AUGUSTA — The candidates for U.S. Senate have agreed to four televised debates ahead of the Nov. 3 election, although the Democratic challenger is pushing for at least two of them to be town-hall style. 

On Thursday, Republican Sen. Susan Collins announced that she has accepted invitations for four debates, starting with one during the week following Labor Day.

Others — including some hosted by northern Maine stations — have yet to be scheduled.

“Senator Collins believes that Maine people deserve the chance to see both candidates answer the same questions, in the same room, more than once, and as soon as possible,” Shawn Roderick, her spokesman said. 

In response, campaign staff for Democrat Troy Jackson pointed to their press release, also sent Thursday, that called on Collins to participate in four televised debates, including two town hall-style formats.

In addition, Jackson invited Collins to join him at three public town halls he has scheduled for next week, calling her out for not hosting town halls for more than 20 years.

“If she wants to debate, great — I’m looking forward to it,” Jackson said in a statement. “But Mainers deserve more than politicians talking past each other in a television studio. They deserve the chance to look us both in the eye, ask us the questions that matter to their families, and hear our answers directly.”

Regardless of the format, the debates are likely to be must-see TV for voters who will make a big decision this fall about who represents them in the U.S. Senate. 

The race has national implications, with Republicans hoping to hold their majority and Democrats pushing to retake control.

Jackson, a former Senate president and logger from Allagash, has had just over a month to launch a campaign to challenge Collins, a five-term senator.