Democratic candidates have been notorious in their refusal to debate their Republican opponents, or have at least been dragging their feet in doing so. With just over three weeks ahead of the November midterm elections, Katie Hobbs has been firmly in the former category. The current secretary of state for Arizona, she's running against Republican Kari Lake to be the next governor there. Both candidates appeared on Sunday's episode of CNN's "State of the Union," during which host Dana Bash even called Hobbs out for her refusal.
Why is Arizona Democrat Katie Hobbs afraid to debate @KariLake? pic.twitter.com/UYZzRcwM0D
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 16, 2022
When asked by Bash "why won't you debate her," Hobbs came off as desperate in her exchange, claiming that "Kari Lake has made it clear time and time again that she's not interested in having substantive, in-depth conversations about the issues that matter to Arizonans." She also claimed tear Lake "refused to sit down in a one-on-one, lengthy conversation to really clarify with Arizonans where she is on the issues. She's the one who's afraid of talking to voters where she's at."
Hobbs even made a bold prediction, with some harsh language, claiming that Arizona voters wouldn't be bothered by her refusal to debate. "I guarantee you, I guarantee you that, when Arizonans who are struggling, when they go to open their ballot, when they're thinking about the fact that they're not sure how they're going to put food on the table, they're rationing their insulin, or they're thinking about having to drive their niece or their sister or their daughter to California to get the health care that they need, they're not going to look at their ballot and say, damn it, Katie Hobbs didn't debate her opponent," Hobbs claimed. She also repeated that claim later in the conversation.
Pushing back against the Democratic candidate, Bash pointed back that Lake had just answered her questions earlier in the program, but also that fellow Democrats were questioning her decision to not debate.
Last week, Laurie Roberts wrote an op-ed for Arizona Republic, "Katie Hobbs running away from a debate with Kari Lake is the debacle that just won't die." Her sub headline expressed that "Katie Hobbs’ refusal to debate Kari Lake represents a new level of political malpractice." In the piece itself she also pointed out that "Hobbs has left voters imagining something altogether different: A candidate who appears afraid to confront her opponent."
Matt last week also covered how Democrats are displeased with the campaign in other ways, too, something even The New York Times picked up on.
Hobbs continued to come off as desperate, as she even laughably claimed that her willingness to appear on a normally friendly network was akin to her debating Lake.
When Bash asked Hobbs, referring to Lake, "if you think she's as dangerous as you're saying to democracy, is it your responsibility as a candidate who wants to run Arizona to show and explain who their alternative is," Hobbs offered "that is exactly what I'm doing right now."
Just before that, Hobbs was also directly asked by Bash "do you support any legal limits on abortion in Arizona," an issue she was repeatedly pressed on.
Hobbs would not say, and instead bashed a 15-week abortion ban which Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) introduced last month, based on when science indicates unborn children can feel pain. There's also some exceptions to the bill. Arizona's abortion ban also went into affect last month, which Hobbs likewise bashed.
Arizona Democrat Katie Hobbs is asked FIVE TIMES if she supports ANY limits whatsoever on abortion-on-demand.
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 16, 2022
She refuses to answer every single time. pic.twitter.com/m8ITmrFaFy
As the exchange went:
HOBBS: Look, when you're talking about late-term abortion, that is incredibly, extremely rare. And it's happening if there is -- if that conversation is happening, it's because there's something that's gone incredibly wrong in the pregnancy.
And politicians do not belong in that decision. There's no one-size...
BASH: But what do you support? What should the limits be?
HOBBS: The decision about abortion should be between a patient and their doctor.
BASH: So there should be no limits in the law? It should only be decided in the medical office?
HOBBS: Government making these kinds of mandates interferes with the care that doctors need to provide to their patients. They don't belong in these decisions.
BASH: OK. So, just to be clear, if you become governor, you will push for a law that has absolutely no limits in any point of the pregnancy on abortion? That's your position? That's what you would want to be the law of the land in Arizona?
HOBBS: The fact is right now that we have very limited options, and that we need to get politicians out of the way and let doctors provide the care that they are trained to provide, the health care that their patients need. Politicians don't belong in those decisions.
Hobbs' tactic has also been tried by other Democratic candidates, such as Beto O'Rourke who is running against Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) in Texas and Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH), who is running against J.D. Vance for the open Senate seat currently held by retiring Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH).
In not properly answering the question, one is left to take away from that exchange that Hobbs doesn't support any legal limits on abortion, a position only 10 percent of the country holds, according to a Harvard CAPS/Harris poll from late June.
As Spencer highlighted earlier this month, Lake called out a reporter and the mainstream media in general for not pressing Hobbs harder on her abortion stance.
The race is considered a "Toss-Up," and the RealClearPolitics average has Lake up with a +0.8 lead.
"Kari Lake" has trending over Twitter on Monday in response to the "State of the Union" segments. Our friends at Twitchy also highlighted earlier on Monday how people took notice of Hobbs being called out for her refusal to debate.