AARP Virginia has cancelled a mid-September gubernatorial debate it planned to hold at Virginia State University after Republican candidate Winsome Earle-Sears declined the invitation, citing a scheduling conflict. Democratic contender Abigail Spanberger had agreed to the event, which would have marked the first time an historically Black college or university hosted a Virginia governor’s debate. Within hours of the cancellation, Earle-Sears accepted an offer to participate in a debate to be hosted by CNN, for which a date and venue have not yet been announced. Spanberger’s campaign said negotiations over the CNN event have been under way for some time but that the campaign has not given a definitive answer. Spanberger’s team criticised Earle-Sears for rejecting the previously confirmed forum while embracing a debate that remains unscheduled. The flap adds uncertainty to whether Virginia voters will see the two leading candidates share a stage before November’s election.