Mikulski, Keyes debate tonight

Maryland Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski, a Democrat, and her Republican challenger, Alan L. Keyes, will square off for an hourlong debate at 8:30 tonight on Maryland Public Television's channels.

The encounter is to begin immediately after the last presidential debate at Michigan State University in East Lansing.

The liberal Ms. Mikulski and the conservative Mr. Keyes clashed on Washington-area radio last week and disagreed sharply on a variety of issues.

Mr. Keyes has charged that Ms. Mikulski refuses to debate with him on a commercial television station in Baltimore because she wants to limit his audience as much as possible while still meeting her obligation to debate.

The format will be the same as the one used during the first presidential debate in St. Louis last week. Each candidate will make an opening statement, after which they will be asked questions by a panel of reporters.