Both Gretchen Whitmer and Bill Schuette are calling for three debates.
Both the Republican and Democratic candidates for governor in Michigan are hoping to debate three times before the Nov. 6 general election.
Negotiations have started between the campaigns for Republican Attorney General Bill Schuette and Democrat Gretchen Whitmer to organize debates.
Both sides are calling for at least three televised debates.
Michigan election to be showdown between Whitmer, Schuette
“Michigan voters only had one chance to see the candidates for governor debate in 2010 and 2014, and we think that needs to change,” said Nicole Simmons, Whitmer’s press secretary.
Whitmer’s campaign is proposing holding topical debates in different markets: talking about education and skills training in Detroit, clean water and infrastructure in Flint and health care in Grand Rapids.
Schuette’s campaign is prioritizing debates in Detroit and Grand Rapids, and has suggested Flint, Lansing and/or Traverse City as additional options.
“Michigan families deserve to know the records of the candidates for governor and have a true sense of where the candidates are likely to steer Michigan in the future,” said Schuette in a statement.
To negotiate the debates, Whitmer is has appointed a bi-partisan team of U. S. Attorney Barbara McQuade and John Pirich, an attorney in Lansing who is a former assistant attorney general for the state.
Libertarian candidate Bill Gelineau will also appear on the Nov. 6 ballot. This week Schuette’s campaign said it had begun negotiations with Whitmer’s campaign only.
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