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Isakson Agrees to One Debate

Georgia senator's Democratic opponent wanted a series of them

The one debate Georgia Sen. Johnny Isakson has agreed to begins six days after early voting. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call file photo)
The one debate Georgia Sen. Johnny Isakson has agreed to begins six days after early voting. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call file photo)

Republican Sen. Johnny Isakson has agreed to only one debate against his two opponents in the Georgia Senate race.

The two-term Republican will debate Democratic nominee Jim Barksdale and Libertarian Allen Buckey on Oct. 23, six days after early voting begins in Georgia, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

“If my Democrat opponent would like to offer any substantive policy positions that he stands for, I encourage him to follow suit and openly and transparently answer questions from Georgia media as I have always done and will continue to do,” Isakson said in a statement.

[Democrats Think Georgia Is Starting to Lean Their Way]

The sole debate will be held at the Atlanta Press Club. Barksdale had wanted a series of debates in all of the state’s media markets. His campaign manager Dave Hoffman said it was “clear” Isakson “is not working for the people of Georgia and he doesn’t want to talk about it.”

A recent Journal-Constitution poll showed Isakson up by 6 points over Barksdale, 44 percent to 38 percent, in the Senate race. With Donald Trump at the top of the ticket and changing demographics in the Peach State, Democrats have grown increasingly optimistic about their chances in Georgia, which has not voted Democratic for president since 1992 and has not elected a Democratic senator since 2000. 

The Rothenberg & Gonzales Political Report/Roll Call rates the race Safe Republican.  

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