Roger Marshall and Adam Hamilton face off in fiery final Kansas Senate debate

Republican Sen. Roger Marshall and Democrat Adam Hamilton went head to head in a contentious debate Wednesday night as polls show a toss-up in ruby-red Kansas with less than two weeks until Election Day.

Marshall and Hamilton traded criticism and attacks over the Iran war, immigration enforcement, healthcare and tariff policy, as well as other controversies that have popped up during their unexpected battleground campaign.

Hamilton, a megachurch pastor and first-time candidate, presented himself as an “independent-minded Democrat.”

“I’m not somebody who favors the Socialist Party,” he said. “I’m somebody who stands in the middle. I’m going to try to work for all Kansans, Republicans, independents and Democrats.”

Marshall warned viewers not to buy it, repeatedly casting Hamilton as an ally of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. Marshall mentioned Schumer 17 times throughout the hourlong debate.

“My opponent’s going to say anything he can to lie to get into that office and give control to Chuck Schumer,” Marshall said, though Hamilton has promised he would not support Schumer for party leader if he is elected.

At the opening of the forum, both candidates faced questions about controversies weighing down their campaigns. Marshall pushed back on reports that he sued…

Original source: https://www.nbcnews.com/business