Today's debate between North Dakota senate hopefuls could be a deciding factor in the race. They've been neck and neck according to recent polls. And today, republican Rick Berg and democrat Heidi Heitkamp faced off. Each candidate had a lot to say during their half hour time slot on Prairie Public Television.
In the recent presidential debate, Mitt Romney had a clear win over President Obama. In this senate debate, it's tough to choose a clear winner. But it did give people a closer look at their personalities and what they stand for, rather than basing their opinion on political ads.
The toss of the coin and they were off. First up, political ads and debates.
Senate candidate, Heidi Heitkamp, says, "Unfortunately, a lot are not a lot of ads that any of us paid for, but we're stuck with them. Let's get the money out of politics and get back to having discussions like this."
But Berg changed the subject.
Representative Rick Berg says, "North Dakotans believe in meeting people one on one and talking about the issues. Really, the issues couldn't be more clear in this campaign. It's an issue of government solution or individual solution."
The main issue of the debate was what North Dakota thrives off of; farming. Berg says he's pushing leadership in the house and got a promise that the Farm Bill would be brought up by the end of the year, but Heitkamp says he's all talk.
Berg says, "This is personal to me. I'm doing everything I can and I will continue to do everything I can to get the Farm Bill fast."
Heitkamp says, "You didn't sign up for the ag committee you said you wouldn't support the farm bill."
And when it comes to healthcare, both say the other needs to do some fact checking.
Berg says, "First of all, you're incorrect with your numbers. Medicare does not go bankrupt in four years without Obamacare."
Heitkamp says, "It states clearly, if you repeal the healthcare law, the solvency date is four years."
Other topics from today's debate were medicare and the oil industry, including getting better infrastructure in western North Dakota. In a recent Mason-Dixon poll sponsored by Valley News Live, Berg and Heitkamp were tied with 47% of votes, each. The two have agreed to one more debate slated for October 25th.
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