LOS ANGELES (AP) - The Latest on the only debate between California’s U.S. Senate candidates Kamala Harris and Loretta Sanchez (all times local):
8 p.m.
Loretta Sanchez sold herself as the anti-establishment candidate in her closing statement at California’s only debate between its two U.S. Senate candidates.
The Democratic congresswoman from Orange County told voters Wednesday night “don’t listen to the establishment,” and said that she didn’t have the Democratic Party’s endorsement when she first won her House seat in 2002.
Sanchez pointed out her opposition to the Iraq War, the USA Patriot Act and the Wall Street bank bailout.
She also said she wishes there were more debates in the race.
Her opponent Attorney General Kamala Harris touted her liberal credentials, citing her ties to the United Farmworkers Union and to Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
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7:45 p.m.
Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez has let loose her harshest attack yet on her U.S. Senate debate opponent Kamala Harris over the issue of crime.
At about the halfway point of Wednesday night’s debate, Sanchez said Harris, the state’s attorney general, has failed to lead on the issue that is supposed to be her area of expertise.
Sanchez says Harris has failed to protect Californians as attorney general and as senator she would fail to lead and fail to protect America.
Sanchez’s comments came just as the debate was going to break, leaving Harris to ask the moderator, “no rebuttal?”
When told “no,” Harris drew a laugh with her one-word reply: “Darn!”
The exchange came after a question about Proposition 57, a November ballot measure that would give state corrections officials more discretion to determine when criminals are released. Sanchez was harshly critical of the initiative.
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7:30 p.m.
Attorney General Kamala Harris is criticizing her rival for California’s U.S. Senate seat over comments she made about Muslims and terrorism.
In December, Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez was sharply criticized after suggesting that as many as two in 10 Muslims would engage in terrorism to establish a strict Islamic state.
Sanchez, from Orange County, later issued a statement saying the estimate did not reflect her views on the Muslim community in America, and that most Muslims around the world are committed to peace.
In the candidate’s debate Wednesday, Harris referred to the statement and said such statements are “playing into the hands of ISIS.”
Sanchez says Harris’ comments were false, and accused her opponents of twisting her words.
Sanchez’s statements came on the show “PoliticKING with Larry King” about a week after the terrorist shootings in San Bernardino.
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7:15 p.m.
Loretta Sanchez used the early minutes in California’s U.S. Senate debate to attack rival Kamala Harris over the use of police body cameras.
Harris, the state’s attorney general, cited her push for transparency in law enforcement videos and data at the Wednesday night debate.
The Orange County congresswoman Sanchez responded by saying Harris was absent from a public discussion of body cameras and that Harris opposed a bill expanding use of the cameras in the legislature.
Harris replied by criticizing Sanchez’s attendance record in Congress, saying that in 2015 she had the third worst attendance at votes in the House.
Sanchez answered by saying her attendance record is better than Barbara Boxer’s was when she was moving from the House to the Senate.
Sanchez is trailing in polls and fundraising, and has a rare chance to gain ground on Harris in the debate.
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11:30 p.m.
California’s U.S. Senate candidates are meeting in a televised debate, in what could be a first-and-only look for many voters at Attorney General Kamala Harris and Rep. Loretta Sanchez.
The two Democrats who want to replace Sen. Barbara Boxer will clash for an hour Wednesday evening in Los Angeles.
It will place a rare spotlight to a low-key race that has been overshadowed by Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.
For the Orange County congresswoman, the matchup represents perhaps her best chance to slow front-runner Harris, who has never trailed in polling or fundraising.
The contest comes just a few days before mail-in ballots are distributed to millions of voters.
The race marks the first time in the modern era that a Republican will not appear on the November Senate ballot.
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