The first of four debates featuring nine candidates for thestate’s Third Congressional District seat begins tonight at 7o’clock at the Fine Arts Auditorium on the campus of SouthwestMississippi Community College in Summit.

James Broadwater, R-Flowood; Gregg Harper, R-Pearl; GregoryHatcher, R-Meridian; Billy Marcy, R-Meridian; Charlie Ross,R-Brandon; John Rounsaville, R-Madison; Randy Eads, D-Starkville;and Joel Gill, D-Pickens, will make their cases for the electiontonight at the event. The candidates are vying to succeed ThirdDistrict U.S. Rep. Chip Pickering, who is not seekingre-election.

The debate, sponsored by the John C. Stennis Institute ofGovernment and the Stennis-Montgomery Association of MississippiState University, will be moderated by Clarion-Ledger PerspectiveEditor Sid Salter.

Each candidate will be awarded a two-minute opening statement, atwo-minute closing statement and will have no more than two minutesto answer any proposed question. The debate will last for at leastone hour but will not exceed two hours.

Three mores debates will be held at the following locations:

* Monday, Feb. 18, at George Wynne Hall at Hinds CommunityCollege in Pearl.

* Wednesday, Feb. 20, at Khalmus Auditorium at MSU’s Meridiancampus.

* Monday, March 3, at Colvard Union Ballroom at MSU’s maincampus in Starkville.