COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- The two Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate squared off in Colorado Springs Friday night.
Sen. Michael Bennet and former state House Speaker Andrew Romanoff debated each other at Colorado College.
This is their second debate so far. The two are vying to face off against the Republican candidate in the fall.
Each candidate says they are the only one who can win in November. Friday night the voters turned out to hear each man's positions for themselves.
Supporters for each candidate turned out well before the start of the debate to drum up enthusiasm.
But this debate almost didn’t happen. Early Friday afternoon it looked like weather would keep both candidates in Denver.
"We were a little touch-and-go there for a while. Sen. Bennet was excited and ready to go so we pushed it through and here we are," said the communications director for Bennet’s campaign, Trevor Kincaid.
"By the time we got down here the weather was fairly reasonable," Romanoff said.
Each man says he is the best choice to represent Colorado in Washington.
"I believe I’ve got the best qualifications to represent a state I know better than any other candidate," Romanoff said.
“He is definitely the best chance for Democrats to go against the Republicans in November and I think that’s what Democrats need to be focused on,” Kincaid said.
But there is concern that an ugly primary battle could leave the winner in a weakened state as they enter the general election in November.
"I’ve been disappointed by the personal attacks that the opposition has engaged in their desperation," Romanoff said.
"It's going to be a great campaign as long as Michael continues to focus on solutions for Colorado which I know he's going to do, and we can rise above the political back-and-forth and negativism," Kincaid said.
The Democratic primary election is in August and that will determine who faces the Republican candidate in November.