Florida could go with no debates in any statewide race
Moody declined a debate with Nixon and criticized her opponent’s statements.

SOURCE CHECK
TAP FOR WHYCredibility rates Wlrn, which republished this story. The other scores rate the article itself.
WLRN is an established public media newsroom, and the article identifies WUSF as the producer. The reporting attributes candidates’ claims, includes an independent political science expert, and notes when Republican campaigns did not respond.
- Source type — Established public media outlet; the article is credited to another public media newsroom.
- Author attribution — A named reporter is credited, and WUSF is identified as the story’s producer.
- Editorial standards — The story attributes disputed claims and includes responses from opposing candidates.
- Source diversity — It includes candidate statements, an expert, and an account of unanswered outreach.
The article gives direct statements from candidates on both sides of the two featured races and includes an independent expert’s view of debates. Its account of the other statewide races is thinner, with the Republican candidates’ representatives not responding.
HOW WE SCORE ↗The article presents opposing candidates’ explanations and an independent perspective on the value of debates. Coverage of races beyond governor and Senate is less balanced because Republican representatives did not respond.
- Counterarguments presented — Jolly and Donalds, and Moody and Nixon, are both quoted or represented.
- Source diversity — Candidate statements are supplemented by a political science professor’s perspective.
- Loaded language — The narration avoids adopting candidates’ charged terms, though the quotations themselves are sharp.
- Omitted context — The story reports that Republican representatives in several other races did not respond, leaving those races with less direct explanation.
The article reports the debate decisions and competing candidates’ explanations in attributed language without endorsing a partisan position.
- Language tone — The narration is generally neutral; pointed characterizations are presented as quotations.
- Source selection — It includes statements from candidates on both sides of the gubernatorial and Senate races, plus an outside expert.
- Framing — The story focuses on the absence of debates across statewide races rather than advocating for a party.
Republished with credit
Republished from WUSF , with credit to the original publisher.
Not enough stories yet: 0 of 10.
Florida voters may have no debates in any statewide race: David Jolly and Ashley Moody have declined debates, while other races have none scheduled. Candidates say they are willing to debate, and a political science professor says debates can give voters useful information.
Jolly said he would not debate Republican gubernatorial nominee Byron Donalds, alleging that Donalds had refused earlier proposals and that his campaign’s debate terms would not lead to constructive discussion. Donalds’s campaign said it accepted three debates with conditions, and Donalds accused Jolly of avoiding a defense of his platform. A political science professor said debates can provide voters information they might not otherwise get.
Sen. Ashley Moody declined to debate Senate challenger Angela “Angie” Nixon, saying she did not want to give Nixon a stage; Moody criticized Nixon’s statements and cited a quotation associated with activist Assata Shakur. Nixon called Moody’s decision cowardly. No debates were scheduled in the attorney general, chief financial officer or agriculture commissioner races; candidates or their representatives said they wanted debates, while the Republicans did not respond to a request for comment.
Community verdict
18 VOTESPeople in this story
SWIPE →Republican gubernatorial nominee who offered debate dates with conditions
Donalds's version of this story ↗Democratic gubernatorial candidate who declined proposed debates with Donalds
Jolly's version of this story ↗President whose endorsement of Donalds is mentioned
Democratic candidate for Florida chief financial officer
Democratic candidate for agriculture commissioner
Florida state representative and Senate candidate challenging Moody
Florida governor who appointed Moody and other officials mentioned in the story
Part of a bigger story
4 OUTLETSPolls show a close Florida Senate race between Ashley Moody and Angie Nixon. Center outlets focus on the close polling; one notes that polling averages and an election forecast still favor Moody, while another also covers close gubernatorial and attorney general races and a professor’s caution about limited polling.
- ARTICLES
- 4
- OUTLETS
- 4
- AVG CRED
- 75
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