"This is what Utah voters want and deserve — to hear a robust discussion of our ideas for the future, have us defend our positions. They want to see us act under pressure," Johnson said in an online video taking on the governor. "I think you're a coward. I think you've proven yourself to be a coward on this issue."
Although Herbert said repeatedly in the past several weeks he was confident that their would be a primary debate, his camp now says it is too late and the governor too busy for such a showdown to take place.
"Gov. Herbert is campaigning throughout the state, community by community, to take his message personally to the people," said campaign manager Marty Carpenter. "Early voting is already underway across the state, absentee ballots have been distributed and voters in 20 of our state's 29 counties have been casting ballots by mail since early this month. At this late stage in the calendar, the governor simply cannot cancel previously scheduled campaign events across the state in order to accommodate yet another debate."
There has been one debate, before the state GOP convention, between the two candidates. They also spoke at two separate forums — one before the convention and one just after — although there was no interaction between the two or questions of the candidates.
