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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe Indiana Debate Commission will not require the three gubernatorial candidates to be tested for COVID-19 prior to the debate Tuesday night.
The non-partisan commission announced Monday that “it cannot mandate COVID-19 testing of the candidates,” but it will separate the candidates in the WFYI studio during the event, rather than spacing them out in the same area.
The commission said the decision to be tested for COVID-19 “remains solely with individual candidates and their campaigns.”
The decision came in response to a request from Democratic gubernatorial candidate Dr. Woody Myers, who wanted all of the candidates to be tested for COVID-19 the day before the debate as part of safety precautions.
“Dr. Myers is excited to safely participate in the debate and appreciates the Debate Commission’s work to accommodate candidates during Indiana’s startling COVID surge,” the Myers campaign said Monday morning in an email to IBJ.”
Myers made the request last week after Indiana State Health Commissioner Dr. Kris Box announced she had tested positive for COVID-19 and Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb said he would get tested “out of an abundance of caution.”
Holcomb tested negative for COVID-19.
“There will be precautions in place that will allow for a thorough and open debate,” Holcomb said. “The Indiana Debate Commission has gone to great lengths to make sure this can be done safely, and I appreciate that.”
Holcomb’s campaign and Libertarian candidate Donald Rainwater said they didn’t believe testing the candidates was necessary, but if the commission required it, they would oblige.
“The Rainwater campaign agrees to the proposed rules set forth by the debate commission and looks forward to our candidate debating his opponents,” the campaign said Monday morning in a statement.
The debate, which will air live, will not have an in-person audience, and only necessary production staff will be present in the studio.
The first debate is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday. A second debate, which the commission says will follow the same format, is scheduled for Oct. 27.
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Myers should take the test and publish the results anyway, just for free publicity. Frequent and fast testing is good for all.
Why can’t it be required?