Frontrunner in Central Falls mayoral race declines to debate opponent

JAMES DIOSSA

JOSEPH P. MORAN III

CENTRAL FALLS, R.I. -- James A. Diossa, frontrunner to be the next mayor of the state's poorest city, has turned down an opportunity to debate his opponent, Joseph P. Moran III, on Friday.

Ted Nesi, a WPRI-Channel 12 reporter, said Diossa's camp notified fellow reporter Tim White that he will not participate in the half-hour Newsmakers show televised over the weekend.

Diossa, 28, had a commanding victory in the Nov. 6 five-way mayoral primary, garnering nearly 60 percent of the vote. Moran, 50, the former police chief, was a distant second with 18 percent of the vote.

In recent weeks, there have been rumblings that Diossa and Moran would meet in a debate, but now it appears that will not happen.