The empty chair at a debate is always a bad look...

[brooklynite]

(Hobbs has refused to debate Lake)

[FoxNewsSucks]

1. That's a mistake

Rightwing bullshit should never go unchallenged.

[Phoenix61]

2. Never argue with an idiot or debate for that matter.

I agree with Katie, it would be a pointless endeavor. Like having a debate with Boebert.

[brooklynite]

4. So Biden shouldn't have debated Trump?

[Phoenix61]

5. Do you think it changed anything?

Do you think people who were going to vote for Trump watched that debate then changed their minds? I don’t. People who are going to vote for Lake will not be dissuaded by pesky facts.

[brooklynite]

12. Anything that showed Trump at his chaotic worst...

…reinforced the feeling of some middle of the road Trump Voters to vote for Biden.

We DO NOT win these races by rounding up more base voters. We win by attracting a share of moderate independents.

[Phoenix61]

38. IMHO moderate independents weren't going to vote for TFG.

They had 4 years of his chaos to figure out who he was.

[brooklynite]

39. But they MIGHT vote for Republicans down-ticket

Look at our losses in 2020 in the House.

[Phoenix61]

40. I'll try again,

Moderate independents aren’t going to vote for TFG or any of his disciples.

[dchill]

8. Especially not, since Trump was trying to infect him with COVID.

[AZSkiffyGeek]

24. Showing some great leadership there, not bothering to show up

I'm voting for her, but I think this little "I'm not debating" stunt is hurting her.

[BlueGreenLady]

3. Here's more info about her decision not to debate Lake

"Hobbs's campaign has been in a back and forth for weeks with the Citizens Clean Elections Commission, which runs some of the major nonpartisan debates in the state. Last week, the commission declined Hobbs' request to hold town-hall style interviews instead of a debate, according to the Associated Press, leading to Hobbs campaign manager Nicole DeMont putting out a statement Sunday that concluded: "We must respectfully decline the invitation."

"Debating a conspiracy theorist like Kari Lake — whose entire campaign platform is to cause enormous chaos and make Arizona the subject of national ridicule — would only lead to constant interruptions, pointless distractions, and childish name-calling," DeMont said." -NBC


https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/meetthepressblog/arizona-democrat-hobbs-says-wont-debate-gop-opponent-rcna47278

[moonscape]

18. Then that shows who Lake is. Calm and

rational tilt those on the fence, and stimulate needed decided turnout.

[JustAnotherGen]

6. It's good enough for Huckabee-Sanders

It's good enough for our side too.

Not going to denigrate an actual candidate who has carefully orchestrated her campaign.

This decision was not off the cuff. The Democratic Governors Org is engaged in these races too. Highly engaged.

Lake is a zero worth, zero value individual and Hobbs would be wasting her time trying to have an intelligent, reasonable discussion with a traitor to America.

[jimfields33]

14. I'm sorry but she should've been there.

This was Hispanic state group and she should’ve went there to show support for them at least.

[JustAnotherGen]

22. No need to apologize

I just believe in a level playing field.

[Alpeduez21]

7. Skipping the debate is wrong

Crazy words from the crazy candidate are not needed b/c they won't be heard. I see a picture of someone who showed up and someone who didn't. That's a powerful image. I know the debate would have been a complete farce but not being in the picture is a mistake. Now crazy lady just has to show the image and the Democratic candidate is playing from behind.

[dchill]

10. Hobbs didn't skip a debate. She skipped a shit show.

[Alpeduez21]

11. If you're explaining you're losing

I said in my post that it would have been a disaster of a debate. No one is discussing what happened in the debate b/c it didn't happen. One candidate showed up the other one didn't. "Doesn't even care enough to discuss the issues, can't even articulate her thinking in front of a live audience", etc. The ads write themselves with the image of an empty podium.

[dchill]

23. You have said it. Nevertheless, it's a fact that ...

... Hobbs skipped a shitshow.

[AZSkiffyGeek]

25. HObbs couldn't stand up to Lake's craziness is the takeaway

Not that she was smart to avoid the shitshow.
Masters, Finchem, Hamedeh are all crazy too - their opponents showed up.

[Demsrule86]

36. The debate will be cancelled and given the absolute chaos in the Primary debates with Lake...

that is a good thing. She won't answer questions...she simply projects her message ...it would be a free ad IMHO...good for Katie Hobbs.

[hlthe2b]

9. I have to agree, however fruitless, she should have been there.

[MagickMuffin]

13. Well sheesh I thought you were going with Rand Paul who also refused to debate

I guess it doesn’t matter who refuses to debate. Debates have become meaningless nowadays.

[ColinC]

15. This another reason to consider why Booker shouldn't be counted out

[brooklynite]

20. Rand Paul isn't at risk of losing an election.

[BannonsLiver]

16. You should write her a letter

Play the “do you know who I am card” etc. Set her straight.

[brooklynite]

21. So, no opinion on the actual story. Good to know.

[BannonsLiver]

29. I think I made that pretty clear with my comment.

But maybe I need to spell it out: Just because you’re all worked up over it doesn’t mean it will decide the race, and most people won’t care.

Hope that clears it up. You should absolutely set her straight though.

[brooklynite]

30. I'd say anything can influence an election with a poll margin of 0.4

https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/polls/governor/2022/arizona/

[BannonsLiver]

31. Yes. I'm sure you would.

[brooklynite]

32. 40 years of political activity and 10 years for candidate modeling will do that.

I’m sure the audience would be interested in the background for for analysis.

[BannonsLiver]

33. LOL

Ok 🤷‍♂️🙄

Don’t fret. I’m sure the final donation thread will take off any time now.

[Demsrule86]

34. Old school...this is not an old school year. And again, Democrats are always called out for

not debating...Hershal Walker isn't debating...I see little point in debates...Roe Roe your vote. You talk about how it has always been, not working so well for us lately.

[Indykatie]

17. Optics Matters - Hobbs Should Have Been There n/t

[edhopper]

19. They are tied in the polls

which is worrisome. I think the polls undercount the GOP vote, and have for some time.

[AZSkiffyGeek]

26. They aren't tied, but this won't help

Hobbs is up by 3 in the latest.

[Polybius]

28. Yes, in today's CNN poll

In yesterday's CBS poll it was a tie. After refusing to debate, I fully expect Lake to be up by 5 next week.

[Polybius]

27. 100% agreed

Refusing to debate makes anyone look weak. Plus, debating Kari Lake would have given Katie Hobbs an easy 5-10 points in the polls. Cataclysmic mistake.

[Demsrule86]

35. I disagree...I wouldn't debate her either...did you listen to the primary debates?

Hobbs' campaign manager addressed the commission before its decision, pointing to Lake's performance in the raucous June 29 Republican primary debate, which she devolved into the chaos that she said made Arizona the subject of national ridicule.

“I think it’s pretty clear that she only wants to create another spectacle, like we saw in the GOP primary debate,” campaign manager Nicole DeMont said. “But on top of that, I would just add, you can’t debate a conspiracy theorist and at the last debate, she brought the conversation back to the 2020 election no less than a dozen times.”

DeMont had pointed to that debate as a primary reason for not agreeing to the upcoming debate in a letter to the commission last week.

https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/katie-hobbs-wont-debate-kari-lake-in-arizona-governors-race-14441025

[Polybius]

37. I understand that a lot of people wouldn't debate her

But she isn't a master debater like Ted Cruz. She's totally bonkers. I think Hobbs would have made her look stupid, and she would have instantly gone up in the polls.