Florida voters may head into the Nov. 3 election without seeing candidates in several of the state’s highest-profile races face each other on a debate stage.
Democratic gubernatorial nominee David Jolly announced Sunday that he will not debate Republican nominee Byron Donalds, despite both campaigns previously accepting separate debate invitations. Jolly said the current campaign climate would not produce a “constructive, honest conversation.” Donalds’ campaign had accepted three debate invitations and said voters deserved to see the candidates “side by side.” If no debate occurs, it would be Florida’s first gubernatorial election without one since 1974.
The debate drought extends beyond the governor’s race. Republican U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody has declined a proposed debate with Democratic challenger Angie Nixon, including one planned by Action News Jax and the University of North Florida. Nixon had agreed to participate.
In the attorney general’s race, Democrat José Javier Rodríguez has challenged Republican incumbent James Uthmeier to debate, including a student-run event at the University of Florida. As of Sunday, there was no indication Uthmeier had accepted.
Similar disputes are playing out in congressional campaigns, with candidates accusing opponents of declining or avoiding debate invitations.
The absence of debates means many Floridians could begin casting ballots without ever seeing the major candidates questioned side by side on the same stage. Beyond the political sparring over who declined which invitation, debates traditionally give voters an opportunity to compare candidates’ positions, responses and records in real time — something campaign ads, rallies and social-media posts do not provide in the same format.