LANSING — Michigan gubernatorial candidates Gretchen Whitmer and Bill Schuette have agreed to two televised debates in October, ahead of the November 6th general election.
The Whitmer campaign says in a news release that negotiations on the debate schedule were completed Friday “after several weeks of productive talks”.
FOX 17 image – Bill Schuette, Lisa Posthumus Lyons
Other gubernatorial candidates who won’t be participating in the debate – or who were not invited, apparently – are Keith Butkovich (Natural Law party), Todd Schleiger (U.S. Taxpayers), Jennifer Kurland (Green Party), and Bill Gelineau (Libertarian).
FOX 17: Garlin Gilchrist, Gretchen Whitmer
The debates will be on October 12 in Grand Rapids and on October 24 in Detroit.
The moderators will determine the questions for the debates, which will include opening and closing statements. The news release says the debates will be simulcast “in most parts of the state” on various television stations.
Incumbent Governor Rick Snyder will be term-limited out of office at year’s end. Whitmer defeated fellow Democrats Abdul El-Sayed and Shri Thanedar handily in the August 7th Michigan primary, pulling in 52 percent of the vote. Her running mate is Garlin Gilchrist II.
Bill Schuette, the Michigan Attorney General, garnered about 51 percent of the tally in the Republican primary, easily outpacing Lieutenant Governor Brian Calley, Patrick Colbeck and Jim Hines. Kent County Clerk/Register Lisa Posthumus Lyons is Schuette’s running mate.
