“The People’s Debate,” initially slated to host candidates in Virginia’s 2026 U.S. Senate race, has been canceled after incumbent Sen. Mark Warner was unable to commit to participating.
Warner’s Republican opponent, retired Army Maj. Gen. Bert Mizusawa, had accepted the invitation to debate the Democratic incumbent.
Warner’s campaign cited an “unsettled and expectedly busy official Senate calendar” as his reason for being unable to participate.
“As he has done throughout the campaign, he will continue taking his message on lowering health care costs, making life more affordable, and preparing for the disruptive nature of artificial intelligence to communities across Virginia and speaking directly with voters wherever he goes,” a spokesperson for Warner’s campaign said.
They did not respond when asked if the senator would take part in a debate during the election season.
“Mark Warner refuses to explain to senior citizens why he opposed cutting taxes on social security,” a spokesperson for the Mizusawa campaign said when asked for comment on the cancellation of The People’s Debate.
Mizusawa’s spokesperson was referring to a clause in HR1, the federal spending bill that passed in 2025, that provided a temporary $6,000 tax deduction for seniors. The federal bill passed on a 51-50 vote in the U.S. Senate with three Republicans joining Democrats and Independents in their opposition. The bill also cut federal funding to social programs, including Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
There has not yet been a debate scheduled and confirmed by both candidates for the 2026 U.S. Senate election in Virginia.
The two candidates shared a stage at Buena Vista’s annual Labor Day event on Monday. That event, while not a debate, offered the candidates a platform for back-to-back speeches. They did not answer questions posed by moderators or respond in time to their opponent as would happen in a traditional debate.
“While we are disappointed that Senator Warner could not commit, we appreciate General Mizusawa’s commitment to participate in the debate,” said Jim Dau, AARP Virginia state director. “Voters should be able to hear directly from candidates about where they stand on the issues that matter to them. The People’s Debate would have been an opportunity for voters to hear the candidates’ plans around critical issues like protecting Social Security and supporting family caregivers.”
The debate had been scheduled for Oct. 7 at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture in Richmond. It was to be hosted by AARP Virginia in partnership with Richmond’s CBS 6. The two organizations have hosted The People’s Debate since 2006 for statewide election contests. It was the most widely broadcast television debate in the commonwealth for gubernatorial and U.S. Senate races, according to AARP Virginia. The gubernatorial debate in 2025 was canceled, and the 2024 U.S. Senate debate was restructured into two separate telephone town halls for each candidate.
Early voting is scheduled to begin on Sept. 18.
Virginia’s race is one of nine U.S. Senate races considered to be “solidly Democrat” in 2026 by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report.
Both Warner and Mizusawa have responded to the questions that Cardinal posed in our Voter Guide.
