GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Debate Night in Michigan will bring the top two candidates for the state’s rare, open U.S. Senate seat to the News 8 studios Tuesday night for a live debate just 27 days before Election Day.

The one-hour televised debate between former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, a Republican, and U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, a Democrat, will begin at 7 p.m. and be seen around the state and across the country, thanks to simulcasts in seven Michigan television markets and Nexstar’s national cable news network NewsNation. The debate will be moderated by News 8 political reporter Rick Albin with viewer-submitted questions presented by News 8 anchor Amber Krycka. The goal: Give voters a clear, direct impression of each candidate’s platform.

“It’s extraordinarily serious,” Albin said of the nature of the debate Monday. “We just spent three hours in a meeting making sure we are asking the right questions in the right way. But more important than that is making sure it is equitable and fair and that both voices are heard during this hour.”

The race is among 34 Senate races nationwide and one of 14 contested seats currently held by a Democrat propping up a razor-thin, one-seat majority.

“Democrats want to keep it, Republicans want to flip it, so they are both putting a lot of money and a lot of effort into this race,” Albin added.

The live moderated debate is a time-tested tool to give voters a look at the candidates and their policies, plans and promises. But, too often, questions go unanswered.

“It really comes down to how you shape the question,” Albin said of motivating real answers. “Making sure you ask a question that is going to get to an answer. You try to avoid talking points. You try to ask a question in such a way that it requires a response that illuminates the subject matter, not just platitudes.”

A win for Rogers in the race would be a crucial victory for Republicans as they chase control in the Senate and would give Michigan split representation in the upper chamber for the first time since 2000. A win for Slotkin would sustain long-running Democratic control of the seat — U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, a Democrat, has held it for 24 years.