Booker, Lonegan tangle in first debate of campaign for U.S. Senate seat

The candidates in the special election for a U.S. Senate seat from New Jersey traded barbs in their first debate which will air Sunday morning on TV stations WPVI and WABC.

During the one-hour faceoff recorded today in Trenton, Democrat Cory Booker and Republican Steve Lonegan accused each other of having extremist views.

Booker portrayed Lonegan as being part of a tea party fringe that’s hijacking the government to get what they want while opposing Obamacare.

“This person does not believe in any kind of government health care whatsoever. If you’re a senior and you’re getting Medicaid, Medicare, he doesn’t believe it in.”

Lonegan says Booker is a far-left liberal and claimed unemployment increased while Booker spent a lot of time out of state earning money on speaking tours .

“The only example of economic growth I can find in Newark is the growth of Cory Booker’s bank account.”

The candidates disagreed on a variety of issues including gun control, taxation, education, and whether the courts or the legislature should be making the decision on gay marriage.