FILE – Herschel Walker, front-runner for the party’s U.S. Senate nominee, speaks during a rally for Georgia GOP candidates at Banks County Dragway in Commerce, Ga., Saturday, March 26, 2022. In his run for U.S. Senate in Georgia, former football great Herschel Walker has gone to great lengths so far to dodge tough questions. The GOP candidate does not widely publicize his campaign stops and limits his appearances mostly to conservative news outlets and friendly audiences. Earlier this month, he skipped the first debate for the May 24 Republican primary. (Hyosub Shin/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP, File)
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By SUDHIN THANAWALA Associated Press
ATLANTA — Ted Budd has skipped four Republican primary debates in his bid for a U.S. Senate seat in North Carolina. GOP candidates for governor in Ohio, Nevada and Nebraska have also refused to engage with their opponents from the debate podium.
And on Tuesday, Herschel Walker is expected to miss a second debate against his Republican rivals for a crucial U.S. Senate seat after skipping the first one.
As the most competitive phase of the midterm primary season unfolds this week, many candidates for leading offices — often Republicans — are abandoning the time-honored tradition of debating their rivals before Election Day.
Herschel Walker, other candidates test skipping debates
