Des Moines, IA – Combat aviator and U.S. Representative Zach Nunn (IA-03) released the following statement calling out Sarah Trone Garriott for refusing to debate.
“I accepted KCCI’s terms for a debate, their proposed rules, and their proposed dates because all Iowans deserve to hear from both candidates before they start voting,” said Rep. Zach Nunn. “Sarah Trone Garriott has so far refused to do the same. She is being disingenuous with Iowans when she asks them to trust her on accountability and then refuses to accept the same debate that KCCI hosts, and I say yes to, before voting starts every election.”
BACKGROUND: Team Nunn’s engagement with KCCI
September 10
Nunn’s campaign accepted KCCI’s debate invitation by phone, pending two routine clarifications to the station’s rules.
September 18
KCCI sent the updated invitation with those clarifications and proposed October 16 or October 20. Rep. Nunn accepted the invitation and both dates the same day, and released a statement asking Trone Garriott to do the same.
September 25
With no answer from Trone Garriott, Team Nunn accepted two additional dates, October 14 and October 21, to give her every opportunity to find one that worked.
September 28
The Trone Garriott campaign asked KCCI to change its standard rules and to host the debate October 29 or 30, more than two weeks after Iowans begin voting and outside the format KCCI has used for a decade. In the 2024 cycle, by this date, more than 120,000 Iowans had already cast their ballot.
September 30
The Trone Garriott campaign refused to participate in any debate before or during the first week of early voting, including on October 12 and 13, claiming their schedule was completely booked until October 27, just one week before Election Day. In addition to KCCI, Rep. Nunn has accepted debates with WHO 13 and Iowa PBS, confirming he is available to debate any day from now through October 21, one week after early voting starts.
Iowans begin casting ballots on October 14. Nunn has accepted four dates for a KCCI debate. Trone Garriott has accepted none.
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