The Anchorage Daily News reports that Mark Begich, the frontrunner in the race for the Democratic Senate nomination in Alaska, is pushing Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, to engage in a series of debates, including one before the Aug. 26 primary. Stevens, who has been in the Senate since 1968, has six primary opponents. Begich, the Anchorage mayor, has two. Stevens’ campaign said the senator isn’t going to discuss possible debates before each party knows which candidate it will field in November. Begich’s spokeswoman, meanwhile, said: “We’re anticipating the race for this seat is between Mark Begich and Ted Stevens.”

The Omaha World Herald reports that sharp differences on energy policy and global warming between the candidates vying to succeed Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel could define the Senate race in Nebraska. Democrat Scott Kleeb “believes the battle against global warming amounts to a ‘moral test’ for mankind, while Republican Mike Johanns believes Kleeb goes ‘way too far’ on the issue without regard to the economy and science.” “The gulf between them on these cornerstone issues, such as oil drilling in Alaska, could be one of the hottest topics on the U.S. Senate campaign trail,” the paper reports.