Oregon Public Broadcasting

Candidates for Oregon’s 1st Congressional District special election sharpened their attacks Tuesday in a debate sponsored by the Oregonian and KGW.

Six minutes into the debate, the candidates were departing from panelists’ questions, to take digs each other.

April Baer / OPB

Republican Rob Cornilles scoffed at Democrat Suzanne Bonamici's call to keep talk of the prior Democratic officeholder out of the race.

"How convenient we need to put aside David Wu when my opponent supported him," Cornilles remarked.

Bonamici said Cornilles' quote “pants were on fire,” according to a Politifact article  in the Oregonian calling out one of his campaign ads.

"I’ll make you an offer: You stop misleading voters about me, and I'll stop telling the truth about you," Bonamici said.

The candidates did agree on a number of issues. 

Both said the region needs more robust funding streams for  infrastructure, and both said they oppose a pending bill that would give the Justice Department broad policing powers over internet websites.

The campaign wraps up January 31.

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