Republican 6th Congressional District candidates Paul DeMarco and Gary Palmer will square off head-to-head in a debate for the first time Thursday evening at 7 p.m. at Regions Field in downtown Birmingham.

At the event, which is free and open to the public, a panel of local opinion leaders will ask the Republican candidates “tough questions,” according to a press release by the Greater Birmingham Young Republicans, who are one of the sponsors for the event.

The panel will feature ABC 33/40’s weekend anchor Honora Gathings, conservative talk radio host Matt Murphy of WAPI, Yellowhammer News CEO Cliff Sims and Marshall Yates of the Greater Birmingham Young Republicans.

“The purpose of this program will be for the candidates to throw away their talking points and speak directly to the voters about issues that really matter,” said Yates. “The panel intends to ask the questions that interest Republican primary voters with the intention that voters can make the best-informed decision come the runoff vote on July 15.”

Sponsors of the event include Regions Bank, the Alabama Association for Justice, Gov. Robert Bentley, Yellowhammer News, Sen. Clay Scofield and conservative businessman Shaun McCutcheon. McCutcheon is well-known as the victor in the recent U.S. Supreme Court case McCutcheon v. FEC. Prior to the debate, a social hour will begin at 6 p.m. during which McCutcheon will be available to sign copies of his new book, “Outsider in the Supreme Court: A Decisive First Amendment Battle.”

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The debate will also be available on the radio through 1071 WAPI and via Internet-stream on Yellowhammer News.

WHAT: 6th Congressional District Runoff Debate
WHERE: Regions Field, 1401 1st Ave S, Birmingham, Ala.
WHEN: Thursday, June 19. Social hour begins at 6 p.m., debate begins at 7 p.m.
COST: Free to the public