Editorial: Debates need all candidates to participate

There is a point to primary debates.

It’s hard to imagine after the sideshows of the 2016 Republican presidential primary and, not to be outdone, the equally circus-like 2020 Democratic presidential primary. But it’s true.

The point of a general election primary is for all of the voters to decide between the final candidates vying for a major position. In Pennsylvania, a primary debate is to speak to the registered party members who are going to pick from the field hoping to be nominated.

What makes this important is how everyone’s message during a primary can tend to blend together.

After all, the Republicans are trying to be the most Republican person on a stage crowded with others crowing their GOP bona fides. Saying you are pro-life and for the 2nd Amendment is a given among the would-be gubernatorial nominees. The debates should be a chance to show not how they align with the party doctrine but how they stand out while doing so.

For the Democrats, there will be no gubernatorial primary debates. There’s only one candidate. No, all the debate energy is focused on the U.S. Senate race for the seat being vacated by Republican Pat Toomey after 12 years.

Among the reasons is that, while it seems everyone is running for the GOP nod for governor or Senate, the Democratic field is more focused on three of its Pennsylvania luminaries: U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb, D-Mt. Lebanon, U.S. Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, D-Philadelphia, and Lt. Gov. John Fetterman.

However, the big takeaway for many amid the forums that have brought the candidates together is that one of them hasn’t shown up. Fetterman has not appeared at a number of events, including the first televised debate Sunday at Muhlenberg College in Allentown.

One bad part of this is obvious: Voters are not getting to hear all three candidates respond to the same issues at the same time and make informed decisions. Another is that any time the candidates on the stage get to talk about the one who isn’t there, it takes an important process and turns it into a snippy reality show.

There are more debates for both parties before the May primary: Debates for the Senate and the governor and forums for the various Congressional and state legislative seats.

It is important for all of the candidates to participate, just as it is important for the electorate to pay attention to what is said and done.

The less focus there is on the issues — education, energy, economy — the more attention there will be on the politics. And no one needs more of that.