Katie Hobbs dodges debate question twice, says she’d rather meet voters face to face

Gov. Katie Hobbs twice deflected questions about whether she would debate Republican challenger Andy Biggs this fall, saying she would rather spend the next three months meeting with voters across the state.

Asked on KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Outspoken with Bruce & Gaydos whether she would debate Biggs in public, Hobbs pushed the question off.

“There’s a lot of time ahead of us to talk about debates,” she said. “I’ve talked to Arizonans in communities from Willcox to Yuma, to Sierra Vista, to Flagstaff to Window Rock. I think that’s the best way to not only tout my record but talk about the challenges we’re still facing.”

When pressed again at the end of the interview, Hobbs didn’t budge.

“I am not going to make any news about debates today,” she said.

Hobbs narrowly won the 2022 race against Kari Lake by fewer than 17,200 votes. She declined to debate Lake during that campaign.

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