Loretta Sanchez hasn’t agreed to two debates because she wants more

Attorney General Kamala Harris has formally agreed to two debates in the U.S. Senate campaign, including one next month co-sponsored by The Sacramento Bee, but her Democratic opponent, Loretta Sanchez, has yet to sign off on either event.

Sean Clegg, a campaign strategist for Harris, said the frontrunner will participate in a Sept. 20 debate sponsored by The Sacramento Bee, KUVS Univision 19, KVIE, Capital Public Radio and Sacramento State. “We’re going to be there and we’re going to be ready,” Clegg told The Bee.

Harris also will participate in an Oct. 5 debate in Los Angeles sponsored by KABC, the Edmund G. “Pat” Brown Institute for Public Affairs and the League of Women Voters.

Sanchez spokesman Luis Vizcaino said Monday that negotiations between the campaign and organizers continue.

He issued a prepared statement from Sanchez consultant Bill Carrick accusing Harris’ camp of “arrogantly” announcing Harris’ plans and suggesting that because this is the first open U.S. Senate seat since 1992, “the people of California need more than just two opportunities to hear from the candidates.”

Carrick added the debates need to be in more regions covering a larger portion of voters.

This story was originally published August 8, 2016 at 12:48 PM.