1:36 p.m., Oct. 7, 2010----The inaugural Delaware Debates opened Wednesday evening in Mitchell Hall on the University of Delaware campus in Newark, providing a face-to-face meeting between the state's major party candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives -- Republican Glen Urquhart and Democrat John Carney.

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Delaware Debates will continue at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 13, also in Mitchell Hall, with Republican Christine O'Donnell and Democrat Chris Coons, who are vying for a U.S. Senate seat. For information on ticketing, see the UDaily article.

The Oct. 13 Senate debate will be televised by CNN.

The Congressional debate was attended by more than 500 people and was, said Ralph Begleiter, director of the University of Delaware Center for Political Communication, a “historic moment.”

Begleiter said the 90-minute debate, co-sponsored by the Center for Political Communication and Delaware First Media, provided an opportunity for the candidates to speak directly to the public.

In addition to those on hand, the debate was viewed through streaming video online and via C-SPAN.

Nancy Karibjanian of Delaware First Media moderated the session, as the candidates discussed their views on jobs, government deregulation, the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), health care, taxes, Social Security and national security and terrorism.

Questions also were posed by UD students, covering education, the job market, Medicare, wind power and alternative energy, the military's “don't ask, don't tell policy,” and dependence on foreign oil.

Photos by Evan Krape and Kevin Quinlan