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Local News
KUNR logo with “Purple Politics Nevada with Lucia Starbuck” headline next to an illustration of a microphone shaped like the state of Nevada. The background is a gradient that fades from red to purple to blue.
Purple Politics Nevada with Lucia Starbuck

The downfall of political debates in Nevada and beyond

By Lucia Starbuck
Published October 21, 2026 at 11:08 AM PDT
Nevada Treasurer candidates Republican Drew Johnson (left) and Democrat Tya Mathis-Coleman discuss their policy proposals during a candidate forum moderated by KUNR’s James Wolfgang Perez in partnership with Sierra Nevada Forums and the Nevada Appeal in Carson City, Nevada, on Oct. 12, 2026.
Elijah Reyes
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KUNR Public Radio
Nevada Treasurer candidates Republican Drew Johnson (left) and Democrat Tya Mathis-Coleman discuss their policy proposals during a candidate forum moderated by KUNR’s James Wolfgang Perez in partnership with Sierra Nevada Forums and the Nevada Appeal in Carson City, Nevada, on Oct. 12, 2026.

KUNR just wrapped up three nights of candidate forums in Carson City in October. We reached out to candidates by email, phone, text, and even physical letters. Despite these efforts, only two Republicans participated in the eight races. Why are candidates reluctant to share a stage, what are the risks and rewards, and what are the voters missing? Listen to those questions answered and more, along with a recap of the CD2, governor, and treasurer candidate forums in this month’s episode of Purple Politics Nevada, hosted by Lucia Starbuck.

Guest: Jason Johnson, professor of politics and journalism at Morgan State University

Tags
2026 Election 2026 election
Lucia Starbuck
Lucia Starbuck is an award-winning political journalist and the host of KUNR’s monthly show <i>Purple Politics Nevada</i>. She is passionate about reporting during election season, attending community events, and talking to people about the issues that matter most to them.
See stories by Lucia Starbuck

Purple Politics Nevada is produced by KUNR’s Lucia Starbuck. Vicki Adame is the show’s editor. Zoe Malen designed the show’s logo.

Select clips from Kevin MacLeod’s “Vibe Ace” appear in each episode, licensed through the Free Music Archive under a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 3.0).