Congress' 'Mr. No' Thomas Massie to Moderate Free and Equal Presidential Debate

Thomas Massie
Photo by Gage Skidmore on Flickr. Creative Commons license.
Created: 07 Jun, 2024
2 min read

Photo by Gage Skidmore on Flickr

 

The Free and Equal Election Foundation is slated to host its second presidential debate of 2024 on July 12, and it will be co-moderated by a member of Congress who is no stranger to challenging the status quo – US Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky).

The debate will be a part of FreedomFest in Las Vegas. Massie will join Free and Equal Founder Christina Tobin in moderating. “We are honored to have Congressman Massie moderate the third debate in our 2024 Presidential debate series," said Tobin. 

"Having a publicly elected Congressman moderate a presidential debate is historic and underscores our commitment to opening up a respectful dialogue."

Free and Equal is a nonpartisan organization with the stated mission of opening the US electoral system "into one that is fair, transparent, and inclusive for all Americans."

Massie, who has represented Kentucky’s 4th District since November 2012,  quickly developed a reputation in Congress as a rebellious lawmaker who was not afraid to vote against his own party on a variety of topics including spending, domestic surveillance, war, sanctions, and more. 

One of his first major votes was voting against the re-election of John Boehner as Speaker of the House in 2013.

Massie voted “no” on so many bills that by June 2014 people started to call him “Mr. No,” likely in reference to Dr. Ron Paul whose contrarian approach to legislating earned him the nickname, “Dr. No.” 

IVP Donate

“As someone who’s voted for third-party presidential candidates in past elections, I look forward to helping broaden the national discussion by moderating this important debate,” said Massie.

To date, three candidates have been confirmed for the debate, including Libertarian Party nominee Chase Oliver, Green Party nominee Dr. Jill Stein, and Constitution Party nominee Randall Terry. 

The list of candidates has shrunk compared to Free and Equal’s first debate, which aired on C-SPAN, now that most national parties have picked their nominees. 

Invitations have also been sent to Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Robert F Kennedy Jr, and Dr. Cornel West. Candidates who have not confirmed with Free and Equal have until the end of June to respond in order to appear on the debate stage.

Free and Equal uses a cumulative debate format, which gives each candidate more time than a traditional debate to elaborate on their policy positions. The group says this format ensures “a fair and comprehensive discussion on pressing issues of the current times.”

Candidates will not be limited to two minutes to discuss complex political matters as seen in presidential debates hosted by national news networks. Instead, the debate will offer nuance over being merely a spectacle of one-liners and partisan attacks. 

People can attend the debate in person by purchasing a conference pass with FreedomFest. Or, they can watch online via a livestream on Rumble. Free and Equal says more broadcast partners could be announced later this month. 

In this article

Related articles

Trump
Trump Surged 14 Points with Independents: Did the Debate Change That?
Photo Credit:  NASHVILLE, Tenn. - An early Aug. PBS/NPR/Marist poll found Harris leading Trump by 11...
12 Sep, 2024
-
5 min read
Trump
Everything You Need to Know About the Trump-Harris Debate
Photo Credit:  Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are set to square off ...
09 Sep, 2024
-
3 min read
debates
Is The Downfall of the Commission on Presidential Debates a Good Thing?
Photo Credit:  On September 10, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump will ...
04 Sep, 2024
-
6 min read

Latest articles

Rand Paul
Why Rand Paul Calls Trump's Tariffs a Harmful Tax on Americans
Republican Senator Rand Paul has once again voiced his strong opposition to tariffs imposed by former President Donald Trump and has joined a handful of Republicans willing to vote against them in the Senate....
03 Apr, 2025
-
2 min read
Hand sticking ballot in ballot box.
Same Election: Voter ID Wins Big; GOP Loses Big
Many have seen the story out of Wisconsin: Susan Crawford defied record-breaking spending by Super PACs to win the April 1 state Supreme Court election. “Crawford beat Musk,” is the headline after the world’s richest man poured millions into the race to defeat her, while liberal billionaires also opened up their own pocketbooks for Crawford....
03 Apr, 2025
-
3 min read
Image of a gavel and legal professionals at a desk.
A Recent Court Decision Could Reshape the Legal Battle over Closed Primaries
Litigation is often seen as a zero-sum game of wins and losses. In that lens, a recent 11th Circuit decision that upholds Florida’s closed primary system has been declared another win for political parties and closed primaries. But it’s the wrong framing....
03 Apr, 2025
-
4 min read