By R.J. Morales | TX3DNews
With the primary election now decided, the race for Texas’ 3rd Congressional District is set: Republican incumbent Keith Self will face Democratic nominee Evan Hunt in the November general election.
Hunt has already begun calling for a public debate, saying earlier this year that he challenged Self to participate in a town hall event scheduled for March 11 in McKinney.
Background on the Debate Challenge
During a campaign event in February, Hunt said the venue had already been secured for the proposed event.
“I called him out for a town hall date on the 11th of March,” Hunt said. “We booked the sanctuary in McKinney. It holds 250 people.”
Hunt said the event was intended to be an open discussion rather than a traditional campaign forum.
“No script of questions,” he said.
He also said moderators from the McKinney Podcast — James Jenkins and Fred Mahusay — were expected to participate.
Invitation Delivered After Primary
After the primary election, Hunt said he personally visited Self’s Collin County district office in McKinney to congratulate the congressman on securing the Republican nomination and to deliver a formal invitation to the March 11 event.
Self was not present at the office at the time, but Hunt said staff members indicated the letter would be passed along.
In the letter, Hunt wrote that voters across Texas’ 3rd Congressional District “deserve an open, honest conversation about the future of our community and our country.”
He added that the proposed town hall would allow residents to ask questions directly and hear both candidates discuss issues affecting the district, including the economy, healthcare, education, and national security.
Hunt said the goal of the event is to give constituents an opportunity to hear both candidates address policy issues in the same forum ahead of the November election.
Congressional Schedule
Shortly after Hunt’s announcement, McKinney Podcast host James Jenkins told TX3DNews that scheduling the debate could be difficult if Congress was still in session.
However, the U.S. House of Representatives legislative calendar now lists the week of the proposed debate as a district work period, when members typically return home to meet with constituents.
Hunt later reiterated the invitation on social media while also saying he believes Congress should be focused on developments overseas.
“As much as I’d like Rep. Keith Self to join me for our Town Hall Debate on March 11 in McKinney, Congress shouldn’t be on recess right now,” Hunt wrote. “If the United States is carrying out military strikes in the Middle East, Congress should be in Washington doing its job.”
Hunt added that if Self is in the district during the work period, he would welcome the congressman’s participation in the event.
Town Hall Format and Public Appearances
Rep. Self has held several town hall-style events across the district since taking office, typically featuring smaller audiences and a structured format. Attendees are often asked to present identification upon entry, and audience questions are typically submitted to staff in advance.
Hunt’s proposed event is intended to operate differently. Organizers describe it as an open town hall discussion where audience members could ask questions directly rather than submitting them ahead of time. Event materials indicate that attendees will be asked to register at the door upon arrival.
Since launching his reelection campaign, Self has participated in several campaign appearances in the district, including an event earlier this year alongside Collin County Judge Chris Hill and state House candidate Keresa Richardson.
During the same campaign period, several candidate forums and community events were organized across Collin County where organizers said all candidates were invited to participate, including events at Epic City, the West Plano Islamic Center, and a McKinney PTA-sponsored candidate forum. Self and his campaign did not attend those particular forums.
Participation in such forums is typically optional, and candidates often decide whether to attend based on scheduling and campaign priorities.
Looking Ahead to March 11
The March 11 town hall event in McKinney is expected to move forward, according to Hunt’s campaign, regardless of whether Self attends.
As of now, Rep. Self has not publicly accepted the invitation. TX3DNews contacted his office for comment and will update this story if a response is received.
If Rep. Self accepts the invitation, the event could provide one of the first opportunities this election cycle for voters to hear both candidates address questions in the same forum.