No more campaign debates for Robin Kelly before election - Fox 2 News Headlines

The primary election is Tuesday in the race to replace disgraced former congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. and apparent frontrunner Robin Kelly told FOX 32 Political Editor Mike Flannery that she won't participate in any more campaign debates.

"My schedule is actually very booked; very, very booked," Kelly said when asked if she plans to make it to any more forums before Election Day.

Robin Kelly said she was too booked up to attend Thursday night's forum sponsored by the Chicago defender and the NAACP and Friday's debate at FOX 32 News. Other top candidates suggested Kelly is counting on a final push by the billionaire mayor of New York's independent super PAC.

"She's allowing Mayor Bloomberg to speak for her," Anthony Beale says. "He has spent almost $2.5 million in this race and I guess she feels that she doesn't have to talk to the people about what her views are."

"The people ought to see us, know what we're all about and that's what I've been doing," says Deborah Halvorson.

Kelly says she's actually with voters when she's not at forums.

Bolstered by Bloomberg's "Independence USA" PAC, Kelly's leads big in a new survey by We Ask America, with 37% to 19% for former congresswoman Deb Halvorson and 11.5% for Ald. Tony Beale.

Since taking the lead, Kelly is faced tough questions. An inspector general's report concluded that, in 2010, while campaigning for Illinois treasurer, Kelly failed to properly account for time she spent away from her then-state job.

SEE: Robin Kelly faces ethics questions in 2nd district

Whether or not there were rule violations, she insisted she was not overpaid as a result.