The Republican Party of Virginia has worked out most of the details for the first of three U.S. Senate primary debates set for Saturday in Roanoke.
Jay Warren, nightly news anchor and senior political reporter for NBC affiliate WSLS in southwest Virginia, will moderate the debate. Serving as panelists are Dave Suetterlein, chairman of the Roanoke County Republican Party; Miki Miller, president of the Virginia Federation of Republican Women; and Michael Cogar, chairman of the College Republican Federation of Virginia.
The debate is scheduled for 3 p.m. at the Sheraton Roanoke Hotel and Conference Center. All four U.S. Senate candidates — former Gov. George Allen, pastor E.W. Jackson, Del. Bob Marshall of Manassas, and Tea Party leader Jamie Radtke — have confirmed they will attend.
Debates are also scheduled for May 11 in Virginia Beach and May 25 in Falls Church. The Republican primary is June 12, with the winner moving on to face Democrat Tim Kaine, who has no primary opponent, in the November election.
Under the rules, candidates will each get two minutes for opening and closing statements and 90 seconds to answer a question. Visual aids are not allowed.
