格雷格·阿博特自2014年以来一直担任得克萨斯州州长，已近12年。他在2014年与温迪·戴维斯辩论，2018年与卢佩·瓦尔德兹辩论，2022年与贝托·奥罗克辩论。他赢得了全部三次选举。
Greg Abbott has been governor of Texas for nearly 12 years. He debated Wendy Davis in 2014, Lupe Valdez in 2018 and Beto O’Rourke in 2022. He won all three elections.
但就在2026年，随着民意调查显示他与民主党提名人吉娜·希诺霍萨的竞争变得更为激烈，阿博特决定辩论是不必要的。拜托。
But suddenly, in 2026, with public polls showing a closer race against Democratic nominee Gina Hinojosa, Abbott has decided a debate is unnecessary. Come on now.
在阿博特拒绝了四场提议的辩论之后，希诺霍萨周四在州长官邸外举办了一场活动。尽管阿博特在广告上的花费超过她的六倍以上，但最近的民意调查显示两人竞争激烈。
After Abbott declined four proposed debates, Hinojosa held an event outside the governor’s mansion Thursday. Recent polls show a close race despite Abbott outspending her more than six to one on advertising.
阿博特的竞选团队愿意花费数百万美元告诉得克萨斯人该如何看待希诺霍萨。但把他放在一个舞台上，让她能够质疑他的记录？显然，这对他来说是一座太远的桥。而阿博特远非唯一一人。
Abbott’s campaign is willing to spend millions telling Texans what to think about Hinojosa. But putting him on a stage where she can challenge his record? Apparently, that’s a bridge too far. And Abbott is hardly alone.
得克萨斯州司法部长肯·帕克斯顿拒绝与民主党参议员提名人詹姆斯·塔拉里科辩论。周三，塔拉里科在一场全国电视转播的市政厅会议上接受了来自全政治光谱选民的提问。帕克斯顿拒绝参加类似活动的邀请。
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has declined to debate Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico. On Wednesday, Talarico took questions from voters across the political spectrum in a nationally televised town hall. Paxton declined an invitation to participate in a comparable event.
在佛罗里达州，共和党参议员阿什利·穆迪拒绝与安吉·尼克松辩论。在密西西比州，共和党参议员辛迪·海德-史密斯表示，与民主党提名人斯科特·科洛姆辩论“没有意义”。为什么这么多共和党人在同一个选举周期里做出了同样的决定？
In Florida, Republican Sen. Ashley Moody has declined to debate Angie Nixon. In Mississippi, Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith said there’s “no point” in debating Democratic nominee Scott Colom. Why are so many Republicans making the same decision in the same election cycle?
各竞选团队给出了不同的解释。阿博特表示他宁愿在社区活动中与选民见面。穆迪说她不会给一个“自称的社会主义者”提供舞台。海德-史密斯的竞选团队表示，由于科洛姆的立场，与他辩论“没有意义”。帕克斯顿的竞选团队称，如果有中立的主持人，他愿意与塔拉里科辩论，但随后反对了一场拟议的福克斯新闻论坛，也没有回应CNN的市政厅会议邀请。我有一些想法。
The campaigns have offered different explanations. Abbott says he’d rather meet voters at community events Moody says she won’t give a“self-proclaimed socialist”a stage. Hyde-Smith’s campaign says there’s“no point” debating Colom because of his positions. Paxton’s campaign said he would debate Talarico if there were neutral moderators, then objected to a proposed Fox News forum and did not respond to CNN’s town hall invitation. I have some thoughts.
2014年，我曾担任内布拉斯加州州长民主党提名人的副传播主任。那一年，作为一名参选的民主党人，并不好过。
In 2014, I was deputy communications director for the Democratic nominee for governor in Nebraska. It was not a pleasant year to be a Democrat running for office.
奥巴马总统当时在白宫，而共和党人已经把《平价医疗法案》变成了政治负担。在内布拉斯加州，共和党人本来就已经占据显著优势，全国性的政治环境让原本艰难的竞选变得更加艰巨。
President Barack Obama was in the White House, and Republicans had turned the Affordable Care Act into a political liability. In Nebraska, where Republicans already had a significant advantage, the national environment made an uphill campaign even harder.
当全国性的辩论不断把话题拉向其他方向时，很难把讨论聚焦在我们想要讨论的议题上。医疗改革本应是奥巴马政府的一项标志性成就。但共和党人却把奥巴马医改变成了针对民主党人的核心论点，贯穿于全局选举之中。无法逃避这一点。共和党人如今被要求为总统的议程辩护。
It was difficult to keep the conversation focused on the issues we wanted to discuss when the national debate kept pulling it elsewhere. Healthcare was supposed to be one of the Obama administration’s signature achievements. Instead, Republicans made Obamacare a central argument against Democrats up and down the ballot. There was no escaping it. Republicans are being asked to defend the president’s agenda.
这就是我今天所认识的政治环境，只是现在共和党人被要求为总统的议程辩护。
That is the political environment I recognize today, except Republicans are now being asked to defend the president’s agenda.
特朗普单方面征收关税，导致美国企业和消费者的成本上升。随后是他自发动的对伊朗的战争。汽油和柴油价格攀升，增加了家庭和企业的负担。而美国人仍在等待一个明确的解释：这场战争将如何结束。国会里的共和党人在哪里？
Donald Trump unilaterally imposed tariffs, raising costs for American businesses and consumers. Then came his war of choice in Iran. Gas and diesel prices climbed, raising costs for households and businesses. And Americans are still waiting for a clear explanation of how this war will end. Where were Republicans in Congress?
有些人提出了反对意见，但许多人保持沉默，为总统的决定辩护，或为他助威。如今，随着特朗普的支持率下降，共和党候选人正面临一个令人不安的现实。一些人试图与他的部分议程保持距离。另一些人则拥抱他，赌注他的支持能帮助他们度过十一月。
Some raised objections, but many stayed silent, defended the president’s decisions or cheered him on. Now, with Trump’s approval ratings sinking, Republican candidates face an uncomfortable reality. Some are trying to distance themselves from parts of his agenda. Others are embracing him, betting his support will carry them through November.
但这些决定已经做出。关税已经征收。战争已经爆发。美国人正在承受这些决策的经济后果。
But the decisions have already been made. The tariffs were imposed. The war began. Americans are dealing with the economic consequences.
一场辩论意味着解释这些选择——或者解释你为何没有挑战它们——而就在你几英尺之外的人质疑你的回答。我能理解为什么一个竞选团队可能不想面对这一点。但回避这些问题就是懦弱。
A debate means explaining those choices — or why you didn’t challenge them — while someone a few feet away questions your answer. I can understand why a campaign might not want that. But refusing to face those questions is cowardly.
在最近一期的节目中，尤金·丹尼尔斯和我讨论了越来越多候选人拒绝参加辩论的现象。我问了我认为是一个基本的问题：“如果你想获得代表人民的权力，为什么你不应该在人民面前回答问题？”我是认真的。
On a recent episode of , Eugene Daniels and I discussed the growing number of candidates declining debates. I asked what I think is a basic question: “If you want the power to represent people, why shouldn’t you have to answer questions in front of those people?”And I meant it.
得州民主党主席痛批州长阿博特缺乏“勇气”辩论吉娜·希诺霍萨 2026年10月17日 辩论不是候选人面对艰难问题的唯一方式。市政厅会议让选民能够直接向候选人提问，而无需对手站在他们身旁。塔拉里科正是这样做的。
TX Dem Chair SLAMS Gov. Abbott for not having the ‘courage’ to debate Gina Hinojosa October 17, 2026 A debate isn’t the only way for candidates to face difficult questions. A town hall lets voters challenge a candidate directly, without an opponent standing next to them. Talarico did exactly that on Wednesday.
帕克斯顿曾在德州各地进行竞选活动，包括全州巴士巡演。但他拒绝了CNN的市政厅会议和与塔拉里科的辩论。这些形式提供了持续的质询，而竞选活动未必能提供这一点。
Paxton has campaigned across Texas, including on a statewide bus tour. But he declined the CNN town hall and a debate with Talarico. Those offer sustained questioning that campaign events don’t necessarily provide.
阿博特多年来一直倡导学校代金券计划，该计划从根本上改变了德州对公共教育的处理方式。希诺霍萨则将反对该计划作为她竞选的核心。德州人可以听到阿博特解释他为何认为自己的做法有利于他们的孩子，也能听到希诺霍萨就该政策对公共学校的后果向他提出质疑。
Abbott has spent years championing a school voucher program that fundamentally changes how Texas approaches public education. Hinojosa has made opposition to it central to her campaign. Texans could hear Abbott explain why he believes his approach serves their children — and hear Hinojosa challenge him on the consequences for public schools.
此外，还有关于财产税、生活成本、移民执法以及州长使用州政府权力的问题。这些决定影响着数百万德州人。
There are also questions about property taxes, the cost of living, immigration enforcement and the governor’s use of state authority. These decisions affect millions of Texans.
不仅是共和党的候选人在拒绝辩论。亚利桑那州州长凯蒂·霍布斯也拒绝与她的对手辩论。她也应该为此接受审视。
Republicans aren’t the only candidates declining debates. Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs has also declined to debate her opponent. She should face scrutiny for that, too.
但本轮选举周期中，共和党候选人拒绝辩论的模式尤为显著，尤其是因为他们的党目前正在华盛顿行使权力。
But the pattern among Republicans this cycle is striking, particularly because their party is exercising power in Washington.
格雷格·阿博特是德州州长。辛迪·海德-史密斯和阿什利·穆迪是美国参议员。他们正在请求选民让他们继续留任，但在还需要选民许可的时候，却选择是否要面对公众审视。
Greg Abbott is governor of Texas. Cindy Hyde-Smith and Ashley Moody are U.S. senators. They’re asking voters to keep them in office, yet choosing whether to face public scrutiny while they still need those voters’ permission.
我们花费大量时间审视候选人的经验、政策、气质和判断力。我们应该这样做。但我们也应该问他们认为自己对所统治的人负有什么责任。把难题视为可选的政客，正在向我们展示他们对所持权力的理解。
We spend a lot of time examining candidates’ experience, policies, temperament and judgment. We should. But we should also ask what they believe they owe the people they govern. A politician who treats difficult questions as optional is telling us how they understand the power they hold. Perhaps the most revealing thing about these Republicans isn’t what they might say on a debate stage.
这些共和党人最令人揭示的地方或许不是他们在辩论台上可能说的话，而是他们认为自己不再需要解释的事情。
It’s what they believe they no longer have to explain. For more thought-provoking insights from Michael Steele, Symone Sanders Townsend and Luke Russert, watch“The Weeknight”
想要从迈克尔·斯蒂尔、西蒙·桑德斯·汤森德和卢克·拉塞特那里获得更多发人深省的见解，请收看《Weeknight》节目，每周一至周五东部时间晚上7点在MS NOW播出，并查看西蒙与尤金·丹尼尔斯合作的播客《Clock It》。
every Monday-Friday at 7 p.m. ET on MS NOW, and check out Symone’s podcast with Eugene Daniels, “Clock It.”The post Republicans suddenly aren’t interested in debating their opponents MS NOW