(source: Wikimedia Commons)
After delivering remarks during the opening address of the Mackinac Policy Conference today, Governor Rick Snyder called the proposal for four televised debates with his opponent "premature."
Democractic gubernatorial candidate Mark Schauer called for a series of debates with the incumbent governor, as well as one between the candidates for lieutenant governor, earlier in the day.
"I think I’m fairly active being governor," Snyder said in a brief press conference after his speech, adding, "It’s very premature to be talking about debates. We’re not even through the primary season yet."
“The normalcy is for those to be in the general election time-frame. I’m busy being governor and i’m going to stay busy being governor."
(Schauer had proposed one debate in August, September, and two in October, with one taking place on Michigan's PBS affiliates. The primary election is August 5.)
"Voters deserve an opportunity to hear from both candidates directly about our respective visions for Michigan," Schauer said in a statement. "I believe five debates, including at least one between our running mates, will help voters make informed choices this November. We look forward to working with Governor Snyder's campaign to finalize a debate schedule in the coming weeks."
The policy conference has previously featured gubernatorial debates, but the Detroit Regional Chamber, which sponsors the annual event, said they decided against hosting one this year because the group had already endorsed Snyder. "...we didn't think it'd be viewed as an honest debate platform," Baruah told the Detroit Free Press earlier this month.
