Where Were the Two Missing T/E School Board Candidates During the Debate?

answered questions from a full house at the .

Two Republican candidates were inexplicably (at the time) missing. Organizers from the Chester County League of Women Voters, which sponsored the debate, told Patch they were only told that Tara LaFiura (Region 1) and Liz Mercogliano (Region 2) were not going to be able to attend.

Tuesday night, nobody connected with staging the debate, which had been scheduled months earlier, seemed to have the answer to the obvious question: Why?

Reached by phone Wednesday night, Liz Mercogliano told Patch she opted to spend the evening campaigning door-to-door. "I think I can cover more ground on foot and present my message better," Mercogliano said. Mercogliano, whose resume includes being a nurse, real estate agent, law school student, wife, and mother, said the debate forum was not right for her. "It just feels a little bit artificial," Mercogliano told Patch.  "It's a wonderful opportunity for some people," she said, "I want to meet people face to face."

Mercogliano said her campaign strategy has been to spend several hours every night going door to door throughout the school board region she hopes to represent, trying to make a more personal conection with voters.

As of 1 a.m. Thursday morning, Region 1 Republican candidate Tara LaFiura had not returned a phone message from Patch left Wednesday evening seeking comment on her absence.

Tredyffrin Republican Chairman Michael Broadhurst did respond to an email from Patch seeking an explanation for both candidates' absence. "Tara La Fiura had a previously scheduled work commitment that she could not re-schedule," Broadhurst said via e-mail.  "and when Liz Mercogliano understood that not all of our candidates were available to take part, she made other plans to meet voters." 

Tara LaFiura is an attorney and associate in the same Philadelphia law firm (Blank Rome) where Broadhurst is a partner.

The Republicans' absence at the debate Tuesday night prompted Tredyffrin Democrat party officials to question their commitment to running and serving if elected.

In response to an email question from Patch about whether the two Repubclican candidates were still in the race, Broadhurst said, "They are both most decidedly still in the race and in it to win."

Hear More About the Candidates' Positions

In the days leading up to the election, TE Patch will present all the candidates' answers to questions posed during the two League of Women Voters debates held this week for T/E School Board and for Tredyffrin Board of Supervisors.

Be Part of the Conversation on TE Patch: An Invitation to Candidates and Voters

Liz Mercogliano has accepted an invitation from Patch for an interview about her positions and candidacy. TE Patch extends the same invitation to Tara LaFiura and to any candidate for office in both Tredyffrin and Easttown.

TE Patch also invites and welcomes any candidate - as well as members of the public who live, work, or go to school in Tredyffrin and Easttown- to share their opinons in our Local Voices blog.

Editor's Note: Political/Election Op-Ed submissions from candidates, political parties and voters should also be submitted as blogs. You can get started simply click on the green button on the homepage that says "Blog on Patch."