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A GOP gubernatorial debate being organized by the Florida Press Association and Leadership Florida will go forward whether frontrunner Rick Scott agrees to come or not. As Mike Vasilinda tells us organizers say Scott has not confirmed the August 11th face-off, even though they have made concessions to his campaign.

So far, GOP gubernatorial front runner Rick Scott has not agreed to the only televised statewide debate being organized by the Florida Press Association and Leadership Florida.

“We think the voters of Florida deserve to know about the candidates. We want them to have this information,” Dean Ridings, President of the Florida Press Association said.

In a rare Tallahassee appearance in mid-June, we asked Scott about his knowledge of Florida government.

“Well, you never know enough, right? But I’ve spent a reasonable amount of time in Tallahassee,” Scott said.

That is why well-connected GOP voters like Herb Fillyaw want to see a debate.

“A lot of mud-slinging going on right now,” Fillyaw said. “There’s a lot of unknowns about Mr. Scott, and I think everyone would love to hear him talk about it.”

Unscripted?

“Oh, absolutely,” Fillyaw said.  “Unscripted and unhandled. You know, throw him the hard questions and see what happens. Because once you get elected, there’s no script.”

By avoiding  a statewide, hour-long debate, political scientists say Rick Scott will be better able to control his message through paid TV, which he has spent 20 million doing. They also say he avoids making a major gaffe. But even if Scott doesn’t agree to the hour-log face off, organizers say the debate will go on as fairly as possible.

“Our panel, who will be well-versed in these issues, will give his response that he has stated, if he doesn’t show up,” Ridings said. “Again, it’s our desire that Rick Scott show up at the debate.”

The organizers agreed to move the debate from Orlando to Jacksonville to accommodate Scott. But then he asked for a venue to accommodate a large audience.

The Leadership Florida and Press Association debate is scheduled for August 11th.