I want to thank the League of Women Voters and Public Radio East for giving voters the opportunity to hear the Democratic candidates for the United States Senate.

The voters deserve to hear the candidates in an open unscripted forum. We need more of these exchanges.

This is an important election and there are fundamental differences between myself and Senator Kay Hagan.

But if Senator Hagan has her way, they will never be known.

The following organizations have offered to stage debates: WTVD-TV in Durham, WLTT Radio in Wilmington, the statewide African American Caucus and the Young Democrats of North Carolina.

Senator Hagan only agreed to this one forum tonight after she unilaterally changed the ground rules. The other candidates were excluded from the discussion.

The voters should not be excluded from an open unscripted discussion of the issues facing our state and our nation.

They deserve better than that.