The Kittitas Democrats and The Stranger are holding a debate between the candidates hoping to fill Dave Reichert's seat in Washington's 8th District on Thursday. The debate will focus on issues most relevant to the east side of the mountain-straddling district, and it'll take place at the Hal Holmes Community Center in Ellensburg, WA. Can't make it to Ellensburg? Watch the livestream on Facebook, which we'll also broadcast on Slog.

The Kittitas Democrats invited all the top candidates running for Congress in the 8th, but—surprise!—only the Dems said they'd show up. According to Steve Verhey, chair of the Kittitas Democrats, Republican Dino Rossi ignored the invite and isn't expected to show. However, Sammamish pediatrician Kim Schrier, attorney Jason Rittereiser, and public health doctor Shannon Hader will be there to politely duke it out.

The three topics for discussion include rural health care, immigration, and strategies for winning the election. Each candidate will have five minutes to address each of the topics however they wish, and the other candidates can interrupt with a request for a point of information twice. The candidate with the floor must accept at least one of the two requests from each of the candidates.

Translation: unlike the hundreds of thousands of candidate forums you've likely not paid any attention to this year, this time the candidates will actually maybe challenge each other on certain claims and ideas, which will actually maybe help the audience to draw meaningful distinctions between them.

Rich Smith (THAT'S ME) will moderate the debate. I'll keep time, move conversations along, and otherwise intercede if I detect any shenanigans, stonewalling, or dodged answers.

Given that The Stranger endorsed Jason Rittereiser in this race, you may accuse me of having some bias as a moderator. That accusation would be understandable, but please allow me to assure you: as a journalist and writer my bias most heavily leans in favor of my readers, listeners, and viewers. Also, and more to the point, I maintain a generally antagonistic disposition and a healthy skepticism of everyone in this race and of all politicians in general all of the time. Except, of course, for Tom Cramer. (JK, that guy sucked.)

Anyhow, this should be a fun one. See you all in Ellensburg (or Facebook/Slog) tomorrow.