WASHINGTON - Rep. Dan Lungren's campaign manager says the congressman will debate Democratic challenger Bill Durston before the Nov. 7 election.
"He is eager to do so," said Rachel Wanner.

Durston sent a third letter to the Gold River Republican on Monday demanding time to debate Lungren, who is seeking re-election to a second term representing the Sacramento suburbs. Lungren also served for a decade in the House before leaving in 1988 for a hiatus that included eight years as the state's attorney general.

In his letter, Durston complained that Lungren has scheduled three town hall meetings with constituents during the annual August break in the congressional schedule but none of them will involve debating him.

Wanner said the League of Women Voters has already scheduled a Lungren-Durston debate for Oct. 5 and that more events will be scheduled that month when sponsors are lined up.

"Rep. Lungren wants to give more than one organization a chance to sponsor them," Wanner said. "There will be more. We are gradually getting more invitations."

Durston is running an uphill battle against Lungren, who has outraised the Gold River physician by about a 10-1 ratio.

According to the latest reports the two campaigns filed with the Federal Election Commission, as of June 30 Lungren had raised about $750,000 to Durston's $73,348. Durston has contributed about $20,000 of his total from his own pocket.

Lungren had about $450,000 in the bank, and Durston had about $51,000.