Fox Says Texas Senate Debate Depends on Both Candidates

Fox News said it would move forward with a debate between Texas Senate candidates James Talarico and Ken Paxton if both commit to appearing, leaving the proposed event dependent on Paxton’s agreement. No debate date has been announced, and the available account does not establish that Paxton has committed. Talarico, a Democratic state representative, said on social media that Fox News had agreed to host a debate and that Paxton still needed to accept. The network’s spokesperson told HuffPost that debates best serve voters when both candidates participate and voters can compare their positions, and said Fox would proceed if both candidates committed. Talarico has publicly challenged Paxton to debate on Fox News, including during the Texas Tribune Festival in Austin. The report did not confirm whether anchor Bret Baier would moderate. The debate proposal comes as several recent polls show Talarico ahead, though the surveys differ in their results and methods. A Big Data Poll of 698 likely Texas voters surveyed September 24 to 26 put Talarico at 44.6% and Paxton at 41.6%, excluding respondents who only leaned toward a candidate.