The contest for the Democratic nomination in the state’s 2nd Congressional District got a little hotter on Friday.

Robert Eye, a Lawrence attorney, issued a recorded telephone message to voters, criticizing his opponent Tobias Schlingensiepen, a pastor from Topeka.

Eye, Schlingensiepen and Ottawa farmer Scott Barnhart are running in Tuesday’s primary for the Democratic nod to take on U.S. Rep. Lynn Jenkins, R-Topeka, who is seeking her third term.

Eye’s recorded message asks, “Who is my opponent, Tobias Schlingensiepen? For all we know, he is just another Lynn Jenkins.”

Eye continues, “When asked to debate, he said he was too busy.”

Eye added that voters don’t know where Schlingensiepen stands on the issues.

Schlingensiepen dismissed Eye’s effort as “a last-minute game of gotcha, and that’s what the voters are tired of. I’m preparing to fight a winning campaign against Lynn Jenkins.”

Schlingensiepen added, “The real facts are that we have vigorously debated numerous times. If you want to see one of the debates, all you have to do is go to the Lawrence Journal-World website.”

Schlingensiepen was referring to a Lawrence candidate forum that the three candidates participated in sponsored by the Voter Education Coalition and 6News. Video of the forum is posted on the Journal-World website.

Eye said forums where the candidates have appeared didn’t have interaction between the candidates.