Midterm candidates dumping debates: 'There's no reason to get up there and argue about differences of opinion'
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candidates → dump → opinion
Fewer than half of Senate races will have candidate debates this year.
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half → have → debates
As the high-stakes midterm elections approach and hundreds of candidates make their case to voters, in many cases, those voters won't get a chance to see candidates debate -- a trend over the last several elections, according to an ABC News analysis.
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candidates → approach → analysis
This year, 36 governors are up for election -- 21 of those races will not see a debate between the two major-party candidates.
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21 → see → candidates
That number includes three of the governor's races ranked by ABC News as toss-ups: Georgia, Nevada and Ohio.
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number → include → ups
The number of governor’s races with no debate has increased over the past two midterm elections.
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number → increase → elections
In 2018, only two races out of 36 saw no debates -- Alabama and Nevada.
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races → see → debates
In 2022, that number went up to eight out of the 36 gubernatorial races.
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number → go → races
Of the 35 Senate seats up for election in 2026, 21 of them have no debate scheduled between the major candidates including toss-up races in Ohio and Texas.
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21 → have → Ohio
Of the 34 seats up for reelection in 2024, nine had no debates; in 2022, there were no debates for 14 out of 35.
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nine → have → 35
While candidates skipping debates may help spare them from gaffes or missteps, it can be to the detriment of voters -- who, an expert told ABC News, are missing an opportunity to not only learn about candidates' platforms, but also how they handle pressure.
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they → skip → pressure
Why candidates have said they are declining debates
The candidates who have declined debates ahead of the midterms in November have cited a variety of reasons.
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who → say → reasons
In Ohio, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton declined to debate her Republican opponent Vivek Ramaswamy, saying she did not want to "platform" his "baseless lies" -- a reference to what she called false claims in some of his political ads.
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she → decline → ads
Ramaswamy has challenged Acton to debate him.
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Ramaswamy → challenge → him
Sen. Tommy Tuberville, who is running for governor in Alabama, opted against debating Democratic opponent Doug Jones, telling a local TV station that "there's so much difference between us.
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who → run → us
I mean, there's no reason to get up there and argue about differences of opinion."
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I → mean → opinion
Jones has continued to call for debates.
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Jones → continue → debates
In Texas' closely watched Senate race, Republican candidate Ken Paxton had initially committed to a debate against state Sen. James Talarico earlier this summer.
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Paxton → watch → Talarico
Despite Paxton's commitment, ABC affiliate WFAA says their offers to host a debate have gone unanswered by Paxton's team.
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offers → say → team
On Thursday, Talarico challenged Paxton to a debate on Fox News.
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Talarico → challenge → News
Paxton’s campaign has not responded to requests for comment on his plans to debate.
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campaign → respond → plans
Paxton did not participate in debates in his previous runs for office as attorney general.
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Paxton → participate → general
In Arizona, Gov. Katie Hobbs is declining a debate in her race -- marking the second election cycle she has done so.
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she → decline → cycle
In her 2022 race, she requested separate televised interviews of herself and her opponent, Kari Lake.
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she → request → herself
When Lake declined, Hobbs opted not to debate.
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Hobbs → decline → ?
This year, Hobbs again declined to debate, her campaign manager saying it was because "face-to-face engagement with Arizonans is more effective than a stage designed for short soundbites and political theater.
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engagement → decline → soundbites
Voters can't see how candidates 'react under pressure'
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candidates → see → pressure
But no matter the reason for candidates' decisions not to debate, the result is the same: voters are denied the opportunity to see a head-to-head comparison of the top contenders on their ballot.
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voters → debate → ballot
Craig Hennigan, a lecturer in communications at the University of Nevada Las Vegas and director of their award-winning debate team, said when candidates skip debates, voters don't get to see how they "react under pressure.
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they → win → pressure
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"[Voters are] not actually looking to watch a debate to learn about issues.
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Voters → look → issues
However, the research has shown that people do incidentally learn about issues -- but they're more interested in the character being presented," Hennigan told ABC News.
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Hennigan → show → News
The same setting that creates moments of genuine insight for voters can put candidates in an unpredictable and vulnerable position, Hennigan said.
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Hennigan → create → position
"[Candidates are] not certain what their opponent's going to say, and whatever message they've been trying to curate, when they're put on the spot, they might have a misstep.
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they → go → misstep
So there's risk involved with having to perform in a debate,” he said.
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he → be → debate
Hennigan argues that the incentives look different for candidates heading into debates depending on their position, saying "if you have a very substantial lead, there is very little that you can gain as a candidate from participating in a debate" citing President Donald Trump declining to participate in primary debates in 2024 as an example.
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Trump → argue → example
His advice for candidates who do opt for a debate?
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who → opt → debate
"You don't attempt to win.
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You → attempt → ?
You just attempt to not lose.
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You → attempt → ?
You are trying to avoid gaffes."
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You → try → gaffes
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