No debate planned in 41st district Congressional race

It appears there will not be a debate between the two candidates in the 41st district Congressional race that includes a large chunk of the Coachella Valley and western Riverside County.

News Channel 3 evening anchor John White sat down with Republican Congressman Ken Calvert for a story he is working on for Tuesday night.

He interviewed Democratic challenger Will Rollins last week. Rollins has accepted an invitation from News Channel 3 for a debate in October.

On Monday, Calvert told John White he would not participate.

"So, that's what, if I had a debate with him, that's what it would all be about, is attacking me as some corrupt politician, which is a lie.  He knows it's a lie, and I'm not going to participate in that," Calvert said.

Rollins told John White, "I really think that it does a disservice not just to Democrats who want to see me debate him. It does a disservice to Republican voters in Riverside County who deserve a leader with the courage to step up to the plate and defend their ideals."

On Tuesday, four weeks before the election, John White will bring you an in-depth report with both candidates, profiling the race, and getting their reactions to each other's political ads in what could turn out to be California's most expensive congressional race and a major key in which party will win control of congress.

You can watch that special report, Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. on News Channel 3.