Democrat Katie Hobbs Refuses Arizona Governor Debate, Gets Blasted Online: ‘Hobbs Is A Textbook Karen’

Arizona gubernatorial candidate Katie Hobbs (D) announced Sunday that she will not debate Kari Lake (R) before the November elections after the Citizens Clean Elections Commission rejected her proposal to hold separate “town hall-style” interviews with both candidates.

The Citizens Clean Elections Commission, which hosts televised debates for statewide offices in Arizona every election cycle, voted 3-1 in rejecting Hobbs’ request to hold “town hall-style” interviews instead of debates.

“Secretary Hobbs remains willing and eager to participate in a town hall style event, such as the forum she participated in last week in which Arizonans were able to hear directly from Sec. Hobbs about her in-depth policy plans and how she would approach governing this state,” Hobbs’ campaign said in a statement. “Unfortunately, debating a conspiracy theorist like Kari Lake – whose entire campaign platform is to cause enormous chaos and make Arizona the subject of national ridicule – would only lead to constant interruptions, pointless distractions, and childish name-calling.”

“Arizonans deserve so much better than Kari Lake, and that’s why we’re confident Katie Hobbs will be elected our next governor,” the statement continued. “We must respectfully decline the invitation.”

Axios reported that if Hobbs refuses to debate Lake that Lake will get the entire stage to herself during the event.

Hobbs also did not debate during the Democratic primary to become their gubernatorial nominee.

“This is not only an insult to the voters of Arizona that they can’t look at these candidates and make a judgment for themselves,” Lake’s campaign attorney, Timothy La Sota, said in a statement. “It’s an insult to this commission and it’s an insult to Mr. Simons. And it’s a cop-out.”

Hobbs was widely mocked and criticized online, including from the political Left, over her refusal to debate.

“Such a slap in the face to voters,” Jon Gabriel, Editor-in-Chief of Ricochet, tweeted.

“This is all about Hobbs being afraid that she’ll look terrible next to Lake,” political strategist Varad Mehta tweeted. “And she will. Hobbs is a textbook Karen, and she has vocal fry to boot. Of course she’s going to look awful next to somebody who looks and sounds like she spent two decades in TV news. Which Lake did.”

The Arizona Green Party added: “It is unfortunate but unsurprising to hear that @katiehobbs does not have the courage or conviction of character to debate her opponents. All the more reason to support and vote for a candidate who’s not afraid of the GOP and @KariLake like our candidate Liana West!”