District 2 candidates to debate in Taft Monday

All six candidates for the District 2 seat of the Kern County Board of Supervisors have committed to a debate hosted by the Taft Republican Assembly in Taft Monday evening.

The debate will start at 7 p.m. in the Berry Petroleum Theatre at the Taft Fox Theatre and will be moderated by Terry Maxwell of KNZR.

A meet and greet with the candidates will start at 6 p.m., according to Vince Maioco, president of the Taft Republican Assembly.

"We're hosting it but it's nonpartisan," Maiocco said of the debate. "We know there are independents, at least one Democrat. We're steering clear of the political aspect of things."

The event is free to the public but seating is limited, Maiocco said, estimating the theater could seat about 100 people.

Each candidate will be allowed an opening and closing statement, Maiocco said, and organizers have six major topics for debate.

Topics will be drawn at random by a candidate, who will then have two minutes to respond. The five remaining candidates will each have one minute for their response, before finishing with the original candidate who will have an additional minute to reply.

Maiocco said he hopes to finish the debate by 8:30 p.m.

Speaking to The Californian Thursday afternoon, Maiocco said all six candidates, Kelly Lee Carden Jr., Dale Cisneros, Pete Graff, Ben Dewell, Bernita Jenkins and Chris Parlier, had agreed to attend.