EDINBURG, Texas (Nexstar) — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and challenger Beto O’Rourke will meet Friday night on the campus of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley for a televised debate, hosted by Nexstar Media Group.
This will be their only face-to-face debate during the campaign ahead of Election Day, Nov. 8.
There are three ways viewers can watch the debate when it begins at 7 p.m. Friday — broadcasted on KXAN, on KXAN.com or on the KXAN News app. Nexstar stations throughout Texas will also be broadcasting the event.
Tune in online for a pre-show starting at 6:45 p.m. with an analysis of what you should be paying attention to tonight during the debate. Afterward at 8 p.m. watch a post-debate show with our experts and political analysts about how the candidates fared.
KXAN anchor Britt Moreno will host the debate. Questions will come from a panel of journalists, including Sally Hernandez of KXAN-TV, Gromer Jeffers of The Dallas Morning News, and Steve Spriester of KSAT-TV San Antonio.
A panel of undecided voters will be watching the debate in Dallas and will use dials to respond to comments they like and dislike. The panel will be live on our website during the one-hour event and will also be made available on Facebook. It’s designed to be a second-screen compliment to the debate airing on television.
A look at the set for the Texas governor’s debate between Gov. Greg Abbott and Beto O’Rourke at UT-Rio Grande Valley on Sept. 30. (Todd Bynum/KXAN) A look at the set for the Texas governor’s debate between Gov. Greg Abbott and Beto O’Rourke at UT-Rio Grande Valley on Sept. 30. (Todd Bynum/KXAN) A look at the set for the Texas governor’s debate between Gov. Greg Abbott and Beto O’Rourke at UT-Rio Grande Valley on Sept. 30. (Todd Bynum/KXAN)
Nexstar Media adopted a set of criteria to determine which candidates are eligible to participate in a debate, which includes a requirement that a candidate must receive at least 10% support in an established, professionally-conducted, non-partisan poll leading up to the election.
A candidate also must have raised at least $50,000 in campaign contributions to be eligible.