LAS VEGAS (AP/KXNT) — Sen. Dean Heller and challenger Shelley Berkley kept it a little more low key in their second debate.

The contest between the Republican senator and the Democratic congresswoman has been bitter and personal. Each side has attacked the others’ ethics and outside groups are pouring millions into negative ads. The two held their second debate Thursday night. Heller proposed that they be “respectful” toward each other.

The exchange was less heated than their prior encounter. Still, the two candidates tussled over health care, immigration and Medicare. Berkley contended Heller wants to turn the entitlement program into a voucher system. The Senator said he’s only trying to save the entitlement.

During a discussion on energy policy, a storm cut off power in the studio for several minutes. Berkley defended herself against allegations of ethics wrongdoing over her votes on kidney care, saying she had disclosed her husband was a kidney doctor.
Heller dinged Berkley for supporting TARP and voting against her own bill to let a mine open in rural Nevada.

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