ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) - A U.S. Senate candidate in Virginia has filed a lawsuit asking a federal court to order the organizers of a debate to include him.

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Businessman Julien Modica of Reston says a judge should cancel the December debate that includes former Virginia governors George Allen and Tim Kaine if Modica isn't allowed to take part.

The debate is sponsored by the Virginia AP Managing Editors and the Virginia Capitol Correspondents Association. Several other Senate candidates have also failed to meet the organizers' criteria.

The federal lawsuit filed Tuesday names the correspondents group, The Associated Press and reporter Bob Lewis, the AP's statehouse reporter in Virginia, as defendants. The AP is not itself a sponsor of the debate.

Organizers declined to comment.