Of the many interesting turns the recent election cycle has taken, one that has stood out recently is in Arizona, where gubernatorial Democrat candidate Katie Hobbs has outright refused to debate Republican candidate Kari Lake, even though Hobbs is currently losing in the most recent polls.
Why won’t Hobbs debate Lake? In her own words, “a debate never helps a candidate win.” I am sure Dr. Oz in Pennsylvania would have something to say about that given the performance of John Fetterman in their debate.
Simply put, it makes her look timid and weak compared to Lake, who is all for a debate and knows she will perform well against someone who is afraid to defend their positions.
The Hobbs Conundrum
The real reason Hobbs won’t debate Lake in Arizona is due to the fact Lake has extensive media experience and knows exactly how to get her talking points across.
This terrifies Hobbs to the effect she won’t even consider a debate at any point in the election process. The purpose of debates is for both sides to be heard, for both to be questioned about why they choose to support or reject certain policy proposals.
What Katie Hobbs is doing is showing Arizonians that she cannot handle the tough questions.
Hobbs seems to forget that she is running to be governor of all of the state of Arizona, not just Democrats. She has to be held accountable for her decisions and what she believes or does not believe in, and by sidestepping debates it should shows she does not have what it takes to be governor.
Sidestepping the Issues
This is actually becoming more commonplace in America these days, with Democrats running for office seemingly sidestepping the issues instead of facing them head on.
Case in point: Joe Biden would rather shift blame elsewhere for high gas and energy prices while sidestepping the main issue that America is more than capable of being energy independent.
The Biden Administration doesn’t want to be held accountable for refusing new oil and gas leases within the United States in order to placate climate activists.
No, it is obviously the war in Ukraine that is causing the high prices, right? Let’s talk about critical race theory instead, shall we? It is always about deflection, and Katie Hobbs is no different.
It is one thing to be critical of an opponent and their viewpoints, but Hobbs refusing to debate Lake is the ultimate form of deflection.
Let the Federal Government Handle it?
Let’s take a look at one of the main issues facing Arizona today, illegal immigration.
The most recent statistics for Arizona show approximately 275,000 illegal immigrants residing in the state, with the number continuously going up. What is Katie Hobbs’ plan to fix the illegal immigrant problem in the state of Arizona?
First, it is important to note that on her campaign website, she does not refer to them as illegal immigrants but as migrants instead. As if renaming illegal immigrants into something else will somehow fix the problem.
More obfuscation by Democrats to try to confuse the general population into what they truly believe. Aside from that, her solution is two-fold: let Washington D.C. fix the problem and build more “community centers” to house illegal immigrants.
Hobbs wants to let the federal government handle the problem, because she obviously can’t handle it on her own.
Instead of turning away illegal immigrants like she is supposed to, Hobbs would rather have Arizona’s taxpayers contribute to more “community centers.”
These centers will provide illegal immigrants with everything they need while the average Arizonian gets to pay.
Why not just secure the border instead and turn them away? It is this weakness that has permeated the Democrat party in recent years, to the effect that they would rather favor illegal immigrants than hard working taxpayers.
Taxpayers should not be held responsible for those who wish to break the law and enter the country illegally, and yet Hobbs seems to think this is a great idea. No wonder she is afraid to debate Kari Lake.
Communication and Quality Matters
The more one looks into Kari Lake, the more one realizes that quality matters in races such as this.
Lake has been a news anchor in the Phoenix area for nearly 25 years, which has helped her to develop impeccable communication skills that rival any politician running today.
She can not only come across as warm and inviting but is not afraid to hit back at the media and critics whenever she deems fit. It requires a certain amount of confidence and belief in oneself, one who truly believes in what they are saying and are not afraid to back down when asked the tough questions.
Compare this to Katie Hobbs, who lacks charisma and is afraid to debate Lake. Communication and quality are both important characteristics that can help set candidates apart, and these are only two of many that will propel Kari Lake into the governorship in Arizona.
Can you truly trust those who refuse to debate?
One of the central questions that has arisen out of the Arizona gubernatorial race is whether or not Arizonians can truly trust someone who refuses to defend their positions and put themselves out there?
If Hobbs had simply agreed to a debate, this would not be an issue at all. However, the weakness shown from refusing a debate is something Democrats should think long and hard about in other races.
It has raised questions that would not otherwise have been asked and shows a person’s true colors at the end of the day. Kari Lake has been in favor of a debate from the start, and is eager to show Arizonians why she believes in securing the border and turning away illegal immigrants.
As she stated in a recent interview, “We can’t handle this anymore. And we won’t handle it anymore. We’re not going to take on the world’s problems.” It is this bold like of thinking that truly separates Lake from Hobbs.
