Unscripted debates have traditionally provided voters with crucial information, but fewer candidates are participating ahead of the 2022 midterms.

Shannon Longworth Reporter

Why some candidates aren’t up for debates ahead of the 2022 midterms

Oct 19, 2022

Shannon Longworth Reporter

By Shannon Longworth (Reporter), Emma Stoltzfus (Editor)

The weeks leading up to election night are usually filled with debates, pitting candidates against each other on a stage to address the most divisive issues in their race. But in 2022, several candidates have hesitated to engage or simply decided not to participate at all.

In Ohio, Republican Gov. Mike DeWine (R) decided not to participate in a formal debate. In Pennsylvania, Democratic Senate candidate John Fetterman held off, citing medical concerns. In Georgia, Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker has been selective about it.

There is no requirement for candidates to engage in a political debate before a U.S. election, as debates are simply a tradition.

“I think it’s important from the voter’s standpoint to see candidates who are unscripted–to see what they’re made of,” said James McCann, a political science professor at Purdue University.

While this layer of information is educational for voters, McCann said debates are less frequent because of who is running for office these days.

“I think maybe because there are a lot of novice candidates who didn’t really come up through the ranks,” McCann said. “They may not be accustomed to politicking in the traditional sense. So there’s some reluctance in some cases.”

According to McCann, it’s not just about the candidates, but the tools available to them and activating their base.

“It’s much more straightforward now to directly target your likely voters,” McCann said. “To hit social media sites and to roll out your mobilization plans on the ground to be really very direct in targeting the voters who you think will support you.”

With control over social media messaging, it may seem unnecessary for a candidate to open himself up to risk in an unscripted debate.

“If you engage in a debate, that throws a potential monkey wrench into your planning,” McCann said. “It’s less easy to control. There are more wild cards that might come out.”

Tags: 2022 Elections, Herschel Walker, J.D. Vance, John Fetterman, Mike DeWine

LONGWORTH: IT’S SUPPOSED TO BE DEBATE SEASON.

BUT NOT EVERYONE’S GAME.

IN OHIO, MIKE DEWINE SAID HE’S OUT.

MIKE DEWINE: “THERE’S AMPLE OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO COMPARE US AND I THINK THAT COMPARISON IS SOMETHING THE PUBLIC ALWAYS WANT TO DO AND PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.”

LONGWORTH: IN PENNSYLVANIA, JOHN FETTERMAN WAS HOLDING OFF FOR A WHILE.

JOHN FETTERMAN: “I ALWAYS JUST WOULD SAY DESPERATION IS THE WORST COLOGNE.”

LONGWORTH: AND IN GEORGIA, HERSCHEL WALKER HAS BEEN SELECTIVE ABOUT IT.

HERSCHEL WALKER: “WHAT I WANT TO DO IS SEE A FAIR AND EQUITABLE DEBATE THAT’S FOR THE PEOPLE. NOT ABOUT SOME PRESS–NOT ABOUT SOME PARTY.”

LONGWORTH: SO, WHY ARE CANDIDATES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE SEEMINGLY LESS LIKELY TO DEBATE THESE DAYS?

WELL, YOU SHOULD KNOW THERE’S NO REQUIREMENT FOR CANDIDATES TO ENGAGE IN A POLITICAL DEBATE BEFORE A U.S. ELECTION.

DEBATES ARE A TRADITION.

AND, AS POLITICAL SCIENCE PROFESSOR JAMES MCCANN EXPLAINS, DEBATES PROVIDE INFORMATION THAT MIGHT NOT COME OUT OTHERWISE.

MCCANN: “I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT FROM THE VOTER’S STANDPOINT TO SEE CANDIDATES WHO ARE UNSCRIPTED–TO SEE WHAT THEY’RE MADE OF. TO SEE HOW CURIOUS THEY ARE. TO SEE WHERE THEY LAND ON PARTICULAR ISSUES.”

LONGWORTH: WHILE THIS LAYER OF INFORMATION IS EDUCATIONAL FOR VOTERS, MCCANN SAYS IT’S HAPPENING LESS OFTEN BECAUSE OF WHO IS RUNNING FOR OFFICE THESE DAYS.

MCCANN: “I THINK MAYBE BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF NOVICE CANDIDATES WHO DIDN’T REALLY COME UP THROUGH THE RANKS. THEY MAY NOT BE ACCUSTOMED TO POLITICKING IN THE TRADITIONAL SENSE. SO THERE’S SOME RELUCTANCE IN SOME CASES.”

LONGWORTH: ACCORDING TO MCCANN, IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT THE CANDIDATES, BUT THE TOOLS AVAILABLE TO THEM AND ACTIVATING THEIR BASE.

MCCANN: “IT’S MUCH MORE STRAIGHTFORWARD NOW TO DIRECTLY TARGET YOUR LIKELY VOTERS. TO HIT SOCIAL MEDIA SITES AND TO ROLL OUT YOUR MOBILIZATION PLANS ON THE GROUND TO BE REALLY VERY DIRECT IN TARGETING THE VOTERS WHO YOU THINK WILL SUPPORT YOU.”

LONGWORTH: WITH CONTROL OVER SOCIAL MEDIA MESSAGING, IT MAY SEEM UNNECESSARY FOR A CANDIDATE TO OPEN HIMSELF UP TO RISK IN AN UNSCRIPTED DEBATE.

MCCANN: “IF YOU ENGAGE IN A DEBATE, THAT THROWS A POTENTIAL MONKEY WRENCH INTO YOUR PLANNING. IT’S LESS EASY TO CONTROL, THERE ARE MORE WILD CARDS THAT MIGHT COME OUT.”

LONGWORTH: SO, TAKE HERSCHEL WALKER, FOR EXAMPLE.

HE’S THE GOP CANDIDATE RUNNING FOR SENATOR IN GEORGIA. AFTER MONTHS OF REFUSING TO PARTICIPATE, HE ACCEPTED AN INVITATION–APPARENTLY WITH LITTLE CONFIDENCE.

WALKER: “I’M THIS COUNTRY BOY. I’M NOT THAT SMART. AND HE;S A PREACHER, HE’S A SMART MAN. WEAR THESE NICE SUITS. SO HE’S GOING TO SHOW UP AND EMBARRASS ME AT THE DEBATE OCTOBER THE FOURTEENTH.

MCCANN: “IN HIS CASE IN PARTICULAR, HE’S HAD A NUMBER OF GAFFES IN RECENT WEEKS AND YOU CAN SEE WHY HE MIGHT BE PRIMING THE AUDIENCE THAT WAY TO LOWER EXPECTATIONS AND TO BACK AWAY AS GENTLY AS POSSIBLE TO LOWER ANY RISKS.”

LONGWORTH: WITH FRESHER FACES RUNNING FOR OFFICE, AND TECHNOLOGY PLAYING A GREATER ROLE IN OUR POLITICS EACH DAY, CANDIDATES MAY CONTINUE TO SNUB TRADITIONAL DEBATES. ESPECIALLY IF THEY DON’T APPEAR TO BENEFIT THEM AS CANDIDATES. BUT MCCANN SAYS, IT DOES SERVE THE PEOPLE

MCCANN: “RESEARCH IN POLITICAL SCIENCE SHOWS LEARNING HAPPENS DURING DEBATES, AND SO THAT WOULD BE A LOSS IF WE WERE DENIED THAT KIND OF INFORMATION.”