Advertisement Editorial: Clearing up confusion about who gets to debate Share Shares Copy Link Copy

The Reynolds and Hubbell campaigns have agreed to debate on KCCI on Oct. 10. This is the first of three gubernatorial debates, and we think this is a good thing for Iowa voters.We've seen plenty of ads and heard plenty of sound bites, but this will be the first time we've seen the two candidates, side by side, on stage debating the issues that matter to Iowans.We've already heard some outcry from the Libertarian Party, which believes their candidate, Jake Porter, should be allowed to debate.In one published report, the chairman of the Iowa Libertarian Party went so far as to suggest that corporate owners of stations like KCCI are developing criteria for us to use to inform our decision. This couldn't be further from the truth. Here at KCCI, for as long as we've done debates, the decision has always been local. And we've always relied on various, readily available, objective criteria to help with our determination. No doubt these decisions are challenging. But by any objective data available, whether registered voters, votes garnered in the primary or fundraising, the newsworthy debate -- the debate we think best helps the electorate make a decision this fall -- is between Fred Hubbell and Kim Reynolds. In Porter's own words when speaking at the Iowa State Fair, he said he was "unlikely" to win.And keep in mind, KCCI will continue to provide extensive news coverage of all candidates, along with interviews and additional stories, as part of our Commitment 2018 promise.This is an important time in our state's history, and we believe this debate will help Central Iowa voters be better informed prior to Election Day.KCCI welcomes responsible replies to this editorial. Email editorials@kcci.com or visit our Facebook page.