Republicans Skip LD6 Debate, Refuse to Show Up for Arizona Voters, Families and Communities

PHOENIX — Last week, Legislative District 6 held its Clean Elections debate, but there was one problem: none of the Republican candidates showed up. Republican state Senate candidate Wendy Rogers, state RepresentativeWalt Blackman, and state House candidate Brenda Barton often tout right-wing extremist conspiracy theories, but they apparently were reluctant to defend their controversial positions in front of the Arizonans they hope to represent. Thankfully, state Senate candidate Felicia French and House candidate Coral Evans were in attendance.

This election cycle, Republican candidates have avoided debates because they are not ready to prioritize the needs of constituents or capable of bringing real solutions to Arizona communities. To date, Democrats have been the only candidates consistently showing up to scheduled debates because they know Arizonans want accountability from their state representatives. Voters deserve to know where each candidate stands on important issues and address concerns regarding their communities.

“During this crucial election cycle, Republicans have failed to participate in debates because they’re too embarrassed by their own positions to defend them publicly,” said Arizona Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee Executive Director Charlie Fisher. “With critical issues such as education, healthcare, and COVID-19 on the line, you would think Republicans would want to address the concerns of their communities. If these candidates won’t show up for the people they claim to represent, how can voters trust them to fight on their behalf? This is yet another example of how badly we need new leadership in the legislature.”

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