Thursday, 4:30 PM
Kennedy agrees to debate GOP challenger
By Andrew Ryan, Globe Correspondent
Senator Edward M. Kennedy, the 44-year incumbent Democrat, has agreed to participate in his first campaign debate since 1994.
Kennedy will face off with Kenneth B. Chase, his Republican challenger, for 30 minutes on a New England Cable News forum hosted by Chet Curtis at a time and date that have yet to be announced.
"Because of (NECN's) wide reach and Chet Curtis' breadth of experience, Senator Kennedy has accepted the invitation and looks forward to discussing the important issues facing the people of Massachusetts," the Senator’s campaigns said in a written statement.
Kennedy's last debate was in 1994 when he faced off with Mitt Romney, who was challenging him in that year's Senate race.
Chase, who narrowly defeated Kevin Scott in the GOP primary, said he will "accept any an all debate offers" and will appear with Kennedy on NECN. The Belmont resident has proposed 11 hour-long debates with Kennedy – 60 minutes for every four years the senator has been in office.
"I can't imagine that the senator would be afraid of a little old Republican like me," Chase said. The Belmont resident also ran for office in 2004, when he lost to US Representative Edward J. Markey of Malden by more than 50 percentage points.
