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COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- Two senate candidates faced the hot seat at the Stargazers Theater in front of dozens of concerned citizens Tuesday.

The Coalition for a Prosperous America hosted a forum for the senate candidates.

Republican Ken Buck and Democrat Andrew Romanoff attended the event.

They spoke on several hot button issues such as jobs, economy and trade policies.

Sitting beneath slides showing the United States deficit and job loss over the last several years Buck and Romanoff were faced with a grim picture.

"I believe in competition and I know Americans can win a fair fight. But this fight isn't fair," said Romanoff.

The event was not a debate and the candidates were never on the stage at the same time.

Each candidate gave a short statement then took questions from voters.

Like most political forums this year the focus remained on jobs and the economy.

"We gotta reduce government spending and we gotta give incentives to the private sector to get jobs back on track. We're gonna do that with a smart energy policy and a smart tax policy," said Buck.

"We could put a lot more Americans back to work repairing roads and bridges and dams and water systems," said Romanoff.

Romanoff says he agrees with the bill the Senate passed Tuesday extending unemployment benefits.

"I do believe at this time, given the circumstances, we're in the worst recession since the great depression, it is appropriate to extend unemployment benefits," said Romanoff, followed by applause from the audience.

Buck, however, disagrees and says it's time for the government to stop spending money that they don't have.

"The key is I think to most Americans is that they're not spending, taking more dollars out of their wallets and sending it to the government. And it doesn't matter whether you call it an income tax or a sales tax or a property tax, a mill levy freeze a fee increase,” said Buck.

But both candidates do agree that it's time to bring jobs back to America.

"We're exporting opportunity and importing unemployment. That doesn't make any sense at all," said Romanoff.

Primary elections will take place August 10^th.

Senate candidates Jane Norton and Senator Michael Bennet did not attend the forum.