Senator Mark Warner and his Republican challenger Daniel Gade will convene for a second debate at Norfolk State University (NSU) on Saturday.
According to NSU’s press release, the candidates will debate on “racial disparities and inequities in education, healthcare, economic mobility and the criminal justice system.” NSU is the state’s largest “Historically Black College and University” (HBCU).
Moderators for the event are WAVY-TV 10 journalists Anita Blanton and Regina Mobley.
Warner and Gade first debated virtually last Wednesday evening. NBC4 hosted the debate. The candidates debated over broader categories – including Supreme Court nominations, COVID-19 socioeconomic impacts, police reform and race relations, and the presidential election.
Warner campaigns himself as a seasoned leader from two decades in technology and business and 12 years as a senator. Conversely, Gade campaigns as a military veteran with a Ph.D. and political leadership acquired throughout the Bush administration and national policy councils.
Gade attended President Donald Trump’s rally in Newport News, Virginia, on Friday. The Republican candidate has been closing in on Warner, shaving off eight points from the incumbent’s lead in just under a month.
Other forecasting models show Warner with a 99 percent likelihood of winning the election. However, the same model also notes party share of votes could tighten the race; Gade trails by 16 percentage points under those criteria.
As the Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Intelligence, Warner faces increasing concerns over the integrity of this year’s presidential election. Voter confidence is reportedly lower than it was in 2016, with 45 percent of voters believing their votes won’t be counted accurately.
Warner stated that Americans “may not know the results on election night.” He warned that “the period immediately before and after the election could be uniquely volatile.” The senator also criticized the president for “aiding and abetting foreign adversaries” responsible for instigating voter insecurity.
On Friday, Warner won NSU’s coin toss to determine who would respond to the first question. Gade will have the closing statement. Their debate is scheduled on October 3 at 5 p.m. EDT.
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Corinne Murdock is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Network. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Daniel Gade” by Daniel Gade.
