Debate times for the 2006 Iowa gubernatorial race have been set.

Last week, Republican candidate, Rep. Jim Nussle, R-Iowa, and Democrat Chet Culver, Iowa’s secretary of state, agreed to meet for three debates to take place in Des Moines, Davenport and Cedar Rapids.

The Nussle campaign had accepted invitations for as many as eight gubernatorial debates to be held across the state. Culver’s decision to accept just three of the invitations has prompted backlash from Republicans.

Donald McDowell, president of the ISU College Republicans and junior in political science, said more public discussion means candidates have to move beyond the talking points of their campaigns.

“The debates always bring up something new,” McDowell said. “The more debates there are the more we are going to get to know about the candidates.”

The locations have also been a source of contention. In a press release, the Nussle campaign said the locations in Des Moines, Davenport and Cedar Rapids “snub Western Iowa.”

In the release, Nussle’s running mate Bob Vander Plaats said he was disappointed none of the debates would take place near his home in western Iowa.

“The debate process is meant to benefit the public and should be designed to include as many Iowans as possible from across the state,” Vander Plaats said. “Iowans deserve to hear directly from the candidates running for governor about their vision for the state’s future.”

Taylor West, spokesperson for Culver, said his campaign was interested in including the entire state in the discussion.

“I think we are pushing for the [lieutenant governor] debates to be held in Ottumwa and Sioux City,” West said. “We want a debate to happen in each gubernatorial district.”

West said the campaign is happy with the three dates set because the debates, to be televised statewide, will offer a full, but not over-extended discussion of the issues.

“Three debates is a pretty standard number for a gubernatorial race,” West said. “It gives people a chance to tune in and see both candidates without swamping them.”

Sarah Sunderman, president of the ISU Democrats and junior in pre-business, said she would have preferred a wider geographic spread for the debates, but the three confrontations should provide ample forum for discussion.

“Three is a good number for the issues to come out without the candidates spending all their time debating,” Sunderman said. “They need to get out and talk to people.”