Michelle Bachmann Agrees to Three Debates with Challenger Jim Graves

Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann's campaign has announced it has agreed to three debates with Democratic challenger Jim Graves, all set to take place in the final 10 days of the campaign. 

Related story: Graves campaign moves to the top level of the DCCC's "Red to Blue" list.

The debates are set for Oct. 30, Nov. 1 and Nov. 4. The Oct. 30 debate is set for 12:30 p.m. will be held at the River's Edge Convention Center in St. Cloud. It is open to the public.

The Nov. 1 event will be in the studios of Minnesota Public Radio in St. Paul and air from 11 to noon across MPR's statewide networks.

Tthe final debate will be televised in the studios of KSTP Channel 5 television and air from 10 to 10:30 a.m. during the "At Issue" program.

The schedule is an exact copy of the terms Bachmann negotiated with 2010 challenger Terryl Clark, in terms of the number of debates and the small window between those debates and the election.

"I'm really looking forward to [debating] Jim," Bachmann told St. Michael Patch earlier this year. "I think one of the most exciting parts of my run from president was the opportunity to debate more than a dozen times and talk about the issues in front of people. I felt I did really well in those debates, and I can't wait to get out in front of the people and talk about the issues again."

The Graves campaign has argued to local media the three-debate schedule, crammed into just several days before the Nov. 6 election, is not enough.

Graves' campaign manager, son Adam Graves, told the St. Cloud Times the Sixth District's voting public deserves more.  

“It frustrates me that Bachmann was willing to give 15 debates during her presidential campaign. But she thinks her constituents, who pay her salary, aren’t worthy of the same attention,” Graves told the Times. 

St. Michael Patch will be working with various media entities to bring coverage of these debates to residents of St. Michael, Albertville and Otsego, and beyond.