The four Democrats wanting their party’s nomination for governor will meet next month in Tampa in their first debate in the race.

Orlando businessman Chris King confirmed the debate today in a news release emailed to the media by his campaign’s spokesman Avery Jaffe.

“Our campaign has already accepted a televised debate invitation from WTVT-TV in Tampa and we hope the other candidates will join Chris at their studios,” Jaffe said.

Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum’s campaign followed-up with a challenge to the Democratic candidates to hold a series of debates to allow the public a chance to get to know them better.

“Last October, we challenged our fellow Democratic campaigns to at least six debates in red and blue counties across our state,” said Gillum’s communications director, Geoff Burgan. “We are now less than six months from primary election day, but unfortunately we’ve been met with silence. As the policy differences between the candidates have become clear recently, we know it’s time to take this discussion directly to voters.”

Spokesmen for both former-Congresswoman Gwen Graham and Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine, the other two candidates in the race, confirmed both candidates plan to attend the debate in Tampa on April 18.

Details of the Tampa debate have not been released, but it will be held in the television studios of WTVT, the local Fox affiliate.