Today, the Southtown Star editorial board offered their thoughts on GOP congressional candidate Marty Ozinga's decision to drop out of the 11th District debate scheduled for yesterday.  The debate was sponsored by the Southland Chamber of Conference and was to be held at Governor's State University with Star columnist Kristen McQueary moderating:

The real issue behind it all?

We're still not so sure.

His staffers spent last week finding fault with the event, and finally suggested the sponsor, the format, the location and the choice of moderator (the SouthtownStar's political writer, Kristen McQueary) were all part of an orchestrated attack. [...]

Attempting to sully, in one big stroke, the Southland Chamber, Governors State University and the SouthtownStar ---three of the biggest players in the Southland landscape - shows more than a big whiff of worry from the Ozinga camp.

While they lost a chance to get out a message on the issues, they did send voters a different sort of one: There's a bit of paranoia here. [...]

There are big problems facing Illinois and this nation.

Ozinga missed a big opportunity to step forward and show he's not afraid.

Voters deserved far better.

Meanwhile, the blog Peoria Story wonders if all the GOP debate dodging isn't part of a national strategy.