PORTLAND – Democratic challenger Chellie Pingree has offered to debate Sen. Susan Collins on a wide range of issues in the U.S. Senate race and the Republican insists she would like to oblige her. The problem is finding the time, according to Collins’ press secretary Megan Sowards.

Sowards said Collins has never missed a vote in Congress and that as long as the Senate remains in session, she intended to be there to vote on the issues. The Senate is scheduled to recess in early October but the debate on the situation in Iraq is expected to extend the session.

“Senator Collins is very eager to debate her opponent,” said Sowards. “We have received invitations for dozens of debates but the senator has never missed a vote and it is unclear when the Senate will adjourn.”

Pingree issued a challenge to Collins on Thursday asking that debates be held on specific issues. In addition, Pingree already has agreed to participate in a number of televised debates. However, Collins has been unable to fit a single debate into her schedule.

“I think it is doing the voters of Maine a great disservice if Susan Collins can’t find time in her schedule to come home and talk to the voters of Maine about the issues,” said Pingree communications director Deborah Barron.

While Barron would not go so far as to say that Collins was ducking Pingree, she said that other incumbent senators facing a challenge have agreed to debate their opponents. She said that 15 debates were scheduled in the Colorado senate race.

“Susan Collins may be the only senator in the country who has not agreed to debate,” she said. “I think she should join the rest of her colleagues in the U.S. Senate and come home and debate the issues.”

In her letter inviting Collins to debate the issues, Pingree stated that debate and dialogue were fundamental to the political process. She said she would welcome debates on any topic, but that a series of one-hour debates should be conducted on issues vital to Maine voters.

Pingree suggested that health care and prescription drugs; economic growth and jobs; corporate accountability; energy and environment; Social Security and retirement; and education might serve as central topics to debate.

“Six debates is the minimum number necessary to give voters around the state a chance to learn about both candidates’ positions and ask us real questions on the issues that matter to them,” said Pingree.

Sowards replied that Collins was not interested in single-issue debates. She said that a U.S. senator “deals with a whole host of issues” and that any debate ought to be wide-ranging. In any case, she said, it was unlikely that Collins could fit such a large number of debates into her schedule.