The debate over debates
NC has seen fewer and fewer gubernatorial debates. Josh Stein's campaign says there will be no debate with Mark Robinson. Both candidates appear to have reversed their positions on debating.
For weeks, North Carolina’s gubernatorial candidates have kept their lips tight on the prospects of a debate.
After an event in Franklinton on Sept. 3, Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein said he expects to debate his Republican opponent, Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson. Asked if he’d debate Robinson, Stein replied, “I expect so, but it remains to be seen.”
Meanwhile, Robinson declined to answer questions this month at a Sept. 4 event in Mount Airy. He instead made clicking noises, glanced up at a campaign staff member and ignored the question.
On Tuesday, Robinson broke his silence and called for Stein to agree to a Spectrum News debate.
“I’m challenging you to a debate right now, Josh Stein,” Robinson said in a video on Twitter. “Come on down. Let’s do this mano a mano and let’s get it done.”
Hours later, Stein’s campaign announced there would be no debate.
“A debate would only serve to legitimize [Robinson] and provide a platform for his vile and dangerous rhetoric, and we won't be part of that,” spokeswoman Kate Frauenfelder said in a statement.
The dynamic has left onlookers confused and flabbergasted, as Robinson had been silent on the issue of debates for weeks and Stein appeared to embrace the idea of a debate.
Stein has taken a sizable lead in public opinion polls, with Robinson trailing Stein by double-digits in recent surveys, though many onlookers see the outcome winding up far closer.
Conservative pundits say if anyone should want a debate to improve their prospects in the race, it should be Robinson.
Doug Heye, a GOP strategist who worked on three successful North Carolina U.S. Senate campaigns, said Robinson should’ve been front and center in calling for debates.
“I can't understand it,” Heye said of the candidate’s evasiveness.
Gary Pearce, a retired Democratic political operative, said he would have advised Stein against debating Robinson.
“I don’t think they matter much, don’t think that many people watch, don’t think undecided voters are watching it and I don’t think you ought to give a platform to people who lie and spew hate and bigotry,” Pearce said.
Robinson’s campaign has repeatedly ignored requests for comment on the prospects of a debate. For weeks, Stein’s campaign hasn’t responded to questions seeking clarification on whether Stein has agreed to any debates.
Laurie Taylor, a Republican who volunteers for Robinson in Yadkin County and attended the Mount Airy campaign event, said she spoke with campaign staff after Robinson ignored the question on debates and was reassured that the lieutenant governor wanted to debate Stein.
The North Carolina Association of Broadcasters, which has traditionally hosted many of North Carolina’s gubernatorial debates, didn’t respond to a request for comment. Spectrum News, which hosted the 2022 U.S. Senate debate, said it had no updates on the status of any Robinson-Stein debates.
Gubernatorial debates have become fewer and further between in recent election cycles. In 2008, Democratic Lt. Gov. Bev Perdue and Republican Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory debated each other five times. And by mid-September, four of the debates had already occurred.
McCrory called the absence of any substantive debates between Stein and Robinson “shameful” and criticized the news media for what he sees as a refusal to confront the candidates over their lack of accessibility.
“We should have many debates, especially for the top of the ticket,” McCrory said. “The new politics is avoiding debates. It's disrespectful to the voters. The media, frankly, ought to be pressing. The media used to do a lot of stories on these avoiding debates, and they no longer do.”
Anderson Alerts has sought to engage both candidates in substantive, policy-oriented interviews to inform voters about what they could expect from their next governor. Robinson twice-rescinded previously accepted interviews. Stein’s campaign hasn’t set a date for any interview.
Joe Stewart, vice president of governmental affairs for the Independent Insurance Agents of North Carolina, said campaigns have increasingly adopted risk-averse strategies to minimize public scrutiny and sidestep tough questions.
“Candidates probably don't feel as much of a necessity of getting out and making sure that their positions are known and meeting with business leaders and having those kinds of conversations,” Stewart said.
He added, “Such a tiny percentage of the voters are legitimately undecided and influenceable, and the political consultants say, ‘Don't bother with the public appearances or the convocations of policy leaders or thought leaders in a community. Just raise the money necessary to hammer home the message that public opinion research has proven is most likely to influence enough of those relatively undecided voters to support your candidacy.’ No debates that you have will have that same potential outcome.”
Indeed, the number of debates have declined. In 2012, there were three gubernatorial debates, followed by two in 2016 and one in 2020.
But other Council of State candidates are debating. In June, Reps. Dan Bishop and Jeff Jackson participated in one. Republican Michele Morrow and Democrat Mo Green held their first debate for school superintendent last week. Candidates for labor commissioner and state treasurer have also agreed to debates.
In the meantime, North Carolina voters are being inundated with messages over the airwaves at the top of the ticket.
AdImpact, which tracks political advertising spending, found in late-August that Stein had benefited from $46.4 million spent on TV ads, more than double the $20.4 million spent boosting Robinson. The gap widened on future ad reservations, with $16.2 million set aside for Stein and $1 million for Robinson.
At a Jonesville meet and greet on Spet. 4, a Robinson supporter shook hands with the lieutenant governor and wanted to hear what his plan was for combatting Stein’s television attacks. Robinson replied that he’d be coming out with an ad later that day taking aim at Stein’s immigration views.
Minutes later, Robinson stood before voters seated at Theo’s Italian & Family Restaurant. He blasted Stein and a news media he sees as supportive of his opponent. “These guys don’t want to talk about any of the substantive issues that you face!”
Reporter’s Note: Given the heightened scrutiny over debates, this story is being made available to all members of the public.