VP debate not the only heated showdown
While millions of Americans watched last night's face-off between Vice President Joe Biden and Paul Ryan, a handful of congressional candidates were also making their cases on the debate stage. And even if they weren't nationally televised, a couple of the match-ups were equally heated - or more so: In California, two Democratic challengers nearly came to physical blows. Here are some of the night's notable non-VP debate moments.
California Democrats narrowly avoid brawl
In a matchup between two California Democrats, things got heated to the point that the presiding Sheriff was compelled to intervene. Howard Berman and Brad Sherman, two incumbent lawmakers who are running against each other as a result of redistricting in the state and California's new open primary system, have been engaged in a brutal campaign for months. But in last night's debate, at a community college in San Fernando Valley, the two nearly got in a physical altercation after Berman suggested his opponent might be "delusional." Sherman stood up to dispute Berman's assertions, and Berman stepped over to meet him - at which point Sherman forcibly put his arm around Berman.
"Do you want to get into this?" Sherman asked his rival, as a moderator frantically attempted to pull the two apart. Sherman stepped away moments before a law enforcement official approached, at which point the moderator pleaded that the two attempt to "get through a few more questions."
According to Roll Call's Kyle Trygstad, the tension arose after Sherman accused Berman of lying about his legislative record.
"That is why, see, Brad ... he lies," Berman said. "He knows that I was House author of the DREAM Act, and he says, 'He's not the House author of the DREAM Act.' He knows I was, it was my bill that passed the House. Why does he say that? ... In the end, you can't fool all the people all the time."
It was while he argued this point that Sherman stood up.
After the debate, the Berman campaign was swift to seize on the incident as evidence that Sherman is unfit for office.
"At a debate in front of local college students Congressman Brad Sherman loses his mind and acts like a bully," said Brandon Hall, a Berman adviser, in a statement. "This speaks directly to his temperament that is totally unsuitable for anyone, especially for a member of Congress. The Valley deserves better."
Sherman, meanwhile, released a statement expressing "regret" that "the debate "was not conducted at the highest level."
"I regret my part in allowing emotions to distract from the exchange of views," he said.
Nevada debate hampered by technical difficulties
Things also got heated on the Nevada debate stage, where rivals Shelley Berkley and Dean Heller traded jabs over immigration, energy, and financial reform - despite technical glitches prompted by an ongoing hailstorm that at one point knocked out the electricity in the studio.
During an exchange about energy production, in which Heller, a Republican, emphasized the need to "go after our own oil, our own coal, our own natural gas, our own alternative energy," the power cut out abruptly.
"We could use some now," said Berkley, according to the Las Vegas Sun, amid laughter from the audience.
Per the Sun, Heller shied away from some shots surrounding an ongoing ethics investigation involving Berkley, attempting to cast himself as a moderate problem-solver.
Berkley, however, blasted her rival over what she cast as his support for big business over the interests of voters - and Democrats immediately seized his comments referring to Latinos as "these people."
"I think that's one thing my opponent and I can agree on, is that we need immigration reform here in this country," Heller said during the debate. "But if you want to come here, should you have to pay thousands of dollars? To hire a lawyer? Should you have to wait years in order to immigrate? So the principles that I'm trying to support is trying to make these people succeed. I want them to succeed here in this country."
"Senator Heller's disrespectful comments tonight are even further proof that he's out-of-touch with Latino middle-class families that are looking to their leaders to fight for them," the Berkley campaign said in a Friday morning statement .
Connecticut candidates trade jabs
Former World Wrestling Entertainment executive Linda McMahon and U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy also traded jabs last night in the second debate between the two Connecticut Senate candidates.
But according to Businessweek, Murphy challenged McMahon to tone down the personal blows: "Linda McMahon is addicted to personal attacks," he said. She "cannot talk about the issues. She doesn't want to tell people what she stands for."
McMahon, who ran for Senate two years ago against Democrat Richard Blumenthal, has revamped her image substantially since then, emphasizing her family life in lieu of her career at the WWE. Still, according to a local Patch report, McMahon didn't hold back on attacks on Murphy's record. She accused the congressman of supporting failed economic policies while presenting a plan of her own she argued would benefit all taxpayers - an assessment Murphy disputed.
"At some point, arithmetic has to matter in this debate," Murphy said.
