United States

Let this be the last California election in which a front-runner for governor or U.S. Senate can dictate the time, place and format of a debate. There were two reasons voters did not get a chance to watch and compare the candidate for these two high-profile offices on statewide television in prime

California’s candidates for governor and U.S. Senate are infiltrating television, Facebook feeds and mailboxes with campaign ads and slick mailers, but there’s one place voters aren’t likely to see them — the debate stage.

Mississippi voters are unlikely to see their state’s appointed U.S. senator in a face-to-face debate with her three challengers before next month’s special election to fill the end of a six-year term.

Their first face-to-face showdown featured disagreements on everything from guns and taxes to Donald Trump.

A bitter race for Illinois governor that has played out in TV attack ads for more than 16 months carried over to the debate stage Thursday as Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and Democratic challenger J.B. Pritzker assailed each other’s character and integrity before voters.

Democrat Richard Cordray and Republican Mike DeWine debated for one hour at the University of Dayton, exchanging barbs — about each others records as state attorney general — and ideas — about drugs, the opioid crisis and state support for Ohio’s urban core.

Spare us the finger-pointing about how it’s the other candidate’s fault. It takes two to tango or debate, and it appears neither side will appear on the dance floor at Wayne State College next week.

Typically, candidates trailing in the polls have more to gain by sparring with the leading candidate than the other way around, just as challengers need the exposure more than incumbents.

A perennial candidate for mayor of Key West took a phone call from God during a recent debate.