Blackburn, Bredesen spar in final debate

: Category: Gun Rights News Archives; Created: 11 October 2018; Hits: 546

Democratic candidate and former Gov. Phil Bredesen and Republican U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn shake hands after the 2018 Tennessee U.S. Senate Debate at The University of Tennessee Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018, in in Knoxville, Tenn.

Republican U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn speaks during the 2018 Tennessee U.S. Senate Debate at The University of Tennessee Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018, in in Knoxville, Tenn.

Gov. Phil Bredesen responds to questions from the media after a U.S. Senate debate between Bredesen and Congressman Marsha Blackburn at the University of Tennessee’s Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018. The Senate seat is being vacated by retiring Sen. Bob Corker.

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Congressman Marsha Blackburn responds to questions from the media after a U.S. Senate debate between Gov. Phil Bredesen and Blackburn at the University of Tennessee’s Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018. The Senate seat is being vacated by retiring Sen. Bob Corker.

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Gov. Phil Bredesen and Congressman Marsha Blackburn supporters stand on Cumberland Avenue before a U.S. Senate debate between the two at the University of Tennessee's Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018. The Senate seat is being vacated by retiring Sen. Bob Corker.

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Democratic candidate and former Gov. Phil Bredesen and Republican U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn wait with the moderators for the start of the Tennessee U.S. Senate debate at the University of Tennessee, Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018, in in Knoxville, Tenn.

Democratic candidate and former Gov. Phil Bredesen speaks during the 2018 Tennessee U.S. Senate Debate at The University of Tennessee Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018, in in Knoxville, Tenn.

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Gov. Phil Bredesen supporters show their support before a U.S. Senate debate between Bredesen and Congressman Marsha Blackburn at the University of Tennessee's Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018. The Senate seat is being vacated by retiring Sen. Bob Corker.

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Democratic candidate and former Gov. Phil Bredesen, left, and Republican U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn wait for the start of the Tennessee U.S. Senate debate at The University of Tennessee, Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018, in Knoxville, Tenn.

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Republican U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn speaks during the 2018 Tennessee U.S. Senate Debate at The University of Tennessee Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018, in Knoxville, Tenn.

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Congressman Marsha Blackburn supporters take to Cumberland Avenue before a U.S. Senate debate between Gov. Phil Bredesen and Blackburn at the University of Tennessee's Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018. The Senate seat is being vacated by retiring Sen. Bob Corker.

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Democratic candidate and former Gov. Phil Bredesen, left, speaks during the 2018 Tennessee U.S. Senate Debate with Republican U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn at The University of Tennessee Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018, in Knoxville, Tenn.

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At center Michael Hensley, a Congressman Marsha Blackburn supporter, walks towards Cumberland Avenue before a U.S. Senate debate between Gov. Phil Bredesen and Blackburn at the University of Tennessee's Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018. The Senate seat is being vacated by retiring Sen. Bob Corker.

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Republican U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, right, speaks during the 2018 Tennessee U.S. Senate Debate with Democratic candidate and former Gov. Phil Bredesen at The University of Tennessee Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018, in in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, Pool)

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Republican U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, right, speaks during the 2018 Tennessee U.S. Senate Debate with Democratic candidate and former Gov. Phil Bredesen at The University of Tennessee Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018, in Knoxville, Tenn.(Photo: AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, Pool)

For the second time in three weeks, Republican Marsha Blackburn and Democrat Phil Bredesen traded barbs Wednesday at a U.S. Senate debate.

From start to finish, the nominees exchanged blows during the hour-long debate — which took place inside the Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville — over everything from the Second Amendment and health care to sexual harassment and Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

The stakes for Wednesday's debate were high: The race has repeatedly shown tight polling as national interests have descended into the state. Early voting starts next Wednesday.

Democrats are hoping to flip the seat currently held by Republican U.S. Sen. Bob Corker in an effort to retake the majority in the upper chamber. The GOP has a 51-49 advantage in the Senate and Tennessee is seen as one of a handful of battleground states.

Bredesen and Blackburn tussled from the first question, which centered on whether they believed the sexual assault allegations against Kavanaugh were unfounded.

Although both candidates briefly talked about the new justice, the debate quickly turned combative.

Bredesen, who answered the question first, said he hoped the debate would be

Blackburn, Bredesen spar in final debate

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