AARP cancels gubernatorial debate at VSU after GOP candidate declines invitation
In a statement released late Aug. 13, the group said it was 'disappointed' that Earle-Sears opted out, adding that the cancellation means Virginia voters "won't be able to hear the candidates' plans to rein in the skyrocketing costs of prescription drugs, support family caregivers, and help our state's most vulnerable people by improving the quality of nursing home care.' Democrat Abigail Spanberger, a former Virginia congressional representative, accepted the invitation last month, AARP said.
The debate was scheduled for Sept. 16 on the campus of Virginia State University in Ettrick. A panel consisting of AARP members, VSU representatives and broadcast journalists would have asked the questions, and the event was to be moderated by Bill Fitzgerald, evening news anchor for Richmond station WTVR.
'Virginia voters lost a tremendous opportunity to get the information they need to make their own choices in filling out their ballots,' AARP state director Jim Dau said in the statement.
AARP said it was particularly disappointed for Virginia State University after the school was supposed to hold one of three presidential debates last year. The plug on that was pulled after then-President Joe Biden's re-election campaign eschewed the schedule announced by the Commission on Presidential Debates. Consolation efforts, such as campus appearances by the presidential candidates, were unsuccessful.
Four years ago, VSU hosted a Democratic gubernatorial debate featuring five candidates seeking the party nomination.
Despite the setback, Dau said AARP would be unfazed.
'AARP Virginia will continue our decades of nonpartisan work to make sure that candidates hear from and address voters about the issues important to them in communities across the state and through our wide-reaching communications platforms,' he said in the statement.
More: Trump looms over Virginia governor's race: What to know on primary day
CNN invitation to debate
On the same day that AARP announced the debate's cancellation, Earle-Sears' campaign announced it had accepted an invitation from CNN for a yet-to-be-scheduled debate. A report from the network said that the forum 'will take place live in late September or early October with questions posed directly by voters and moderated by network anchors.'
'Winsome Earle-Sears is not afraid to answer tough questions and face Virginians head-on,' campaign spokesperson Peyton Vogel said in a statement announcing the CNN debate. 'This debate is an opportunity for voters to see the difference between a leader with a clear plan and a career politician who would rather talk around the issues.'
Spanberger's campaign has not yet accepted the CNN debate.
Outside of the CNN debate announcement, the Earle-Sears campaign has basically stayed silent on what the 'scheduling conflict' is that kept her from the debate at VSU. The Progress-Index reached out to the campaign for context on the decision, but those questions have not yet been answered.
More: In Hopewell, GOP gubernatorial candidate Winsome Earle Sears puts opponent on blast
Reactions range from remorse to sharp criticism
There has been plenty of blowback on the AARP Virginia debate cancellation. Most of it has been partisan, but a former VSU official took to her Facebook page to criticize Earle-Sears decision as a 'slap in the face' to the Ettrick university.
'This isn't just about politics – it's about respect,' Adrienne Patrice Whitaker, a political commentator and former vice president of institutional advancement and external affairs at VSU, posted. 'We've been dissed by someone who may be skinfolk but, clearly not kinfolk.'
Whitaker said the turndown sends a clear and unfortunate message because it was to have been held at an historically Black college or university [HBCU].
'Whether intentional or not, it tells VSU students, alumni, and the broader African American community that our platform and our audience aren't worth your time … not worth it… doesn't matter,' she wrote.
State Sen. Lashrecse Aird, D-Petersburg, said on X, formerly Twitter, that the Republicans 'bailed' on VSU and left many people disappointed.
'They were ready, deserved and were looking forward to it,' Aird said. 'Winsome and @GlennYoungkin talk a big game about Petersburg voters but now, when it counts, won't show up.'
In its own statement, VSU expressed remorse over the decision.
"This event would have been an exciting and valuable opportunity for our students to witness the democratic process firsthand and engage with issues that impact our communities,' Dr. Gwen Williams Dandridge, VSU assistant vice president for communications, said. 'While we regret that they will not have this unique experience, we remain open and eager to host similar events in the future that connect our students to civic engagement and public discourse."
Major endorsement for Spanberger
Earlier on Aug. 13, the Virginia Police Benevolent Association announced split endorsements for the November statewide election. The VPBA announced it would back Spanberger for governor over Earle-Sears, but picked GOP lieutenant governor candidate John Reid over Democratic state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi and Republican incumbent Jason Miyares over Democrat Jay Jones in the race for attorney general.
'As a member of Congress, she repeatedly voted to increase funding for local police departments and sheriff's offices — and she was relentless in pushing her bipartisan Social Security Fairness Act across the finish line to secure the earned benefits of thousands of Virginia's retired police officers,' association president Joe Woloszyn said in a statement.
Spanberger is a second-generation law enforcement officer, starting with the U.S. Postal Service Inspector's office before joining the CIA.
The Spanberger endorsement is a major shift change for the GOP-leaning VPBA, which four years ago endorsed the entire Republican ticket, including Earle-Sears. The last time the group backed a Democrat for governor was in 2009.
Several pre-election polls have Spanberger with double-digit leads over Earle-Sears, but both candidates are saying the race will be closer than that.
Either Earle-Sears or Spanberger will become the first woman to be elected governor in Virginia. Earle-Sears would also be the first Black woman and the second person of color to become governor here.
Bill Atkinson (he/him/his) is an award-winning journalist who covers breaking news, government and politics. Reach him at batkinson@progress-index.com or on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @BAtkinson_PI.
This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: AARP drops Virginia State University debate after GOP declines
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