Bunning is suggesting a midafternoon debate on Columbus Day with no audience present and an agreement that neither candidate will use footage of the exchange in campaign commercials.

The proposal marks the first time the incumbent Republican has broached the idea of a joint appearance with the Democrat.

Bunning, in a letter sent Friday to the Mongiardo campaign, said a debate could be held Oct. 11 in Lexington.

"We have said all along that we'd take up the debate issue closer to the election, and we have proposed a debate agreement to our opponent," Bunning campaign manager David Young said. "For now, we'll just wait to hear back from the other side."

Mongiardo, a state senator from Hazard, has been seeking public debates for much of the campaign, recently asking for seven public meetings.

Mongiardo's campaign manager, Kim Geveden, dismissed Bunning's offer, saying it would be held at a time when too many people would be unable to see it.

"This is not a real debate," Geveden said.

Geveden said the campaign will speak with Bunning's campaign about developing a debate format and schedule.

Included in Bunning's proposal is a set of restrictive ground rules, including limiting the debate to an hour, the selection of WKYT-TV anchor Bill Bryant as the moderator and rules for each candidate to hold a 15-minute news conference after the debate.

The proposed debate would be held at 2:30 p.m. in the studio of WKYT-TV.