As Texas heads toward a competitive midterm election, the state’s Republican nominees for statewide offices are largely refusing to appear on debate stages. Attorney General Ken Paxton, the Republican Senate candidate, has not confirmed any of the multiple debate invitations extended by Democratic challenger James Talarico, despite his campaign’s spokesperson saying they are “of course we’re going to debate.” With only two weeks left before early voting, the race could become the first Texas Senate contest in 25 years without a public debate.
Democratic candidates keep extending invitations
James Talarico has accepted at least four debate requests from CNN and local television stations. He recently challenged Paxton to a Fox News‑hosted forum, which the network agreed to hold. Talarico argues that a debate would help voters “make an informed choice” and force both candidates to answer tough questions.
Other statewide races show similar patterns
Governor Greg Abbott’s campaign has also not publicly agreed to debate Democratic nominee Gina Hinojosa, even though Hinojosa has offered four debate invitations to both campaigns through local TV networks. Abbott debated his Democratic opponents in each of his three prior gubernatorial races, but recent public surveys suggest a tighter contest this cycle.
The only confirmed statewide debate so far is the October 22 forum for the Railroad Commissioner race, where Democrat Jon Rosenthal says he and Republican Bo French have agreed to participate. French has not publicly confirmed his attendance.
Democratic calls for debates reflect campaign strategy
State Rep. Vikki Goodwin and State Sen. Nathan Johnson, the Democratic nominees for lieutenant governor and attorney general, have also urged their Republican opponents to debate. Campaign spokespeople for Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and State Sen. Mayes Middleton did not respond to requests for comment.
Political science professor John Alford of Rice University notes that underdog candidates often seek debates to raise name recognition and create moments that can elevate their profiles or embarrass opponents. “There’s an old axiom in political campaigning that the underdog always wants to debate because they don’t have very much to lose,” he said.
Republican strategy tied to broader political headwinds
The reluctance to debate comes amid intense political headwinds for the GOP, including President Donald Trump’s declining approval ratings and unusually competitive races at the top of the ballot. While Paxton’s polling has shown Talarico narrowly ahead, a debate could give the challenger a platform to press Paxton on past legal and ethical controversies.
Matthew Wilson, a political science professor at Southern Methodist University, warned that a debate could expose Paxton to questions about his resolved scandals. “Things that he’d rather not talk about,” Wilson said.
Experts say debates may have limited impact
Both Alford and Wilson agree that debates below the presidential level often matter only if a candidate makes a serious mistake. “If both candidates perform reasonably normally and as expected, debates are unlikely to move the needle very much,” Wilson added. They also note that most viewers of such debates are already decided supporters rather than undecided voters.
As the election approaches, Texas voters will need to rely on other sources—campaign ads, news coverage, and public statements—to assess the candidates, given the scarcity of televised forums.
Original reporting: Texas Tribune (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
