SAN MARCOS, Texas — Presidential candidates will head to San Marcos next September. The Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) announced Monday that Texas State University (TXST) has been selected to host a 2024 presidential debate.
The debate, scheduled for Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, will be the first in a series of four scheduled general election debates. The other three debates will be held at Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania; Virginia State University in Petersburg, Virginia; and The University of Utah in Salt Lake City.
All debates will start at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT and will run for 90 minutes without commercial interruption.
TXST will be the first location in Texas to host a presidential debate. The university is also the only Texas university to claim a U.S. president as an alumnus. Lyndon B. Johnson graduated from the university in 1930 with a bachelor of science in history with a teaching certificate.
"This is an exciting time at Texas State, and we can’t wait to showcase our great university before a global audience," Texas State University System Chancellor Brian McCall said.
"On behalf of our university community, TXST is honored to represent Texas on the international stage and to play a direct role in the nation’s democratic process," President Kelly Damphousse said. “It is especially fitting that TXST will host the debate as we celebrate our 125th year as an institution of higher learning. Supporting our students in becoming engaged global citizens is core to our TXST values and to our legacy. Our university will provide the perfect environment to debate and share ideas that will shape the future of our nation. Thank you to the CPD for giving TXST and our students this incredible opportunity.”
Dr. Kenneth Grasso with Texas State's political science school said hosting this debate will make the election real for students.
"I mean, the fact that the students will – wherever it is, it's a room that students will have been in and will know about and say, 'This is the very space where I heard that talk last semester,'" said Grasso.
Other colleges like Texas Southern and the University of Houston have hosted presidential primary debates but not general ones.
"It was a primary debate, not the general election. So he said that was just incredible. That was such a big deal. And this is even a bigger deal," said Grasso.
The City of San Marcos also weighed in on what's to be expected with such a large event to come to San Marcos.
"At this time, it’s too early to discuss the debate, as the conversations are just starting up," the City of San Marcos said in a statement. "Nevertheless, we are excited about the prospect of hosting this esteemed event in our town. It will undoubtedly shine a spotlight on our beautiful community. We are dedicated to collaborating closely with the university to guarantee the flawless execution of this significant occasion."
TXST was founded in 1899 and serves as a national research university on the path to achieving Research 1 Carnegie classification by 2027. Approximately 39,000 students attend the university.