Nevada is hosting one of the nation’s tightest Senate elections this year, with Democratic incumbent Catherine Cortez Masto and Republican challenger Adam Laxalt just a point or two apart in recent polls.
About 800,000 Nevadans are expected to vote, which means the result — which could decide control of the Senate — could be determined by just a few thousand voters.
So if you’re one of those undecided voters, you’d probably want to watch the next Cortez Masto-Laxalt debate. But there won’t be one.
Candidates in crucial elections across the U.S. are debating less frequently this year. The Nevada candidates will not appear in a single debate. Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, New Hampshire, North Carolina, and Utah also have competitive Senate races — and in each of them, voters will have seen the contenders head-to-head on stage only once by Election Day.
Compare that to 2020, where Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins and Democratic rival Sara Gideon debated five times despite a raging pandemic.
For some candidates, the risks of debates outweigh the rewards. A gaffe may go viral, or turn up in a campaign ad, while substantive remarks on key issues get ignored. With both parties playing to their bases, the undecided voters in the center may be an afterthought.
But voters deserve to hear from those who would represent them. At No Labels we aren’t afraid of a debate and believe that holding conversations drives unity and change. Join our movement!
What do you think should politicians debate each other? Let us know!
