Warnock: Voters ‘deserve better’ from Herschel Walker on debate appearances
It’s unclear if Georgia voters will see Sen. Raphael Warnock and Herschel Walker debate each other before November’s election.
But during a stop in Columbus Monday, Warnock told the Ledger-Enquirer that voters “deserve better” from Walker regarding debate appearances.
“He accepted a different debate after saying he would debate me anywhere, anytime, and (it’s) a debate where you’re given the questions in advance. I think the people of Georgia deserve better,” Warnock said. “I think they deserve an authentic conversation and a chance to see the sharp contrast between me and my opponent.”
The back and forth began in early August when Walker said he’d debate Warnock on Oct. 14 in Savannah. The event would be hosted by Nexstar Media Group, an organization that owns several local TV stations in Georgia and nationwide.
That wasn’t one of the three debates Warnock agreed to in June — the Atlanta Press Club’s debate, a different Savannah event hosted by WTOC and a Macon debate hosted by the Mercer University Center for Collaborative Journalism, The Macon Telegraph, 13WMAZ and Georgia Public Broadcasting.
Walker told Savannah’s Nexstar station WSAV that he would only attend the Nexstar debate. Earlier this month, the Republican nominee told reporters that he would not attend the Macon debate. Walker’s refusal comes after he told the L-E in May that Warnock could “pick the time and place” for a debate.
When asked if Warnock would attend the proposed Nexstar debate, he refused to answer.
“I am eager to have this conversation, which is why I accepted three debates and I’m still hopeful we’ll have it,” Warnock said.
Walker campaign manager Scott Paradise provided the following statement to the L-E after initial publication:
“Herschel wants a statewide debate with an audience of Georgia voters. We found a group of unbiased moderators at an unbiased news network to host a statewide debate in Warnock’s hometown. Why won’t he participate?”
According to documents previously provided to the Ledger-Enquirer by the Walker campaign, the proposed Nexstar debate would take place in front of an audience of 500 people. It would air on Fox 5 Atlanta; the Nexstar Media Group Inc. markets in Augusta, Savannah and Columbus; and other stations statewide.
Topics will be provided to the candidates prior to the broadcast, but specific questions will not, according to Nexstar’s proposed format. It is the only one of the four debates that provides topics beforehand, the Daily Beast reports.
The Atlanta Press Club and Macon debates will take place with or without Walker’s presence. However, it’s unclear if the Nexstar debate will take place without Warnock’s acceptance.
The company’s Senior Director for Local Content Development Chris Berg told Politico earlier this month that nothing is confirmed yet. Without a second candidate, he said, there is no debate.
In a statement to the L-E, Berg offered no further clarification.
“We hope Senator Warnock joins us for our proposed debate,” he said. “The Nexstar debate broadcast footprint will allow all Georgia voters access to the program. Both candidates will be on center stage to showcase their vision for Georgia and the country. It should be an exciting night.”
Note: Nick Wooten is a reporter for the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, a sister newspaper of the Macon Telegraph, and his Georgia politics coverage appears in both papers.
Wooten is a member of the Atlanta Press Club and will be a panelist for the Macon debate. Wooten is not involved in the planning of either U.S. Senate debate.
This story was originally published August 30, 2022 at 2:13 PM.