We were hoping to have a televised U.S. Senate debate at our annual conference, IndyFest, this year, just as we hosted a gubernatorial debate at our 2022 event.

But it appears that will not happen.

I invited both candidates, and Republican Sam Brown immediately accepted. But Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen’s team, after initially saying the senator would be open to a date in mid-October, then began to present demands. She would not do a debate unless it was televised live — we cannot promise that, although it will be televised on that same day or soon afterwards, as the gubernatorial debate was. They also insisted on no live audience — I, too, do not like live audiences at debates, but this is a conference and, as in 2022, I would admonish the audience against clapping or other outbursts. (There were none in 2022.) The Rosen team then added a demand that it be televised in two languages, which I could not guarantee.

Rosen’s team told me that a list of full conditions would be forthcoming. This is not my first experience with this kind of thing, and, unlike other folks in the media, I have always refused to negotiate debate terms with campaigns beyond some basics — podium or no podium, for instance. I also have a pretty good sense of when campaigns already have decided they don’t want to partner on a debate.

Team Rosen never provided a full list in writing. Instead, I received an email two weeks ago saying, “After reviewing invitations and details from different potential hosts, we’ve decided to go in a different direction.”

This is fine. I look forward to seeing — and having a reporter cover — a Senate debate hosted by another media outlet willing to meet Team Rosen’s demands. Voters definitely deserve to see a face-off between the two candidates for one of the most important Senate contests in the country. 

I do, however, feel obligated to make good on my invitation to Brown, who will appear at IndyFest and whose appearance we are publicly announcing soon. I hope this blog post explains why we’re interviewing Brown at IndyFest, and I hope Sen. Rosen will reconsider — the door is open.