Kari Lake’s Debate Dilemma: Will She or Won’t She?

Democrat Ruben Gallego is eager to engage in a Clean Elections debate for the open U.S. Senate seat. His Republican opponent, Kari Lake, is less enthusiastic.

On Friday, Gallego’s campaign communicated to the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission their readiness to participate in the debates, which are highly anticipated across the state. While Lake’s campaign has shown reluctance to commit, a spokesman indicated that they are involved in ongoing discussions regarding the debate.

The state commission initially set a deadline for all candidates to respond to scheduling by Friday. However, at Lake’s request, the commission extended the deadline by a week, allowing her more time to decide.

Lake’s hesitance is notable, following a similar situation two years ago when her opponent, Katie Hobbs, declined to debate her in the gubernatorial race. At that time, Arizona PBS addressed the situation by granting Lake a half-hour interview, despite Hobbs receiving similar treatment, which led to the commission ending its long-standing partnership with PBS for hosting debates.

Lake criticized Hobbs during the previous election cycle, accusing her of refusing to engage in debate. In turn, Hobbs’ campaign labeled any potential confrontation as a “spectacle.”

This year, Clean Elections has partnered with the Arizona Media Association to manage and broadcast the debates, which will air statewide. With the primary elections completed, the general election debates are expected to be widely accessible to voters.

Currently, the responsibility falls on Lake to make a decision regarding her participation in the upcoming debate. Gallego is taking advantage of her indecision, expressing his eagerness to uphold the debate tradition in Arizona.

“Arizonans deserve to hear about the choice in this election between a Marine combat veteran with a history of service and someone who is only in this race for herself,” Gallego stated, emphasizing the importance of the debate to engage voters from all political backgrounds.

The Senate race is significantly driven by an influx of television advertising, underscoring the importance of the debates. They provide a rare opportunity for voters to witness direct comparisons of candidates’ policies and personalities. Given the stakes, the outcome could influence the party’s control of the Senate.

Gallego’s readiness to participate is expected, having previously indicated his willingness to face Lake. Meanwhile, Lake has expressed dissatisfaction with the Clean Elections Commission, despite the referee’s earlier decisions not being the panel’s doing.

Lake declared her intent to seek “a fair platform” for debate, but declining participation carries political risks. Currently, she trails in fundraising and several non-partisan polls; one recent poll suggested Gallego leads by 11 percentage points.

Political analyst Mike Noble noted that missing a debate could amount to an opportunity lost for Lake. With Gallego significantly outpacing her in available funds and poll performance, he remarked, “I think it would be a missed opportunity for Kari Lake not to engage Ruben in a debate.”

Republican consultant Stan Barnes echoed this sentiment, questioning the rationale behind Lake’s avoidance of debates given her previous advantageous positions.

Regardless of Lake’s decision, Gallego is poised to benefit from the airtime allotted under the Clean Elections Commission’s established rules. Historically, participating in these debates was seen as essential for major candidates in Arizona.

However, recent trends indicate a growing reluctance among candidates to participate. Influential personalities like Hobbs have previously cited issues with Republican candidates as a rationale for abstention.