CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- One candidate for the unexpired U.S. Senate term is calling out Gov. Joe Manchin to debate the other candidates prior to the special primary election on Saturday.

"He has avoided every opportunity to explain his positions and defend his record," Republican candidate Harry Bruner Jr. said, shortly after hand-delivering letters to the governor's office and Governor's Mansion on Monday afternoon.

Bruner, a Charleston lawyer, said he is calling for a Lincoln-Douglas style debate at either the front porch of the Governor's Mansion or in the mansion's party tent.

In his letter, Bruner states to Manchin, "You have earned the moniker of "No-show Joe" by your refusal to attend any of these candidate forums. The last straw was Thursday ... where your 13 opponents faced the media for over two hours in Charles Town."

By contrast, Bruner said, Manchin's top challenger in the Democratic primary, Ken Hechler, has attended every candidate forum and event around the state -- including several sponsored by local chapters of the conservative Tea Party.

"Mr. Hechler, at 95, has showed up at both Democratic and Republican forums," Bruner said.

Afterward, Hechler said he concurs in Bruner's call for Manchin to debate.

"I truly demand the same thing, although I don't think the prospects are very good," Hechler said.

Hechler said he's surprised that Manchin has done virtually no campaigning for the special primary to date, beyond issuing some prerecorded phone messages that began airing this week.

"I'm amazed he's been so quiet," Hechler said.

He said Manchin probably assumes he's a shoo-in for the special primary election, but could discover he's been overconfident.

"I think I'm going to surprise everybody," Hechler said Monday.

He said his campaign, which centers on a call to ban mountaintop removal mining, has resonated with voters, young and old, around the state.

"One of the most ridiculous statements the governor has made is that he's looking for a balance between the coal industry and environmentalists," Hechler said. "But when he looks for balance, he puts his foot on the scales against the environmentalists."

Manchin campaign spokeswoman Sara Payne Scarbro said she had not seen Bruner's letter requesting the debate as of late Monday. She noted the letters were delivered to the Capitol offices, and not to the campaign headquarters in Kanawha City.

Scarbro suggested, however, it could be difficult to schedule a debate this week.

"This week is pretty full with events and everything," she said. "I would need to look at the request, and get back with that gentleman."

Meanwhile, Hechler said that while he and Bruner may differ on many issues, he agrees 100 percent with Bruner when it comes to congressional salaries.

If elected, Bruner has said he will accept only $37,000 of the $174,000 salary, an amount equal to the average income in West Virginia.

"Serving in Congress is an honor. It ought to be like serving in the Peace Corps," Hechler said. "No congressman should be paid $174,000 a year when his constituents are having to live modestly."

Reach Phil Kabler at ph...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1220.