Arizona voters deserve a gubernatorial debate
OPINION — Why are we not insisting that Governor Katie Hobbs publicly debate her opponents before the November election?
Arizonans, we live in the home of the Wild West. Questioning authority, demanding accountability and standing up for our rights are written into our DNA. As a purple state, we need to be especially insistent upon this. This is not a Republican issue or a Democratic issue. We need all candidates to debate each other.
After all, American democracy depends on it. Especially when we the people have repeatedly seen how our political institutions and figures — from all political parties and levels of government — mislead, manipulate and fail us. If Arizona politicians want us to participate on their behalf on election day, we need to demand that they participate with each other and with us before it.
Anyone asking for our votes needs to be willing to participate publicly, defend their positions and answer difficult questions — all while standing alongside their opponents in real time. No political candidate is above scrutiny.
Why is Katie Hobbs declining to participate in traditional debates with her opponents this election cycle? Why did she decline to debate her Republican opponent in the 2022 election? Is it a coincidence that this election then became the subject of highly publicized allegations and legal challenges? Regardless of whether you believe the allegations had merit, the fact that the 2022 Arizona Governor election became the subject of such widespread distrust should concern every Arizona citizen.
We the people, as Arizona voters, deserve better — and if we can’t rely on our elected officials to demand accountability for us, then we have to actually do something about it ourselves. This is a call to action. Demand transparency. Demand candidate participation. Demand last-minute opportunities for our 2026 candidates to show us who they really are. Demand that Katie Hobbs debate. The freedom clock is ticking.
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