where will it take place?

The Sept. 27 debate will be at the Mauthe Center, an independent nonprofit that encourages dialogue across political and religious lines. The center is situated on UW-Green Bay’s campus; however, its funding and management are unaffiliated with the university.

The center worked with both campaigns to confirm the debate, which will be broadcast live by WBAY, according to its program director, Robert Pyne.

Who are the candidates?

Lyerly, of Ledgeview, is a practicing OB-GYN who first entered the political foray in 2020, challenging state Rep. John Macco for his Assembly District 88 seat. Three years later, she joined Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul and three other doctors in a lawsuit overturning the state’s 1849 law that made performing abortions a felony.

Wied, of De Pere, owned and operated the local gas station chain Dino Stop after acquiring the business in 1998. He sold the six-store convenience chain in 2022 to the owner of 7Eleven and Speedway. This is his first entry into politics.

Where do they stand on the issues?

Lyerly has intertwined protecting women’s reproductive rights with affordable health care to be the central pillar for the campaign since announcing her run for the seat. Her campaign website also lists a commitment to “strengthening the economy” and investing in rural communities through efforts such as expanding broadband access and increasing agricultural subsidies. However, the campaign has not yet detailed how Lyerly plans to implement such policies, if elected.

Wied centered much of his primary campaign around Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s positions on the economy and immigration. Over the course of two debates against his Republican primary challengers, Wied affirmed his support of lowering corporate taxes, cutting back government bureaucracy, and deporting illegal immigrants. Speaking before JD Vance’s most recent visit to the area, Wied declared his alignment with Trump on using tariffs as a negotiation tactic in international trade. The campaign has not staked out a clear stance on abortion and reproductive health issues.

Who is the moderator?

Cami Rapson, who has been a WBAY news anchor since 1991, will moderate the debate.

Who will ask questions?

Jason Zimmerman, political reporter for WBAY and veteran news anchor, and Jesse Lin, community and politics reporter for the Green Bay Press-Gazette, will form a two-person panel that asks questions to both Lyerly and Wied.

Students from St. Norbert College and UWGB will also have the opportunity to ask their questions to the candidates. The panelists will vet student questions before the debate, and one student from each college will read their question in the course of the hour.

How long will candidates have to speak?

Both Lyerly and Wied will have two minutes for opening and closing statements. The order for both will be determined by a coin toss ahead of the debate.

Once a candidate is asked a question, they will have 90 seconds to respond. Afterward, the other candidate will have 90 seconds to comment.

The candidate who was initially asked the question can follow with a 60-second reply, after which the other candidate gets the same amount of time to rebut.

Finally, the candidate to which the question was originally asked will have 15 seconds to have the last word before moving onto the next question.

Will there be a live audience?

Yes, a live audience will be present at the debate.

They will be asked to refrain from applause or disparagement during the debate, and will be encouraged to meet the candidates afterward.