(Updated) First (and So Far Only) Denish-Martinez Debate Set for 10/21 on KOB-TV

Diane Denish speaks with supporters at recent rally in Taos

9/15 Update: Denish and Martinez have agreed to appear in a televised live debate sponsored by KOAT-TV and the Albuquerque Journal on October 17 at 6:00 PM.*********
KOB-TV has announced it will host a live TV gubernatorial debate between Democrat and Republican Susana Martinez at 7-8:00 PM on Thursday, October 21. No word yet on whether KRQE-TV or KOAT-TV will be able to get in on the action.

Obviously, it's to Martinez's advantage if voters aren't allowed to see her debate much with Denish, and Susana's campaign has been hemming and hawing for weeks about whether they'll "consent" to debate at all. Susana isn't known for her mastery of the issues, having spent 21+ years in the DA's office with little to no involvement in anything else having to do with government. On the other hand, Denish can go into wonkish detail on just about any topic -- something informed voters appreciate when someone is claiming they can responsibly and effectively hold down the top job in the state.

Martinez has also been avoiding being questioned by the press, except in the canned environment of a recent Albuquerque Journal puff profile piece. For instance, her handlers reportedly snatch her away from any contact with the media at all of her public events. No doubt there are at least a couple of good reasons for that -- Martinez seems to know little or nothing about how state government operates or the complex policy considerations required of a modern governor.

In addition, the facts about Martinez's family lineage clearly are being held close to the vest by her campaign. For example, Susana has said only that "as far as I know" her paternal grandparents grew up in El Paso. We don't even know her mother's first or maiden names. Oddly, local "journalists" so far haven't been interested enough to question Martinez's mum's-the-word attitude on this stuff. I wonder what Susana has to hide on this count, don't you?

The only other event scheduled so far that will feature Denish and Martinez in the same room will be at Albuquerque's Congregation Albert on Sunday, September 26, at 11:00 AM. However, that event will be a joint appearance at a candidate forum, not a debate where both candidates are on stage at the same time.

Photo by Stephen Jones.