SACRAMENTO – Sen. Barbara Boxer is leading her rival, Republican Bill Jones, in the polls. She has better name identification. And she has a huge lead in fund raising.

Normally, an incumbent with advantages such as those would find excuses to duck debates.

It's almost a rule in politics that a candidate with a big lead should avoid giving a struggling rival any extra publicity.

Boxer is breaking that rule.

Her campaign sent Jones a letter yesterday challenging him to debates, saying she believes they "will be a good opportunity for Californians to understand the clear choice they have in this election."

"Senator Boxer's eager to discuss the differences between her views on issues and Bill Jones' views," said Boxer campaign manager Rose Kapolczynski.

Jones welcomed the offer, said his press secretary, Valerie Walston.

"We are more than happy to debate with her," Walston said. "There are certainly a lot of differences."

In her general election campaign kickoff this month, Boxer traveled the state criticizing Jones for his stance against abortion rights and gun control, and his votes in the Legislature against a ban on offshore oil drilling.

Jones, a Fresno farmer who served two terms as California secretary of state, fought back by saying that Boxer didn't support a strong defense, opposed President Bush's tax cuts and didn't bring home federal resources to California.

GOP political analyst Allan Hoffenblum said he was puzzled by the offer.

"I see no reason why she would want to do it," Hoffenblum said.

Boxer, who is seeking a third term in the Senate, held two debates with her challenger in 1998, former state Treasurer Matt Fong.

Boxer's representative, Kapolczynski, said that it took two months to arrange those debates because of Boxer's busy schedule in the Senate. That is the reason she wanted to start working out debate details now.

"She either sees some advantage or she's underestimating Bill Jones," Hoffenblum said.

In any case, Hoffenblum said, it would be a golden opportunity for Jones, who is trailing Boxer by 10 points, according to the latest nonpartisan Field Poll.

"If I were Jones, I'd jump on it. He needs all the free publicity he can get," he said.