Az Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs has announced that she will not participate in a debate for the second consecutive election, citing that face-to-face engagement with Arizonans is more effective than a stage designed for short soundbites and political theater.
In a statement, Hobbs' campaign manager Nicole DeMont explained that the governor has done "more than 100 open-press events," making her exempt from the tradition of defending her candidacy on the debate stage.
The decision not to participate in the debate has sparked controversy, with critics accusing Hobbs of avoiding a platform to defend her record and policies. Drew Sexton, a Senior Advisor to Andy Biggs, slammed Hobbs in a statement, highlighting her past corruption scandals and noting that Biggs will still participate in the scheduled debate.
Sexton argued that independent and persuadable voters in Arizona deserve to hear from statewide candidates in a traditional debate setting, one that has been held in every Arizona gubernatorial race since 1954 until Hobbs ran for the position in 2022.
Hobbs' decision not to participate in the debate has also been met with skepticism, with many questioning her ability to run on her record and policies without facing scrutiny from her opponents. The governor's past corruption scandals and lack of real ideas to run on have raised concerns among voters.
Hobbs' attempt to take credit for the State Republicans' no-tax-on-tips budget proposal, originally inspired by Trump's no-tax-on-tips policy at the federal level, has also been met with criticism. The governor's claim that she eliminated taxes on tips to help service workers has been widely debunked, with many pointing out that the Republican State Legislature passed the provision as part of the 2026 budget.
