Spenser Heaps, Deseret Information
Gov. Spencer Cox on Thursday mentioned he questions the significance of debates between candidates in at the moment's political local weather, when requested for his ideas a few Utah Republican congressman who not too long ago bowed out of a debate.
"I believe it is acceptable to speak concerning the worth of those debates, actually the Lincoln-Douglas debates are form of the excessive watermark in terms of precise substantive debating, and it is in all probability been downhill since then," Cox mentioned throughout his month-to-month PBS information convention on Thursday.
When requested for his ideas on Rep. Burgess Owens opting out of a latest debate, Cox famous that debates themselves have develop into "a debate" throughout the nation.
Owens pulled out of a scheduled debate earlier this month as a result of the moderator was the manager editor of the Salt Lake Tribune, which he says ran a racist cartoon about him final 12 months.
"There is a Democratic candidate for governor in Arizona who refuses to debate. We have got Republicans, one in our state and different states, which are refusing to debate," Cox mentioned.
The governor defined that he hasn't watched any of the Congressional debates this 12 months, though he has a couple of recorded on his TV.
He mentioned he hasn't seen many in recent times that had "substance." Cox referred to as debating points a "good factor" however mentioned opponents attacking one another "in all probability would not add to the collective knowledge of voters or make us higher as a nation."
"I have not seen debates the place it modifications anybody's thoughts," Cox mentioned.
However, he mentioned, he helps the Utah Debate Fee. "I do like that we've a bipartisan fee ... and the thought is to attempt to make it as truthful as potential."
When requested for his ideas on some residents' perception that a few of this 12 months's major races have been "rigged," Cox famous that perception is nothing new.
"And sure, there isn't any query that it is had a dangerous impression on belief," Cox mentioned.
However he mentioned elections in Utah — that are overseen however not managed by the lieutenant governor's workplace — are safe, and he invited anybody with considerations to go to their county clerks.
Cox mentioned the 29 clerks throughout the state have labored to make the method clear and let folks in to see the internal workings of elections.
"What we have finished this 12 months is to say, 'Hey, look, there are not any secrets and techniques right here. Are available in and we are going to present you precisely how each election works,'" the governor mentioned.
"Individuals do not know what number of safety measures are in place, how not possible it could be to considerably commit the kind of fraud that would overturn an election," he added.
Cox mentioned it is simpler for some candidates who lose an election to say: "There is not any manner I may have misplaced, it have to be a rigged election," with no proof in any respect. He referred to as that angle "unhappy and unlucky" and thanked those that lose their races with "dignity."