Stabenow agrees to debate Hoekstra twice

U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow says she will participate in two debates with Republican U.S. Senate candidate Pete Hoekstra.

Stabenow made the announcement this afternoon. Hoekstra has been calling for six debates with the two-term Democrat from Lansing.

Details have not been finalized, but the Associated Press reports Stabenow has accepted debate invitations from the Detroit Economic Club and Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids.

Calling for a debate, MLive reports Hoekstra released a statement that said,

"It is finally time for Sen. Stabenow to answer for her record in public."

A spokesman for the senator told MLive that her office looks forward to meeting with her challenger to select a date for the debate.

However, according to the AP, Hoekstra has not agreed to Stabenow's proposed one-hour debates. Campaign spokesman Greg VanWoerkom says in a statement Stabenow is "hiding from the public" and her political record.

Stabenow has four times the available campaign cash as Hoekstra.

- Elaine Ezekiel, Michigan Radio Newsroom