PHILADELPHIA — Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro and Republican Treasurer Stacy Garrity, both candidates running to be Pennsylvania’s next governor, have agreed to face off next month in the first and only scheduled televised debate between them.

The debate — scheduled for 8 p.m. on Oct. 7 and hosted by ABC 27 — will be held in Harrisburg and will air live on several stations owned by Nexstar across Pennsylvania, including WPHL-TV in Philadelphia.

Both campaigns said they look forward to meeting face to face to discuss issues important to voters.

“Game on,” said Matthew Beynon, a spokesperson for Garrity.

Manuel Bonder, communications director for Shapiro’s campaign, said “we look forward to continuing to make the choice in this election clear.”

Shapiro, who was elected governor in 2022 after serving as the state’s attorney general, holds a sizable lead against Garrity, according to a Philadelphia Inquirer/New York Times/Siena University poll conducted last month.

As the November election approaches, Shapiro — who is a rumored contender for president in 2028 — has focused on translating his popularity to downballot Democratic candidates in four, nationally-watched congressional districts and those running for seats in the Pennsylvania state Senate, which has been under Republican control for more than 30 years.

Garrity, meanwhile, has struggled to gain traction among voters and to compete with Shapiro’s massive campaign funds. A quarter of likely Republican voters did not know who she was or know enough about her to form an opinion of her, the Inquirer/New York Times/Siena poll found.

Next month’s debate could present Garrity with a fresh chance to introduce herself to voters statewide and make her case on why Shapiro should not be reelected.

October’s debate is the only one scheduled between the candidates, though Garrity’s campaign have proposed several more. In 2022, Shapiro and his Republican challenger, State Sen. Doug Mastriano, did not debate after the two could not agree to terms.

Topics likely to surface during the debate include data centers, the measles outbreak, and President Donald Trump.

Both candidates have released television ads criticizing the other’s past support for data center development, which has grown increasingly unpopular in Pennsylvania and beyond. Garrity has denounced Shapiro for his shifting positions on data centers, though she has a mixed record herself. Last month he signed an executive order dramatically restricting their development, touting them as the strictest guardrails in the nation. Garrity has called for a pause in data center development.

Garrity has also blasted Shapiro for his handling of the rollout of public health information in announcing two measles-associated deaths in Pennsylvania, saying he has stepped in front of verified facts. Shapiro has been critical of the Trump administration, saying the nation’s health secretary was responsible for the influx of measles cases by stoking misinformation.

Trump has endorsed Garrity in the governor’s race, and Shapiro has repeatedly sought to tie her to some of his unpopular policies, highlighting her support for his tariffs on imported goods and unpopular war in Iran.

ABC 27 anchor and reporter Dennis Owens will moderate the debate, which will also be available to view on streaming platforms.

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