Cox Communications will offer a different take on state politics Tuesday by combining the immediacy and authority of the Internet with the personal connection of television. Cox is inviting Arizonans to watch two prominent political bloggers debate the state budget, and to offer their own thoughts at the same time.

The blogger forum/public chat is an outgrowth of InnovateAZ, a year-old page on Facebook that’s intended to let anyone discuss the future of government policies affecting the Internet and related technologies  in Arizona, in Washington, and around the world. Of course, Cox has a strong interest in the topic as a leading provider of Internet access here in the Valley. (Full disclosure: I use Cox as my home Internet-cable provider).

Greg Ensell, Cox’s manager of government relations and public affairs, said his company wanted to harness some of the energy that emerges during discussions at InnovateAZ and invest it in other community issues.

So Cox will experiment with livestreaming a blogger forum on the Web.

The forum itself should be lively, as it will feature two of the Valley’s most active political bloggers: liberal Donna Gratehouse from The Democratic Diva and Shane Wikfors of the Sonoran Alliance (a conservative/Republican site).

Today, Cox is inviting people to record on video a question for Gratehouse and Wikfors (and post it at the Facebook page), or to submit a written question. The 30-minute forum will be taped during the day Tuesday.

Then, at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Cox will replay the forum here. Next to the replay screen will be a chat board where viewers can react to what they are watching. Ensell said Cox also was seeking to arrange for Gratehouse and/or Wikfors to join the chat live. Maybe they will toss in some of the arguments they didn’t get to make earlier in the day.

For the political junkies among us who make “Horizon” and “Sunday Square off” two of the better watched local news shows, this is a chance to join directly in the debate instead of just screaming at your television screen.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this post incorrectly said the blogger forum would be broadcast on cable television. The forum will be webcast only.