SARANAC LAKE — A debate the Adirondack Daily Enterprise tried to organize between congressional candidates in this village will not take place.

The newspaper called off the event because incumbent U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik declined to participate. Tedra Cobb of Canton, the Democratic nominee, and Lynn Kahn, a Green Party candidate from Schroon Lake, agreed to participate in the Saranac Lake debate, but the Enterprise opted not to proceed with only them.

The Republican’s campaign spokesman, Lenny Alcivar, did not say why Stefanik would not take part. In response to that question, he sent a reply that criticized Cobb’s recent press conference and said Stefanik would stick to her previously announced schedule of three debates in television studios: Mountain Lake PBS in Plattsburgh Oct. 23, WWNY in Watertown Oct. 30 and Spectrum News in Albany on a date to be announced.

Alcivar also said Cobb has not committed to the Spectrum debate. Cobb’s campaign spokesman Brian Philips Jr. said she has committed to all three TV debates, on the condition that there is an audience of constituents, and is trying to get an audience for the other TV debates as well. Kahn has committed to all three TV debates, and Cobb and Kahn have also committed to a League of Women Voters forum Oct. 18, which Stefanik has not committed to.