By Valerie Molina

As the midterm elections approach and early voting is already underway, why haven’t we seen two of the most influential political parties in Texas debate? Most notably, this applies to the Senate race between Ken Paxton and James Talarico. The Democratic candidates in these races have advocated for, and shown interest in publicly debating their opponents, while the Republican candidates have not.

A debate would help voters see both sides of the election. It would give them a chance to hear what each candidate has to offer and decide which policies they support. However, Republicans continue to avoid debates, especially Paxton. Their opponents, on the other hand, advocate for the opposite approach. “Talarico has argued that a debate would help voters ‘make an informed choice’ and force both candidates to answer tough questions.” Paxton has avoided debates throughout his political career, declining to debate in each of his three runs for attorney general. Not only do these candidates avoid debates, but they also choose to run online ads that spread lies and twist the truth to gain voters’ support. This leads the Democratic side to feel the need to clap back. Instead of having civil political races and campaigns, candidates engage in public back-and-forth exchanges through advertisements. They no longer debate, leaving voters without the opportunity to hear both sides directly from the candidates.

Why Do Most Republican Politicians in Texas Avoid Democratic Calls to Debate Statewide?