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The debate season in key states kicked off recently in Texas when Gregg Abbott and Beto O’Rourke went head to head. On Thursday, October 6, it will be the turn of the Senate race in Arizona. Sen. Mark Kelly (D) and Blake Masters (R) will take the stage for the first time in one of the most important races of the 2022 cycle.
The event will be broadcast live from the Arizona PBS studios (Phoenix) and can be watched and heard on dozens of television and radio stations in the state at 9 pm (local time). The broadcast will include sign language interpreters and, depending on the channel, English and Spanish subtitles.
It is being organized by the Citizens Clean Elections Commission at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. “Bringing these debates to voters from a nonpartisan entity that only has the goal to educate, not influence, is a really great resource for voters,” said Gina Roberts, director of voter education.
Masters is making his debut in an election race and the latter was elected in 2020 to finish the term of the late John McCain.
Mark Kelly vs Blake Masters for the Senate in Arizona
Kelly is a retired astronaut who defeated Martha McSally two years ago and will seek to remain in the Senate for six years. Although he defines himself as a moderate Democrat, he voted with Joe Biden 94.4% of the time.
For his part, Masters is a young venture capitalist who will participate in his first election and has the support of Donald Trump and Peter Thiel, with whom he wrote a bestseller.
The debate will be a great opportunity for Masters to continue to cut into Kelly’s lead in the race. Just a few months ago, the Democrat was leading comfortably in the polls, but as Nov. 8 approaches, the Republican has been closing to within the margin of error in some polls.
According to the latest data released by YouGov/CBS, Kelly is only 3 percentage points ahead of Masters, so the debate performances could well propel one or the other.
Joaquín Núñez es licenciado en comunicación periodística por la Universidad Católica Argentina. Se especializa en el escenario internacional y en la política nacional norteamericana. Confeso hincha de Racing Club de Avellaneda. Contacto: [email protected] // Joaquín Núñez has a degree in journalistic communication from the Universidad Católica Argentina. He specializes in the international scene and national American politics. Confessed fan of Racing Club of Avellaneda. Contact: [email protected]