One devoted volunteer for Utah Senate candidate Dan Liljenquist continues to starve himself in hopes of pressuring incumbent Orrin Hatch to agree to a televised debate. Unfortunately none of the parties involved want McKay Christensen to do this.
Christensen, a 43-year-old Utah warehouse manager, stopped eating three days ago as a statement against Hatch’s refusal to commit to debating his opponent beyond one radio interview. The tactic has not endeared him to the Liljenquist campaign.
“That was his idea,” Liljenquist told Yeas & Nays by phone. “He’s on his own.” The candidate did add that he knows Christensen and that “he is a great guy, but we certainly didn’t encourage him to go on a hunger strike.”
The Hatch campaign has stated that the strike will not influence Hatch to participate in more debates.
Christensen doesn’t mind that Liljenquist has publicly disavowed his hunger strike. “I kind of knew that he would have to do it,” he said, “because it’s a pretty unorthodox move.” He says the two have talked. “He was very concerned about my health,” Christensen said. “I said we’ve got a plan in place.”
Eleven pounds down, Christensen isn’t interested in destroying Hatch (“Everyone says what a nice guy Senator Hatch is, and I agree,” he said) but encouraging a more fair process.
“I understand he’s a 36-year six-term senator, and he’s got a lot of money,” he said. “But it’s a lot like baseball. The New York Yankees have all the money, but when the Oakland A’s come to play, the Oakland A’s still get nine guys on the field. The debate is a normal process. The citizens of Utah need to see who they’re sending back for the next six years.”
With the primary about 30 days away — not to mention his anniversary and daughter’s graduation on the horizon — Christensen is hoping to get a call any day now saying Hatch has agreed to a televised debate. “I’ve got a bunch of other things I’d rather be doing that this,” he said, “but I feel strongly about this.”
