Candidates invited to debate in Missouri Monday night ( STL Feb. 2)

[SaintLouisBlues]

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- The Missouri Democratic Party has invited candidates to take part in a presidential debate next Monday night, the eve of the state's suddenly competitive White House primary, a top political aide to Rep. Dick Gephardt said Monday.

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David Robertson, a political scientist at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, said the debate could essentially be an introduction to Missouri for the candidates, who had mostly ignored the state before Gephardt's withdrawal.

"There is relatively little information about the candidates in this state other than what we are hearing from national news, and no advertising so far. This could allow Missourians to make a judgment, and it could be significant if it's on statewide television," Robertson said.

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