The three Republican candidates for the U.S. Senate will meet for their first debate of 2016 on January 16 in Howard County.

Local GOP Chairman Craig Dunn announced today that Eric Holcomb, Marlin Stutzman and Todd Young will debate at a candidate forum on   Saturday, January 16, 2016, at 9:00 A.M., at the Pastariffic Restaurant, 3001 S. Webster St., in Kokomo.

Indy Politics Editor and political commentator Abdul-Hakim Shabazz will moderate.

The debates will be held in conjunction with the annual Howard County Republican Century Club annual breakfast event.  The debates are open to the public.  Cost of breakfast is $30.  Coffee will be served at 8:00 A.M. with breakfast and the debates to follow.

Questions will be submitted in writing by those attending the event.  Shabazz will organize the questions and moderate rebuttal time.  Each candidate will be allowed both an opening and closing statement.

Chairman Dunn noted that the debate will follow the successful format used for the Fifth District Congressional debates conducted in Howard County in 2012.  “We look forward to this first opportunity to visit with all three candidates face-to-face and begin the process of determining who will best represent Indiana Republicans in the 2016 U. S. Senate election and afterwards as our Indiana Senator.  The United States is faced with many challenges in the coming years and I feel confident that one of these three excellent candidates will play a key role in meeting those challenges.”