Kelly Shulz ducks Dan Cox again, bails on FOX45 debate

Pure strategy or covering a weakness?

Kelly Shulz, Dan Cox, Dan Cox press release, images via Facebook and Vimeo

According to a Thursday press release by Dan Cox, Kelly Shulz has bowed out of yet more upcoming Republican debates.

The purported gubernatorial frontrunner appears unwilling to participate in what would have been a televised FOX45 debate, and another debate being separately held by the Maryland State Bar Association in Ocean City at the end of May.

This is just the latest instance in what has been a consistent pattern for Shulz, who abstained from participating in Republican candidate forums in both Frederick and Carroll counties in recent weeks, much to the irritation of local organizers, and to the comedic benefit of Cox who regularly gestured at her empty chair while speaking.

Schulz did appear on FOX45 for a brief segment on Wednesday to promote her parental rights bill, but a review of her bill shows it to be light on specifics compared to the tangible legislation passed in Florida or a bill previously put forth by Cox.

Her nonparticipation in FOX45’s debate is of note though, because it will presumably cost the third ranked local station viewership numbers. Might they cool on appearances from her moving forward in frustrated response?

Regardless, Schulz has now proven she is unwilling to engage in the open. There’s an insider’s arrogance to it that resembles Joe Biden’s behavior in the run up to the 2020 election.  

Is her personal contempt for Cox so visceral she’s seriously unwilling to be in a room with him? Because that seems a lot like virtue signaling. 

Has she decided that debate audiences and local interest groups are just a noisy minority not worthy of being considered a key constituency on her path to victory?

Or could there be a weakness that is being covered for?

Time will tell. Or maybe it won’t.

Maryland Muckraker is a completely independent and fearlessly conservative blog covering local issues by me, Ethan Reese. After spending nearly a decade in corporate Baltimore in marketing technology, figured I’d have a go at writing. Since then I’ve contributed articles to FOX’s OutKick, PJ Media, and Rare Politics, as well as being named a Writing Fellow with the America’s Future Foundation.