Democratic gubernatorial candidates debate set for WTVT in Tampa
Pulpit and two microphones with US state flag on background - Florida

Pulpit and two microphones with USA state flag on background - Florida

All four leading Democratic candidates for governor will be appearing in a debate hosted and broadcast by WTVT in Tampa next week, the station confirmed Tuesday.

WTVT, part of the FOX Television Stations network, will host the half-hour forum at 6:30 p.m. on April 18 featuring  Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, former Congresswoman Gwen Graham, former Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine, and businessman Chris King, the station’s general Manager Jeff Maloney announced in a news release Tuesday. The candidates themselves revealed their commitments to the debate last month, though details were yet to be worked out.

The four Democrats will be asked to cover topics important to the Tampa community, such as school safety, crime, mental health services, and hurricane preparedness, according to a release from the station.

Maloney stated, “This debate will be an opportunity for voters to see and hear the candidates in an unfiltered environment, on the station that has been a leader in political coverage in Florida.”

Scott Powers

Scott Powers is an Orlando-based political journalist with 30+ years’ experience, mostly at newspapers such as the Orlando Sentinel and the Columbus Dispatch. He covers local, state and federal politics and space news across much of Central Florida. His career earned numerous journalism awards for stories ranging from the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster to presidential elections to misplaced nuclear waste. He and his wife Connie have three grown children. Besides them, he’s into mystery and suspense books and movies, rock, blues, basketball, baseball, writing unpublished novels, and being amused. Email him at [email protected].


2 comments

  • Joanie Schirm

    April 11, 2018 at 8:49 am

    Glad to see we will finally get to see Democratic gubernatorial candidates in action and begin to the see who might be the strongest candidate against Republicans who ‘ve all drifted far right. Will this be broadcast online by WTVT or later distributed to other FOX stations?

  • Mahaleka Smith

    April 16, 2018 at 11:16 am

    Will this debate have a live audience?

Comments are closed.


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