Doug Wright, moderator for Monday night's U.S. Senate debate says this debate is important due to the unusual nature of this campaign, where Incumbent Evan McMullin, who is an Independent, is officially supported by the Democratic Party.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT — Monday’s televised U.S. Senate debate between Republican Sen. Mike Lee and independent Evan McMullin is happening at Utah Valley University at 6:00 pm. KSL NewsRadio’s Doug Wright is the moderator.
Wright tells KSL NewsRadio that this race is high profile. It’s garnering national attention, making this debate even more important.
“Where else in the country are you seeing a race like this, where someone’s running (McMullin), as an Independent with the full support of the Democratic Party, he says. “Even the United Utah Party is solidly behind McMullin.”
Wright says the polls are close. At least one of them showing within the margin of error, as McMullin challenges Republican Incumbent Sen. Lee.
Lee has not gotten a public endorsement from Utah’s Junior Senator and fellow Republican, Mitt Romney (R-UT). Wright says that’s one of the many reasons tomorrow night’s debate is so important.
Wright, who has moderated previous political debates, says one of his pet peeves is when a candidate attempts to dodge a debate, or even flat-out refuses to debate an opponent. He says the political debate is an important American institution.
“Debating is such an important part of the process. Personally, it frustrates me over the years how many people dodge debates, and some of the creative ways that they do it. The excuses they come up with honestly irritates me,” he says. “It’s a pure fact, [that] the person with the most to gain, obviously, is the person who is challenging, or the person not in the seat at that time. But, still I think it’s an important part of our Republic.”
He says challenges exist when it comes to political debates. Some challenges are getting the candidates, if they agree to debate at all. Next is to agree on such things as format and location, and not allowing it to become a circus. Wright says he aims to get real answers on real issues voters care about.
You can hear the debate in its entirety beginning at 6 p.m. Monday, October 17 on KSL Newsradio.