Thread by @hughhewitt

Good morning from ⁦@989TheAnswer⁩ in Columbus where I’m broadcasting today. Great weekend in Buckeye land when Ohio State crushed IU, Browns and Bengals won and Steelers didn’t play. Going over last night’s #OHSen debate (quick write-up below). Plus, dispatch.com/story/news/pol…

I’ll cover @GlennYoungkin surging in Virginia with Salena Zito, @JakeSherman and @HotlineJosh. I moderated last night’s debate along w/ @aarbaer of @CCVPolicy. Ohio Republicans have six good candidates to choose from, all of whom did what they set out to do in a first debate. 2

First task in what will be a very expensive and long battle to get the GOP nod in likely #OHSen contest w/ @RepTimRyan in November of 2022 is to establish an identity. They all did that b/c “Hugh’s Rules” for debates allow candidates 75 seconds for replies to short questions. 3

Using a bell (@BretBaier and I agree this is far preferred to a moderator interrupting a “going long” candidate) is the way to go. No “right of reply” also makes for smooth debate. This is my 2nd debate of ‘22 cycle (first was of CA Recall candidates in CA) and these rules work.4

What #OHSen debate did for 1500 in attendance: A chance to hear Matt Dolan, Mike Gibbons, Josh Mandel, Bernie Moreno, Jane Timken and J. D. Vance chance to display mastery of issues and political chops. Sampling of a couple dozen audience after debate saw each make some fans. 5

I’ve done so many debates in 30 years of broadcasting that it is clear any good faith setting will yield informative and fun exchanges. Legacy media questions are so different from center-right questions it is crazy for GOP primary candidates to let legacy media near primaries. 6

Same holds true for ‘24 primary debates. The would he GOP presidential nominees need to gather often across the U.S. but RNC should control and get moderators not seeking to destroy the candidates. Networks can carry but should not run them. And in fall races, one rule is key. 7

Debates need to have as many conservative journalists as they do legacy media journalists or voters will never hear about issues that matter to voters outside progressive-hard left. Debates need to be for voters, not legacy media ratings. GOP primary debates for GOP voters. 8

Finally, the so called “Commission on Presidential Debates” —@CPD— needs to go away, be firmly and finally rejected by @GOP b/c meetings of candidates in primaries or general cant be dominated by an increasingly biased legacy media and #BigTech. 9