By John Murray
WATR radio host Larry Rifkin moderated a two-hour live mayoral debate on 1320 AM this morning featuring from left to right, Independent Party candidate Larry De Pillo, Democrat candidate Neil O’Leary, and Republican candidate and incumbent mayor, Mike Jarjura. The three candidates largely reiterated the positions they have been espousing for the past two months, but there were several sharp exchanges which will be reported in greater detail on this website in the next 24 hours.
Mike Jarjura, left, and Neil O’Leary, right, have waged bruising campaigns in 2011. For the past ten years they have been political allies, but this year O’Leary wrested control of the Democrat Party from the five-term incumbent forcing Jarjura to switch to the Republican Party. The political jousting has been likened to a bitter divorce, which will be decided on November 8th.
De Pillo, not known for his jovial personality, has become a foil to the two major party candidates.