Libertarian, Green, and Independent Candidates not Invited to Gubernatorial Debate The Amarillo Pioneer – The Amarillo Pioneer

Gov. Greg Abbotts campaign announced yesterday he had accepted an invitation by Nexstar Media Group to participate in a gubernatorial debate at the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley in Edinburg. In a statement, Abbott said he would be willing to debate on September 30th, though Abbotts Democratic Party challenger, Beto ORourke, has not confirmed his participation in the debate. Instead, ORourkes campaign has suggested a series of town-hall style debates.

According to Nexstar, Abbott and ORourke were the only two candidates invited. Other candidates on the ballot include Libertarian Party nominee Mark Tippetts, Green Party Candidate Delilah Barrios, and independents Jorge Alberto Franco and Deirdre Gilbert. According to Nexstar, both of the following requirements must be met for a candidate to receive an invitation:

The candidate must have received at least 10% in an established, professionally conducted nonpartisan poll without taking the surveys margin of error into account

The campaign must have received at least $50,000 in monetary, as opposed to in-kind, campaign contributions, at least 25 percent of which must be raised from in-state constituents.

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Libertarian, Green, and Independent Candidates not Invited to Gubernatorial Debate The Amarillo Pioneer - The Amarillo Pioneer