NORTHERN MINNESOTA — As election season approaches across Minnesota, Lakeland PBS is proud to announce the schedule for its flagship public affairs series Debate Night 2026.
Continuing a 25-year station tradition, the annual series provides voters across Northern and central Minnesota with direct, unedited and nonpartisan access to local broadcast debates featuring state legislative candidates.
Broadcast live from Lakeland PBS’s Bemidji and Brainerd studios, Debate Night 2026 offers a vital, unscripted platform where candidates address key regional issues facing local communities.
To ensure a thorough, well-rounded discussion, Lakeland PBS is once again partnering with trusted local media organizations. Panelists for this year’s debates will feature journalists and representatives from the Bemidji Pioneer, Brainerd Dispatch, Park Rapids Enterprise and KAXE.
"We have been producing Debate Night since 2000, and it is a production we are proud to offer to our region every election cycle," said Jeff Hanks, CEO of Lakeland PBS. "It is such an important resource for community members to hear directly in an unedited, authentic forum. We know how much our local viewers value having an accessible, reliable way to learn more about the issues shaping our region before casting their votes."
Debate Night 2026 broadcast schedule
All debates air live on Lakeland Prime at the following dates and times.
Monday, Oct. 5
- 7 p.m. — House District 2A: Representative Bidal Duran (R) vs. Reed Olson (DFL)
- 8 p.m. — House District 2B: Representative Matt Bliss (R) vs. Emily Thabes (DFL)
- 9 p.m. — Senate District 2: Senator Steve Green (R) vs. Dan R. Rogers (DFL) vs. Calvin Larson Jr. (UNI)
Tuesday, Oct. 6
- 7 p.m. — House District 5A: Representative Krista Knudsen (R) vs. Dan Mitchell (DFL)
- 8 p.m. — House District 7A: Representative Spencer Igo (R) vs. Erin McCabe Ningen (DFL)
- 9 p.m. — Senate District 5: Representative Mike Wiener (R) vs. Skylar Fynboh (DFL)
Thursday, Oct. 8
- 7 p.m. — House District 5B: Maggie Evers (DFL) vs. Jonathan Claussen (R)
- 8 p.m. — House District 6A: Representative Ben Davis (R) vs. Samuel Grigsby (DFL)
Friday, Oct. 9
- 7 p.m. — House District 6B: Representative Josh Heintzeman (R) vs. Nicky Hardy (DFL)
Community participation and how to watch
Community involvement remains at the heart of Debate Night. Viewers are invited to submit questions directly to the debate panel in written or video format. Question submissions remain open through Oct. 1 and can be submitted online via Lakeland PBS Debate Night.
- Watch Live: Viewers can tune in to the Lakeland Prime channel or watch the live online stream over the air and on local cable providers.
- Stream On-Demand: Every debate special will be available to watch on demand within 24 hours of airing via the free PBS App, on Lakeland PBS Debate Night, and on the official Lakeland PBS YouTube channel.
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