Will Senate Forum Keep an 'Empty Chair' for Scott Brown?

The U.S. Senate forum in Merrimack on Wednesday night will feature just two of the 10 Republican candidates who have filed for the primary, and perceived front-runner Scott Brown is not one of them.

Former state Sen. Jim Rubens and former U.S. Sen. Bob Smith will have the stage to themselves at Merrimack Town Hall.

Brown's campaign has previously told the organizer – Merrimack Business Association – that the candidate had a scheduling conflict. Dave McCray, chairman of the association, was perplexed at the lack of response from Brown. Despite feeling like he has been given the "cold shoulder," McCray says "that's water under the bridge."

Asked earlier this month if there would be an empty chair kept on stage to represent Brown, McCray said the association would not pull any such stunt. 

"No, we will have one ready but we 'will not do empty chair,'" McCray responded.

"I'm hoping he still still shows up," he said Monday.

The forum is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. and will likely go until 8:10 p.m., followed by a meet-and-greet in the Matthew Thornton room. Merrimack resident Tom Young is the moderator.

Seats were all reserved, then Karen Testerman ended her campaign and endorsed Smith. So a few seats may be open. Anyone with interest in reserving one of those seats should email McCray at: dmccray7@aol.com

The Merrimack Business Association began organizing the forum in early spring and sent out invites to the top candidates back in April.