In a rare defeat, United Russia lost a weekend election, with a Communist rival trumping a candidate from the ruling party who had refused to participate in public debates.
Communist candidate Ilya Potapov scored 59 percent in the second round of elections in the Novosibirsk regional town of Berdsk, Interfax said. United Russia-backed incumbent Mayor Vladimir Shtop won 37 percent.
Nearly 43 percent of registered voters in the town of 96,000 came to the polls, the report said.
Of the initial six mayoral candidates, Shtop was the only one who refused to participate in a debate organized by a local newspaper on March 3, Vedomosti reported Thursday.
United Russia candidates often refuse to debate opponents before elections, following the lead of Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev, who both rejected offers to debate rivals during presidential elections that they easily won in the first round of voting.
But Shtop had a change of heart after collecting 37 percent in the first round on March 13, forcing a runoff with Potapov, who won 30 percent. He invited Potapov to a debate, which took place Thursday, said the newspaper Kuryer-Sreda-Berdsk, which organized the event.
Potapov pledged on Monday not to join United Russia like many other politicians have done after defeating ruling party candidates in local elections in recent years.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
