By Jim Boren on July 27, 2010 2:16 PM

Remember right after the June primary when Democrat Jerry Brown said he’d debate Republican Meg Whitman any time, any place? Whitman has agreed to a Fresno debate on Oct. 2 at Fresno State. But Brown’s gubernatorial campaign today would only say the debate is under consideration.

The Fresno debate will be sponsored by The Bee, Univision, the Fresno-Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the city of Fresno and Fresno State. (Full disclosure: I have attended many of the planning sessions for the debate as a representative of The Bee). This is the same group that sponsored the July 1 town hall in Fresno with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Brown’s reluctance to commit to the Fresno debate is curious given that he previously challenged Whitman to 10 debates around the state. Brown had informally told officials of the Fresno debate committee that he would appear.

This debate, which would be broadcast statewide by Univision’s California’s affiliates, would give the candidates a chance to appeal to Hispanic voters. Both campaigns have said they are targeting that group as part of their overall campaign strategy. The debate would be translated in Spanish for Univision viewers.

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