Oct 29, 2008 5:55 pm US/Eastern
1st District Congressional Race Heats Up
TOWSON, Md. (WJZ) ―
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The hotly contested first congressional district race gets hotter.
The hotly contested first congressional district race gets hotter. Both candidates speak out on what this race has cost.
Political reporter Pat Warren has more.
The back and forth of this congressional race shows how important this Maryland seat is to both major political parties.
Republican Andy Harris, Democrat Frank Kratovil and Libertarian Richard Davis met at the final debate of their campaign season. Harris' successful primary run unseated incumbent Wayne Gilchrest and left the first congressional seat up for grabs. Both parties want the seat and both parties are putting millions where their mouths are.
The ads are running full steam.
"Well, we're getting outspent about two to one," Harris said.
"I don't know what the answer is to the whole issue of money but having gone through this, I realize how much money you have to raise to compete," Kratovil said. "If I didn't have the money to counteract the ads run against me, I'd be getting killed."
The ads have set a tone that some call negative, but each candidate defends his approach.
"I think whenever anyone talks about ads that point out differences, they call that negative. That's contrasting the two candidates. That's what people need to make their decisions," Harris said.
But one Harris ad in particular has Kratovil seeing red, reportedly misquoting a Kratovil statement about the financial crisis.
"Oh, my gosh. Those allegations go back and forth," Harris said.
"In politics, statements can be made and then you have to spend thousands of dollars responding to it. My view is people are tired of it," Kratovil said.
The race may be too close to call, but it looks like the winner will get one of the most expensive congressional seats in the country.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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