Murphy, McMahon meet in 3rd Conn. Senate debate

NEW LONDON, Conn. (WTNH) — Linda McMahon and Chris Murphy squared off again Monday night in front of a lively crowd in New London.

It was their third debate in the contentious race for a U.S. Senate seat.

There are 33 seats up for re-election in the Senate with the Democrats holding a slim majority. Each race counts, but not many are as close as this one, and the Murphy-McMahon contest is getting more and more tense every day.

The race is a dead heat and Monday night, Congressman Chris Murphy and businesswoman Linda McMahon faced each other on the stage at the Garde Arts Center in New London.

News 8 sponsored the debate, our anchor Darren Kramer moderated, while Chief Political Correspondent Mark Davis asked questions, along with New London Day editor Paul Shawnyeer.

The candidates got into it right away.

"We have to get our people back to work, we have to cut spending, we have to invest in our energy policies, we have to train our folks for jobs that are available," McMahon said.

"We create wealth by investing in our people, by making sure that we have enough money to fund great schools, by making sure that we have job training programs that work, to make sure that we're building infrastructures," Murphy said.

The economy and creating jobs was one of the big issues of the debate, each touched on their plan and the approach they would take to the tax rates for the wealthy. They also covered education, reproductive rights, foreign threats such as Iran and back here at home, the controversy over social security.

"Linda McMahon has said, not to all of you, not on tv, that she would support the sunsetting of social security," said Murphy.

"And you know very well you are not being honest about the quote because you didn't read the entire quote because I said that I would not do anything to reduce the benefits," McMahon said.

The auditorium was packed, each side brought out their supporters and the crowd, at times, was difficult and disrespectful.

The candidates didn't shy away from taking shots at each other either.

"Congressman Murphy has voted 98 percent of the time with his party so when he talks about reaching across the aisle and forming coalitions and caucuses to work with the other side, when it comes down to voting, he's voted with his party," McMahon said.

"Linda McMahon does know something about free trade because when she had a chance to keep her manufacturing jobs in this country, she decided instead to outsource them to China," Murphy said.

This was the third of four debates. The last one will be this Thursday in Hartford. Election day is November 6th.