By Staff Reporter |
Voters will not be seeing a debate occur in the Arizona governor’s race between Gov. Katie Hobbs and Rep. Andy Biggs.
Hobbs announced formally on Tuesday that she wouldn’t be debating Biggs, though many speculated for months beforehand that would be the case regardless of who won the Republican primary.
The Democratic governor even stonewalled reporters for days after the primary before finally opening up to 12News reporters Brahm Resnik and Craig Harris on the subject.
Hobbs’ campaign manager Nicole DeMont told the outlet that the governor doesn’t find debates important.
DeMont said Hobbs’ time was better spent convincing constituents of her work through a statewide “Arizona First” tour with more than 100 open-press events and interviews.
“We respectfully decline debate invitations in this campaign because face-to-face engagement with Arizonans is more effective than a stage designed for short soundbites and political theater,” said DeMont.
DeMont’s statement confirmed what Hobbs appeared to indicate in media interviews in recent years: that she doesn’t believe debates hold much value with voters anymore.
Some have expressed concern that Hobbs engaging voters unchecked by opponents serves as a calculated echo chamber. They pointed to claims made in a recent Hobbs campaign ad, which were later characterized across the political spectrum as misleading or false.
The governor claimed in the ad to have reduced electricity bills, though utility rates have increased; cut red tape to build more affordable housing, though her administration imposed a housing moratorium that may cost taxpayers millions; and balanced the budget, though the multibillion-dollar surplus flipped into a deficit under her and it was the Republican-led legislature that convinced Hobbs to sign on after months of stalling and a legislative moratorium.
It will have been 8 years since Hobbs engaged in a debate.
In the past, the governor had fled from reporters when pressed on her willingness to debate opponents, and once claimed to have COVID-19 when expected to appear for a debate.
Although Hobbs won’t show, Biggs does plan to appear on the stage for the Clean Elections Debate in October. Drew Sexton, Biggs’ campaign senior advisor, said Hobbs’ continued rejection of debates was less about principle and more about fear of confrontation.
Sexton also said that Hobbs’ avoidance indicated moral failings that would explain the multiple rejections by lieutenant governor picks and the years-long criminal corruption investigation. Sources told The New York Times that both Jimmy McCain, John McCain’s son, and John Giles, former Mesa mayor and Republicans for Harris leader, turned Hobbs down for the role.
“The independent and persuadable voters up for grabs in Arizona deserve to hear from statewide candidates in a traditional debate setting, one that was held in every Arizona gubernatorial race since 1954 until Katie Hobbs ran for the position in 2022,” said Sexton. “Katie Hobbs can avoid the debate stage but she won’t get to avoid voters in November.”
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
