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Senate candidates debate one last time

The budget, the deficit, health care -- and Harry Reid.

Those were the subjects of the final US Senate debate between Rep. Rick Berg (R) and Heidi Heitkamp (D). The 60-minute debate -- sponsored by the League of Women Voters and the Bismarck Tribune, and held at Bismarck's Horizon Middle School, featured some sharp exchanges between the two candidate.

The two candidates agree that the current federal budget deficit is unsustainable. But they have different ideas on how to close that gap. Berg said it will take a bi-partisan agreement to reduce the deficit.

"What we've done in the house, and what I've supported, is a one year extension on the exitsing tax structure," Berg said. "And then -- really do a comprehensive tax reform over the next year to lower the top corporate rate, as well as the individual rate, to 25 percent, and remove loopholes and things that, quite frankly, you need an attorney and an accountant to figure out how to get. We want to simplify the tax code."

Heitkamp said Congress needs to stop kicking the can down the road on the budget. She says she would never close loopholes, such as mortgage deductions, that she says help the middle class.

"The tax loophole I'd close is the one that allows you to ship jobs overseas, and get a tax benefit for doing that," said Heitkamp. "We need to create a tax amnesty program that brings that money back, with the condition that it be re-invested in American jobs."

Both Berg and Heitkamp say there's too much of a hyper-partsan atmosphere in Congress. But they affix blame differently. Berg says the health care reform bill – dubbed “Obamacare” – was rammed through by a Democratic Congress without Republicans.

"The most frustrating thing for me is when that passed, my opponent didn't stand up and say,  'Hey -- this needs to be bi-partisan,'" said Berg. "My opponent held rallies around the state saying, 'We've got to get this passed, and we have to see it in the rear-view mirror."

Heitkamp says neither she nor Berg were in Congress when the bill passed.

"One of us has been there since ten," said Heitkamp. "And one of us has a mantra, which is a partisan mantra of 'Repeal and Replace,' voting 33 time to repeal the act, never once introducing a bill that would replace." Heitkamp said she would work to keep the good parts of the measure, and get rid of the bad parts.

Several times during the debate, Berg brought up Heitkamp's support of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV).  Berg says Reid is a big reason why there is gridlock in Washington.

"We can't solve this budget problem, let alone balance it,  if we can't have the Senate Majority Leader, who my opponent has endorsed and committed to, even though he won't come to the table and work out a solution," said Berg.

But Heitkamp says she’s her own person – and not beholden to Reid.

"I'll tell you this -- I am not Harrty Reid," said Heitkamp. "I have a lot of respect for anyone who serves on either side of the aisle. But I am my own person. And I believe we can move the country forward, if we just sit down and solve the problem."

More than 200 people attended the debate.