Baker agrees to three debates in Mass. governor’s race

BOSTON (AP) — Republican Gov. Charlie Baker’s campaign said Thursday it had agreed to three debates in the fall with Jay Gonzalez, the Democratic nominee for governor.

Earlier in the day, the Democrat had announced he was accepting invitations from five organizations looking to host debates, and had asked Baker to accept all five as well.

Baker’s campaign says it agreed to debates to debates that will be hosted by WBZTV, WGBH, and the third by a consortium of media outlets that includes The Boston Globe, WBUR-FM, WCVB-TV, WGGB-TV, WSHM-TV and the University of Massachusetts.

There was no immediate word on dates, times or lo- cations.

Gonzalez’s campaign was “disappointed” that Baker rejected the other debates that had been proposed by media outlets in Worcester and Springfield, and by Telemundo Boston, said Kevin Ready, the Democrat’s campaign manager.

“We owe voters the opportunity to see and hear our contrasting visions and leadership styles for the whole state,” Gonzalez said in an earlier statement.

Also Thursday, Baker’s campaign said 22 mayors, 10 of whom are Democrats, had endorsed the governor’s re-election bid.

Among the Democrats backing Baker over Gonzalez was Springfield’s Domenic Sarno, the mayor of the state’s third-largest city.