Gov. Katie Hobbs has ruled out participating in this fall’s gubernatorial debates even as Arizona’s debate organizers are still deciding whom to invite, according to reporting by the Arizona Globe. Thomas Collins, executive director of the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission, told the Globe that “the commission and the Arizona Media Association are still finalizing their plans on gubernatorial invitations.”
That puts Arizona’s voter-created debate sponsor in the unusual position of designing an “official” forum around the likely absence of the incumbent. The Globe reports that Hobbs has not rejected a finalized Clean Elections invitation, but instead issued a blanket refusal before organizers settled whom to invite or what the final format would be.
The consequence is straightforward: unless something changes, the state’s marquee debate could proceed without the sitting governor, limiting voters’ chance to see the top candidates answer the same questions under the same rules. Collins acknowledged the planning challenge, saying, “I’m not pretending like Gov. Hobbs would come,” while also noting, “She has to be considered an invitee even if she’s going to decline.”
Hobbs’ campaign says she will stick with her “Arizona First Tour,” citing more than 100 open-press appearances and interviews this year. “Face-to-face engagement with Arizonans is more effective than a stage designed for short soundbites and political theater,” campaign manager Nicole DeMont said in a statement to the Globe. Her team also points out that Republican opponent Rep. Andy Biggs has skipped previous debates and forums. We cannot independently verify the campaign’s event count or Biggs’ prior attendance record based on the Globe’s report, and the debate organizers have not released an invitation list yet.
The Biggs campaign told the Globe that he will participate in a Clean Elections event expected to be held Oct. 6, though organizers have not finalized invitations or format. “The independent and persuadable voters up for grabs in Arizona deserve to hear from statewide candidates in a traditional debate setting,” adviser Drew Sexton said. He added, “There’s a difference between congressional and statewide debates in terms of the ability to reach out and actually connect with voters.” Any claimed date should be treated as tentative until the commission and media partners publish their plan.
Republican consultant Jaime Molera argued that declining to face an experienced officeholder carries higher political risk than Hobbs’ 2022 calculation. “There’s a big difference when you’re talking about a sitting congressman,” Molera told the Globe. “He’s a credible candidate. To not have a debate, to me, it’s crazy.” Molera predicted the refusal could yield weeks of earned media for Biggs rather than one uncomfortable night for Hobbs: “They’re going to turn this into a much bigger story. For the Biggs team, this is going to be a gift that keeps on giving.”
