Video courtesy AZ PBS
PHOENIX - Former Democratic State Senator Kyrsten Sinema took on Republican rival, former Paradise Valley Mayor Vernon Parker, at a debate Thursday night in Phoenix.
Parker was criticized for dodging debates for weeks -- until now.
It was a short debate that stayed relatively civil throughout. Each candidate had the chance to lay out a basic platform -- attack their opponent briefly and of course, ask for votes leading up to Election Day.
Democrat Kyrsten Sinema, Republican Vernon Parker, and Libertarian Powell Gammill are three candidates vying for one seat. The debate over who would best represent District 9 took place without too many fireworks, but a congressional race is still a race.
"I put out a 12 point jobs plan," said Kyrsten Sinema.
"I have a 16 point jobs plan so maybe mine is 4 points better than Ms. Sinema's, I don't know," said Vernon Parker.
Issues from opposing campaign ads came to the forefront as well. And Libertarian candidate Powell Gammill, while sharing his ideas, actually encouraged everyone to stay home on Election Day.
"Once again you get to choose the lesser of two evils. choosing evil is still evil. Don't vote," said Gammill.
"The finger pointing has to stop, we must send someone to congress who will work for the American people and who will not be partisan," said Parker.
"Even in a really highly polarized, very charged climate I found that if you take the time to form relationships with other people even those different from yourself, you can break through and get things done," said Sinema.
Despite some pretty negative ads, bipartisanship was touted by both as a way to get things done in Washington.
Sinema said she wants more debates -- Parker said the same thing in passing, but then kind of laughed off any specifics, so we'll have to wait and see whether or not they'll get the chance to face off again before Election Day.
