WLWT and Miami University co-present Ohio U.S. Senate debate Oct. 26

Sen. Sherrod Brown and Rep. Jim Renacci are candidates for Ohio U.S. Senate

Hall Auditorium on Miami University’s Oxford campus is the location for a special, one-hour Ohio U.S. Senate debate between U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown and U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 26.

Tickets to the event are free and will be available to the public. This is the third and final debate between the candidates and the only one in southwest Ohio.

WLWT Ch. 5 will broadcast the debate without commercials as part of its ongoing Commitment 2018 coverage. The live broadcast will also be streamed on WLWT.com and the WLWT app.

The debate is a collaboration between WLWT and Miami University. WLWT News 5 anchor Sheree Paolello will serve as moderator, with Courtis Fuller and Ashley Kirklen, both WLWT News 5 anchors/reporters, and John Forren, Miami chair and professor of justice and community studies, serving as panelists.

Brown is a two-term Democratic U.S. senator. Renacci, a Republican, is in his fourth term representing the 16th District of Ohio.

The candidates are expected to cover numerous issues of concern to voters.

Tickets will be available to the Miami University community Monday, Oct. 22, and to the public at large Wednesday, Oct. 24. Two tickets per person may be requested by calling Miami’s box office at 513-529-3200 or visiting it at 34 Campus Avenue Building. Oxford-area attendees are encouraged to pick up tickets ahead of time at the box office.

Large bags, signs, campaign materials, noisemakers, water bottles and video recording are not permitted.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and close promptly at 6:30 p.m. to prepare for the live broadcast; no exceptions. Ticketholders should anticipate a security screen and plan accordingly.

Seats not filled at 6:30 p.m. will be forfeited. No one will be allowed in the auditorium after 6:30 p.m. No re-entry after 6:30 p.m. 

An original Public Ivy, Miami University, founded in 1809, ranks No. 3 among U.S. universities for commitment to teaching undergraduates. More than 97 percent of 2016-2017 Miami graduates (per surveys and data) were employed or re-enrolled by fall 2017.

WLWT was the first TV station in Cincinnati in 1948 and the first NBC affiliate in the country.