Minnesota Gov. Walz agrees to 2 more debates with challenger

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz agreed Saturday to two additional debates against Scott Jensen, following complaints from the Republican challenger that Walz is ducking him.

The candidates will meet for an Oct. 18 debate sponsored by a group of television stations that includes KEYC in Mankato, KTTC in Rochester, KBJR in Duluth and KXJB in Fargo, North Dakota. Another debate is scheduled for Oct. 28 on Minnesota Public Radio.

Jensen called Walz’s announcement “a classic case of too little, too late” because early voting begins next week. Jensen, a former state senator, and Walz previously debated at Farmfest, a yearly agricultural expo near Redwood Falls.

The Walz campaign said that three debates is the same number of forums “that were held in the U.S. Senate elections won by Amy Klobuchar in 2018 and Tina Smith in both 2018 and 2020.”

Both debates will be streamed online, according to Walz’s campaign.