The debates about a debate are over for now.

Republican Ted Budd and Democrat Cheri Beasley agreed to a U.S. Senate debate on Friday, Oct. 7. The debate will be broadcast on Spectrum News 1.

This will be the first time the two Senate candidates in North Carolina have debated in the race. Beasley’s major Democratic opponents dropped out early into the primary and Budd refused to take part in debates with any of his Republican primary opponents. 

With a flood of television ads, the candidates are frequently appearing in the homes of voters, but this will be the first time voters will see them together on the same stage.

“You can’t do that much damage during a debate if you’re really prepped and know how to be evasive. You can do some damage if you decide not to debate,” said Davidson College politics professor Susan Roberts. 

This is the only scheduled debate between the candidates.

If that holds it would be fewer than the three debates Republican Sen. Thom Tillis and Democrat Cal Cunningham had two years ago, but the same number as in 2016 when Republican Sen. Richard Burr and Democrat Deborah Ross debated once.

One issue likely to come up in the October debate is abortion.

It’s become a flashpoint in the race, especially this week. 

Budd, currently a member of the U.S. House, co-sponsored a bill to ban abortions nationwide, with some exceptions, after 15 weeks of pregnancy. 

Budd says the move is consistent with his views, while Beasley says it puts North Carolina women’s lives at risk. And while Democrats appear to be benefiting politically from the issue of abortion recently, Roberts doesn’t think this legislation will hurt Budd.

“It’s not as dramatic as some of the ones, draconian in which you have no exceptions for rape, incest and life of the mother,” Roberts said. 

Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump, announced he’ll campaign for Budd in Wilmington next week. Trump’s early endorsement of Budd propelled him to win the Republican nomination.

But its support that cuts two ways. A recent High Point University poll found Trump to have a 42% favorability rating in North Carolina, seven points higher than Biden, but still below 50%.

“Trump may be divisive, but I think the candidates in the party have just said for now, the Republicans might not want him in 2024, it’s really not a good idea to go against him in 2022,” Roberts said.