A debate among the Illinois Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate, scheduled for today on campus, has been postponed after one candidate pulled out.

The debate, jointly sponsored by the Democratic Party of Evanston and Northwestern’s College Democrats, was officially postponed last week when representatives for State Comptroller Dan Hynes said the candidate could not participate.

Ilya Lipkind, external relations chairman for College Democrats, said her group and their Evanston counterpart are working to reschedule the debate, possibly for some time in late November.

Because Hynes is one of the front-runners for the Democratic nomination, Lipkind said, the organizing groups decided holding a debate without him present would not be worthwhile.

Democrats will choose their candidate for Senate during primary elections March 16. The candidates are vying to replace incumbent Sen. Peter Fitzgerald, R-Ill., who has said he will not seek a second term.

Hynes spokeswoman Chris Mather said her candidate pulled out of the debate because of scheduling reasons, not out of a lack of desire to participate.

She said Hynes would be in four counties today touting his plan to increase jobs in the state.

But candidate and talk show host Nancy Skinner said she thought Hynes’ decision to postpone the debate showed he was trying to hide behind television advertising, rather than participating in an open discussion of the issues.

“Debates and forums are great equalizers,” Skinner said. “There’s a rumor going around that (Hynes) is just a little bit chicken.”

Mather dismissed Skinner’s claim, noting that Hynes has participated in many events other candidates have skipped. She also pointed out that Hynes participated in a debate Oct. 4 that aired on the Illinois Channel, Illinois’ equivalent of C-SPAN.

“Dan Hynes was sitting three seats from her at that debate,” Mather said. “It’s just plain silliness to say Dan Hynes is afraid or chicken to debate.”