The Catawba College Political Science Association has canceled a Wednesday debate between Republican Scott Keadle and Democrat Cal Cunningham, candidates for the N.C. Senate District 23 seat.

Adam Tomer, co-president of the association, blames the Cunningham camp for scuttling the event, although Tomer had put weeks of preparation into it. The candidates were supposed to meet at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, with Karl Hales as moderator.

Students planned to submit the questions. Tomer said he received “a curt response” from a Cunningham campaign assistant last Tuesday saying the date had never been confirmed and that Cunningham had a scheduling conflict.

“I don’t understand,” Tomer said. “It doesn’t make sense. The response from us is, ‘poor form.’”

Contacted Friday, Cunningham was not aware of the debate and asked to have time to check with his office. Cunningham later said his assistant had discussions with Tomer two to three weeks ago, but she understood it wasn’t going to take place.

Cunningham said his office didn’t hear back from Tomer until the middle of last week. By then, he had scheduled something else.

“It’s really an unavoidable scheduling problem,” Cunningham said.

Tomer said Nov. 1 had been a date the Cunningham assistant preferred and said they had numerous conversations about it. Before sending details of the debate format to Cunningham’s office last Tuesday, Tomer said he had previously talked to the assistant as late as Oct. 19.

Keadle said Cunningham is simply trying to avoid a debate.

“This is a pattern,” Keadle said, adding that Cunningham also backed out of a debate in Iredell County Oct. 17.

Only Libertarian candidate Larry Clark appeared in person at that forum. Keadle decided not to go after talking with moderator Eric Millsaps and hearing that Cunningham would not attend. Cunningham sent a representative to the meeting.

All three District 23 candidates appeared together at an NAACP forum in East Spencer the next night.

Keadle said he has consistently tried to debate Cunningham, noting his overtures to both the Post and the Lexington Dispatch to sponsor a forum for their race.

Cunningham said the last week before the election offers limited opportunities.

“I’d certainly be open to anything,” Cunningham said, “but the schedule is extraordinarily crowded between now and the election.”

Guns and grades: While guns have never been a big issue among candidates for state legislative races, the National Rifle Association has made endorsements in those races nonetheless.

In fact, the NRA’s Political Victory Fund has been mailing North Carolina voters a report card on how N.C. candidates measure up, according to the group’s ratings.

Incumbent legislators receiving “A” ratings include Sen. Fletcher Hartsell, Rep. Charlotte Gardner and Rep. Eugene McCombs. Keadle and Cunningham, candidates for the N.C. Senate District 23, each received an “A.”

The NRA gave Democrat Lorene Coates, a candidate for House District 35, a “C” grade. Republican Stan Bingham, a candidate for the 38th Senate District, received an “F.”

The “A” designates “a solidly pro-gun candidate,” the NRA says. A non-incumbent candidate may have received an “A” based entirely on his or her response to an NRAsurvey.

A “C” is “not necessarily a passing grade,” the NRA says. An “F” means the candidate is a “true enemy of gun owners’ rights.”

For some races, the NRAhas sent out orange postcards to endorse certain candidates. It instructs the NRA member to save the card and take it with him to the polls on Election Day.

The NRA has sent cards out on Gardner’s behalf, for example.

Other candidates of note and their grade from the NRA include U.S. Rep. Howard Coble, “A”; U.S. Rep. Robin Hayes, “A-plus”; and U.S. Rep. Mel Watt, “F.”

Watt’s Republican opponent, Chad Mitchell, receives an “A.” Hayes’ Democratic opponent, Mike Taylor, also had an “A” rating.

Rowan Democrats meet: Wick Haynes, statewide volunteer coordinator for Democratic labor commissioner candidate Doug Berger, spoke at the monthly meeting of the Rowan County Democratic Party last Thursday night.

Haynes emphasized Berger’s experience as an administrative judge in handling workmen’s compensation cases.

At the meeting, Cunningham, Coates and Leda Shuping, a candidate for the Rowan County Board of Commissioners, “delivered spirited election messages to the crowd,” said Sandy Reitz, who reported on the event.

The Democrats learned that U.S. Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., will attend a 10 a.m. rally Tuesday in Lexington.