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DAVE ROSS

Ross: Why Washington needs its Senate candidates on the debate stage now more than ever

Aug 18, 2022, 8:50 AM | Updated: Oct 7, 2024, 9:56 am

Murray debate...

(Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

(Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

On Monday, Republican Senate Candidate issued a news release accepting two debate invitations from the Washington State Debate Coalition… and proposing two more.

There鈥檚 been no response yet from Senator 鈥 鈥渞adio silence鈥 was how one story put it 鈥 the implication being Senator Murray might be thinking of ducking debates.

罢丑别谤别听is a dance that typically goes on in a race like this. The challenger wants as many debates as possible to get coverage and create legitimacy, while the incumbent wants as few debates as possible to聽deny that legitimacy.

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But I would be stunned if Patty Murray doesn鈥檛 debate.

This is not just a Senate race. This is a race for control of the Senate. Every Senate race this year is a race for control of the Senate.

And it鈥檚 also about the future of American Democracy.

Tiffany Smiley does not appear to be an all-in Trump supporter. Her website mentions 鈥渆lection integrity鈥 鈥 but she doesn鈥檛 sell MAGA hats, and she聽has said Joe Biden聽is the duly-elected President.

But she聽is in a party controlled by Donald Trump. And a debate would give us all a feel for which side she might choose if we go through another 2020.

I don鈥檛 see why Patty Murray would give up the chance to ask those questions.

She鈥檚 also got 30 years of experience with government budgets so that when her opponent talks about cutting spending, she can ask the questions dreaded by all new politicians 鈥 鈥渁nd so鈥 which programs would you cut? Whose health care would you take away? Which highways would you cancel? How many border patrol agents would you fire? Which disasters would you ignore?”

On the other hand, Murray would find herself on a stage with a woman 40 years younger and would be defending a President who will turn 80 in November.

There鈥檚 already an attack ad showing her face morphing into Joe Biden鈥檚 鈥 so a debate would give her a chance to show she still has the energy for the job.

In short, there is plenty of material for the two debates already scheduled; there鈥檚 plenty for the two additional debates Smiley has proposed, and I think Patty Murray should accept not only those, but insist there be two more.

The Senate is a high-pressure job, and debates are about not just about showing you know the issues, but that you can respond under pressure. And I would expect that after 30 years in the Senate, Murray would welcome as many of them as her opponent wants.

Listen to Seattle鈥檚 Morning News with Dave Ross and Colleen O鈥橞rien weekday mornings from 5 鈥 9 a.m. on 成人X站 Newsradio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the聽podcast here.

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Ross: Why Washington needs its Senate candidates on the debate stage now more than ever