SANDUSKY — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley both have agreed to answer a series of questions from the Sandusky Register about where they stand on issues in their quest to win the state’s 2022 gubernatorial election.

Their answers will be published in news articles on Oct. 15 and Oct. 17.

While U.S. Senate candidates J.D. Vance and Tim Ryan have agreed to two media-sponsored debates — one in Cleveland and another in Youngstown — there will be no forums this year sponsored by the Ohio Debate Commission. Both DeWine and Vance declined the commission debate invitations, while Whaley and Ryan agreed to participate.

The Register has invited DeWine and Whaley to an editorial board meeting in lieu of a debate, and there is still a possibility this could be arranged as early as next week.

A recent USA TODAY Network Ohio/Suffolk University poll shows 84% of likely Ohio voters want candidates for the state’s top political posts to face off in a one-on-one debate, the national newspaper reported. Debates “are the equivalent of a job interview for candidates running for office,” USA TODAY wrote in an editorial last week.

“They allow voters a chance to see how quickly candidates can think on their feet, handle criticism and answer tough questions,” the newspaper wrote.

At the local level

In the 89th House District, Democrat Jim Obergefell has agreed to debate his opponent, incumbent state Rep. D.J. Swearingen, R-Huron. But Swearingen has refused the invitation from the Register, contending its coverage of some issues related to the state legislature has been unfair.

The 89th House District includes Erie County and parts of Ottawa and Huron counties. A gerrymandered district, the Huron County portion of it, was added when districts were redrawn by Republicans this year.

Swearingen has come under fire for using the legislative process to push political agendas, including suggesting that teachers are “radically indoctrinating” students without providing any information about what students are be indoctrinated to believe or evidence that it is happening.

He was asked again this week to reconsider a debate with Obergefell.

In the 9th U.S. House District, U.S. Rep Marcy Kaptur has refused to debate her opponent, Republican J.R. Majewski, until he is cleared by the FBI of any wrongdoing related to the Jan. 6 insurrection. Majewski was in Washington that day but has said he was not part of the mob that breached the U.S. Capitol.

Majewski, who according to media reports has claimed he was cleared by the FBI, hasn’t responded to calls from the Register about a debate or about anything else. An Associated Press story published last month reported that he exaggerated his military service. Majewski claimed he served in Afghanistan. But military records obtained by the AP show he didn’t, according to the news story.

The 9th District also is a gerrymandered district that was changed this year by Republicans who control both houses of the legislature and also had a super-majority on the Ohio Redistricting committee.

Lorain County, where there are more Democrats registered to vote than Republicans, was removed from the district, and three counties west of Lucas County, where there are more registered Republicans, was added to it.