FORT LAUDERDALE — With Republican Gov. Rick Scott and Democratic candidate Charlie Crist slated to debate Wednesday night in Broward County, organizers Monday asked a federal judge to reject a bid by Libertarian Adrian Wyllie to be included in the event.
Wyllie filed a lawsuit last week contending that he should not be shut out of the debate, which is sponsored by Leadership Florida and the Florida Press Association and will be held at Broward College.
But Leadership Florida and the press association filed a document in U.S. District Court in Fort Lauderdale arguing that Wyllie should not receive a temporary restraining order or a preliminary injunction that would allow him to take part. The groups argued, in part, that Wyllie did not meet a threshold of 15 percent support in a poll conducted in September.
“Plaintiffs cannot establish, and have not alleged, that the debate partners are excluding Mr. Wyllie from participation in the debate based on his political views,” the document filed Monday said. “The debate partners have selected a threshold and applied it evenly to all candidates, without consideration of a candidate’s party or non-party affiliation.”
But in a motion for a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction Friday, Wyllie’s attorneys argued that the debate sponsors and the college showed bias in their decision-making.
“As evidenced by polling results, voters clearly consider Wyllie to be a serious candidate, as do news organizations who have been consistently covering his campaign,” the motion said. “Wyllie has substantial financial support and has invested significant money into his campaign, and he has a well-established campaign headquarters. There is no doubt that Wyllie is a serious candidate for governor. Wyllie, being a serious candidate for governor and garnering the incredible support he has, all shows that the restrictions preventing his participation in the debate are, in fact, not reasonable.”
It was not immediately clear Monday afternoon when U.S. District Judge James Cohn would rule on the matter.