On Thursday, the Arizona Clean Elections Commission rejected the demand from Democrat gubernatorial candidate Katie Hobbs, for separate townhalls rather than a formal debate with Republican candidate Kari Lake.
On Wednesday, Lake advised the Commission in a letter that she would not be willing to participate in the townhall format that Katie Hobbs proposed last week. Lake said it was “not a debate, but a safe space from any serious criticism or scrutiny” for Hobbs.
After hearing from members of the public and representatives from both campaigns, the commissioners seemed to agree with Lake. They instructed staff to try work out terms for a traditional Clean Elections debate that Hobbs might accept.
Clean Elections Commission Chairman Damien Meyer, a Democrat, said his opposition to the townhall proposal was based on the mission of the Commission.
The Commission’s mission is “to implement and to administer the Citizens Clean Election Act fairly, faithfully, and fully. The purpose of the Act is “to restore citizen participation and confidence in our political system, improve the integrity of Arizona State government and promote freedom of speech under the U.S. and Arizona Constitutions.”
It was the free speech part that seemed to concern Hobbs and her campaign manager, Nicole DeMont, who have said they were concerned with what Lake might say on stage.
That position left campaign pros scratching their heads. “If I thought my opponent was going to come across like some kind of nutcase on stage I would want ten debates, not just one.” said Republican consultant Constantin Querard, who is not working with the Lake campaign. “Hobbs isn’t afraid Lake will say crazy stuff, Hobbs is afraid Lake will kick her tail, that’s why she is ducking the debate.”
When asked Chairman Damien Meyer asked if there was any scenario in which Hobbs would share stage with Lake in a traditional format, DeMont responded that she did not want to want to get into hypotheticals.
“I don’t think it’s a hypothetical question,” responded Meyer. “Is there any scenario where she will share the stage?” DeMont did not respond.
A clearly exasperated Commissioner Mark Kimble was critical of Hobbs’ decision to only notify the Commission of her resistance at such a late date.
“It’s incumbent on us to say enough. This is the format we set up,” said Kimble referring to the traditional debate format.
In a 3-1 vote, the Commission accepted Meyer’s motion to give staff seven days “to attempt to engage and work with both campaigns to agree to a debate format that will lead to the two candidates participating in a debate for the purpose of aiding Arizona voters in evaluating these two candidates.”
Kimble, former Communication Director for Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, voted against the motion due to his opposition to any delay to accommodate Hobbs.
Should Hobbs continue to dodge the debate opportunity, the Commission will host Lake in a one-on-one interview with moderator Ted Simons.
Earlier this year, Hobbs claimed a case of Covid prevented her from participating in the Citizens Clean Elections Commission’s Democratic Party Primary debate. Less than 3 days later, she was on the campaign trail again.
During the commissioners’ discussion, pro-Hobbs member of the Commission, Steve Titla, asked Tom Collins, Executive Director of the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission to read Lake’s letter to the Commission into the record:
Lake’s letter to the Citizens Clean Elections Commission dated September 7:
We are sorely disappointed, but not surprised, that Katie Hobbs is sabotaging the Clean Election Commission’s efforts to put together a gubernatorial candidate debate, as it has successfully done for years up until now.
As a former award-winning journalist, Kari Lake passionately believes that the voters of Arizona deserve at least one opportunity to see their two candidates side-by-side debating the issues of the day. That’s why she made it clear that she would accept the Commission’s invitation to debate with any format – with the reasonable expectation that Katie Hobbs would be on stage with her.
The townhall format that Katie Hobbs proposed last week is not a debate, but a safe space from any serious criticism or scrutiny of her record. Perhaps Katie Hobbs is worried that Kari Lake will bring up her record of convictions for racial and sexual discrimination on live television. She should be but facing criticism and taking responsibility for your record in front of the voters is one of the most basic qualifications of leadership. Hobbes is failing at it spectacularly.
Kari Lake will not take part in the townhall format that Katie Hobbs has proposed, and we call on the Commission to reject it as well. On September 7th, Lake and Hobbes are taking part in this style of “forum” put on by the Chamber Of Commerce with the Hobbs’ demanded set-up. Once again, this has highlighted how afraid and unsure Katie Hobbs is of her own positions and policies. The Clean Elections Commission is the only organization in the state that has the opportunity to put together a genuine debate between the two candidates for the people of Arizona. Kari Lake will not go along with Katie Hobbs’ attempt to sabotage it – and neither should the Commission.
We are calling on the Commission to schedule the debate as planned with two podiums on stage. Kari Lake will be there to answer any and all questions from the moderator. If it’s some point Katie Hobbs decides to show up, Kari Lake will be more than happy to share the stage with her. If she does not show up, that is a revealing fact that the voters of Arizona deserve to know as well. Hobbs’ strategy may be to avoid facing any real scrutiny from voters or the press for this entire campaign, but the Clean Elections Commission cannot allow itself to become a pawn in her game and set a dangerous new precedent that allows candidates to hide from the voters without any repercussions.
In addition, we are calling on Commissioner Amy Chan to recuse herself from the Commission’s deliberations and vote on this matter. Given that Chan currently works as a General Counsel in Katie Hobbs Secretary Of State office, her involvement evokes a clear conflict of interest that would taint the Commission’s decision.
We look forward to scheduling the debate with you and we sincerely hope that Hobbs ultimately decides to attend.
Thank you,
Kari Lake for Governor