88.7 The Pulse Student Reporters Provide Behind The Scenes Look at Arizona Senate Debate

Author: Julia Garner

With the General Election approaching rapidly this November, now is truly a time of choosing for the voters of Arizona. Debates are a fantastic way for voters to be more educated in their decisions and for candidates to show voters who they are and what they stand for. I attended the Arizona Senate Debate between U.S. Senate Republican candidate Kari Lake and Democrat candidate Congressman Ruben Gallego on Wednesday, October 9th, in Phoenix with my classmate and student reporter, Lenore Carey. 

Around 90 press reporters attended the debate in person along with Lenore and I. No one prepares you for the environment of a press room. Chris Klein, president of the Arizona Media Association, stated that the press room was “its own ecosystem,” and he was certainly right. During the debate, the press room was almost completely silent aside from the sound of tons of reporters fiercely typing away on their computers. A reporter from France even asked Lenore if she forgot her computer because of the number of people there that had them. 

Lenore and I also had the privilege of attending the press conference after the debate and saw Ruben Gallego and some of Kari Lake’s campaign surrogates answer questions about the debate. It was fascinating to watch reporters from newspapers and other media outlets internationally and across the country jump at the chance to ask questions. It was apparent that this community of people was eager and opportunistic, to say the least. 

We were then able to see the set and the control room of the debate, getting a behind-the-scenes view of the operation that goes on so that the debate could air on live television, streams, and radio across the state of Arizona and around the world. 

At 88.7 The Pulse, we encourage our listeners to be ready to vote in the general election on November 5th. Remember: now is the time to choose.