Add Rep. Mike Simpson to the list of debate no-shows.

The 2nd District congressman has backed out of a live televised debate on Sunday, May 18, sponsored by Idaho Public Television, the League of Women Voters and the Idaho Press Club.

With Simpson saying no to the May 18 date, the debate is in limbo. Only one of Simpson's two GOP opponents, Gregory Nemitz of Twin Falls, meets the sponsors' criteria of running an active campaign. A debate will be held only if two or more candidates commit to attend.

Simpson's cancellation has to do only with logistics, spokeswoman Nikki Watts said today. Simpson is scheduled to speak on May 18 at the Idaho Conservation League's Wild Idaho conference at Redfish Lake Lodge. With votes scheduled on the House floor on Monday, May 19, Simpson is scheduled to fly from Idaho Falls to Washington, D.C., that morning. "Congress' schedule is not quite as forgiving as it is in the general."

Perhaps, but according to the ICL schedule, Simpson is scheduled to speak on a panel on wilderness from 8:45 to 10:15 a.m. His is planning to stay at the conference through lunch.

The IPTV debate was tentatively slated for 5 p.m. on May 18. I'm no travel agent, but I'm not sure why Simpson couldn't have driven from Redfish to Boise, attended the debate, then flown from Boise to D.C., the next morning.

Simpson is the second Idaho Republican to back out of the IPTV debates. Lt. Gov. Jim Risch said no to a debate with his fellow U.S. Senate candidates, in part because of a format that would allow the candidates to question each other. Simpson had no qualms with the IPTV debate format, Watts said.

Disclosure: I'm vice president of the Idaho Press Club, a debate co-sponsor. I'll also be helping with a panel of pundits offering online post-debate analysis of this spring's IPTV debates.