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Greg Abbott Agrees To Governor's Debate On KERA-TV

Bob Daemmrich/Laura Buckman
/
The Texas Tribune
Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Abbott has accepted an invitation for a live, statewide television debate at KERA’s studios.";

Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Abbott has accepted an invitation for a live, statewide television debate at KERA’s studios.

KERA and its media partners issued an invitation to Abbott and his Democratic opponent Wendy Davis shortly after the March primary.

Abbott initially declined, but accepted Friday after negotiations for a debate sponsored by WFAA-TV in Dallas broke down.

KERA will make its hour-long Texas Debate available to all radio and television stations across the state.  It will also be simulcast in Spanish and streamed online.

The panel of journalists posing questions will include representatives from KERA and its partners -- The Dallas Morning News, KXAS-TV and Telemundo.

Abbott has agreed to debate at 8 p.m. on Sept. 30, the same date that was planned for the WFAA event.   The Davis campaign says WFAA has asked for a meeting on Tuesday to discuss recent developments and the campaign plans to take part in that discussion. 

Here's a letter from Abbott's campaign:

Greg Abbott's campaign accepts KERA's governor's debate invitation

Former KERA staffer Shelley Kofler was news director, managing editor and senior reporter. She is an award-winning reporter and television producer who previously served as the Austin bureau chief and legislative reporter for North Texas ABC affiliate WFAA-TV.