A mayoral candidate debate held last night by the Northern Businessmen's Association of Madison heated up when mayor hopeful Will Sandstrom showed up uninvited.
According to him, the NBA never contacted nor did they invite him to participate. He said a chair was not reserved for him at the candidate's table and said ""that's baloney.""
""I think this is the first time this happened in America, I mean leaving out one of the candidates from a debate,"" Sandstrom said. ""I mean come on ... I'm a legitimate candidate.""
Still, Sandstrom said he was not discouraged that no one invited him.
When he entered the building last night, he said he handed out his book ""to get the message out that we got to get the mob out of Madison."" Sandstrom called himself one of the only people in Madison who realizes the mayor is ""taking money under the table.""
Jim Morbacher, the moderator for the debate, said the NBA did not feel Sandstrom needed to come to the event. Mayor Dave Cieslewicz and candidates Ray Allen and Peter MuAoz were all present and Morbacher said those three were the only ones needed.
""Plain and simple, Mr. Sandstrom was not invited,"" Morbacher said. ""We felt the three other candidates were relevant to the forum and Mr. Sandstrom wasn't.""
Sandstrom said he did not make a scene at the meeting because he is not in the race ""for an ego trip."" He added that he calmly walked out when he was asked to leave, but looking back should have done things differently.
""I should have made a scene,"" Sandstrom said.
—Quinn Craugh
