Gubernatorial candidates Rob McKenna and Jay Inslee debate tomorrow evening in Yakima.

The debate is being co-sponsored by the Hispanic Chambers of Commerce, and is happening during their convention. The other co-sponsor is KCTS-TV, the public television station in Seattle.

It will be carried live in Spokane on KSPS-TV, channel 7.

This debate may seem like an appetizer for the first presidential debate on Wednesday evening. The next gubernatorial debate, however, may be more of a dessert -- it will take place right after the Oct. 11 presidential debate.

That Seattle debate is being described as unprecedented because it will be simulcast on all four Seattle broacast stations -- KING, KIRO, KOMO and KCPQ -- as well as Northwest Cable News and other stations across the state.

It may also have an unprecedented number of Seattle news-types, a total of four reporters or anchors, on the stage with the candidates along with the moderator, Glenn Johnson of Washington State University's School of Journalism.

"This is a rare moment for competitors to set aside rivalries and work together as colleagues," Mark Ginther, executive news director of KING and NWCN, said.

That, plus the rest of network programming on Oct. 11 is shot, anyway, because of the presidential debate that will happen during the previous 90 minutes. So it was either this or reruns of "Jeopardy" and sitcoms.

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