Trump, Biden dream big about decisive US Senate showdown in Kansas

Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., and Democratic challenger Adam Hamilton talked about President Donald Trump, immigration, Iran, transgender athletes, artificial intelligence and personal controversies during a contentious Kansas Senate debate Wednesday night.

The hours-long showdown came less than two weeks before Election Day as Marshall seeks a second term and Hamilton, a longtime pastor, seeks to become the first Democrat elected to the U.S. Senate from Kansas since 1932.

The race has drawn more national attention as Republicans and Democrats battle for control of the Senate, with Trump traveling to Kansas earlier this week to battle Marshall.

Here are five moments that stood out from Wednesday night’s debate.

SLEEPER SENATE RACE PRESENTS UNEXPECTED HEADPACHE FOR REPUBLICANS IN MIDTERMS

Debate opens with candidates facing off over personal controversies

The debate wasted little time in becoming controversial, opening with questions about controversies that fueled attacks against both candidates.

Marshall was faced with a New York Times review that found his former medical practice had sued more than 700 patients over unpaid bills.

“Every year we gave away $3 to $4 million to charity, but we also had a business,” Marshall replied. “We had 300 employees, we had a mortgage, we had electric.”

Hamilton, meanwhile, was asked about his handling of allegations involving a volunteer at his church’s summer camp who was accused of sexual abuse.

Hamilton acknowledged that he should have ensured that the individual did not return to the camp after an initial investigation.

FROM ‘THIRD REICH’ TO ‘NOT INFORMED’: Senate Debates Deliver Fireworks Before MIDTERMS

“I should have checked to make sure he wasn’t going back,” Hamilton said. “That was a mistake on my part.”

Marshall Says ‘President Trump Isn’t Always Right’

Trump became part of the debate after moderators played footage of the president’s campaign appearance for Marshall in Kansas earlier in the week.

“And in this election, I’m asking you to please pretend I’m on the ballot. Just pretend,” Trump told the audience.

Marshall was then asked if Trump’s endorsement meant Kansans should expect him to support every part of the president’s agenda.

“No,” Marshall replied, saying there were “multiple times” when he opposed Trump.

Pressed to identify a specific disagreement, Marshall pointed to the recent immigration order in southwest Kansas and Trump’s approach to beef imports.

“Just like my wife, I can’t agree with her. My wife is always right,” Marshall joked. “And President Trump is not always right.”

Marshall nonetheless urged Trump voters to turn out for him, arguing that Hamilton’s election could help Democrats retain the Senate.

Both candidates say there are “two sexes”.

The two rivals agreed when the moderator asked each candidate how many genders there are.

“There’s two. There’s a boy and there’s a girl,” Marshall said. “I delivered 5,000 of them and almost half were boys and half were girls.”

“There are two sexes, male and female,” replied Hamilton.

TOP TAKEAWAYS FROM JD VANCE TOWN HALL: KÄSCHER GAS, DC CORRUPTION, IMMIGRATION HOT TAKES AND THE WAR

The candidates then turned to the debate on transgender participation in women’s sports.

Hamilton said decisions about athletic eligibility should generally be made locally, but was ambivalent about whether biological males should compete against females.

“I have a 12-year-old granddaughter. I don’t want biological men or boys competing against her who could harm her,” Hamilton said. “It’s not a fair, fair fight.”

Marshall argued that in high school, “boys need to be in boys’ sports, girls in girls’ sports,” while accusing national Democrats of pushing “transgender ideology.”

Hamilton later accused Marshall of using the issue to “hang up” and “bully” people.

Hamilton calls AI an ‘existential threat’ – but can’t name any regulations he would support

Hamilton called for more federal oversight of artificial intelligence and compared the emerging technology to the development of nuclear power and nuclear weapons.

“We developed a Nuclear Regulatory Commission. We need to do the same thing with AI,” Hamilton said.

But when the moderator pressed him to identify specific federal regulations he would support, Hamilton acknowledged he didn’t have an answer yet.

“You know what? I’m not sure, to be honest,” Hamilton said, arguing that even experts struggle to understand the technology’s potential dangers.

Marshall called for a “light touch” approach to national security, transparency, protection of children and privacy, while slamming a one-size-fits-all global order for the advancement of artificial intelligence.

Hamilton pushed back hard.

“This is an existential — potentially existential threat to humanity,” Hamilton said. “We can’t just go with a light touch and hope everyone does their best.”

BIDEN WRITE-UP ABSENT FROM CAMPAIGN TRAIL AS OBAMA, HARRIS STEPS UP FOR MIDTERM PUSH

Hamilton calls Biden’s border policy a ‘disaster’

Hamilton tried to put distance between himself and former President Joe Biden when moderators challenged the Democrat on his claim that he “leads from the middle.”

The moderator pointed to Hamilton’s past donations to Democrats, including Biden, former Vice President Kamala Harris and Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kan., showed before asking him to identify a progressive policy he opposed.

“Biden’s policy when it came to the border was a disaster,” Hamilton responded. “I believe in strong and secure borders.”

“I’m not someone who favors the Socialist Party,” Hamilton added. “I’m someone who stands in the middle.”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Hamilton also reiterated during the debate that he would not support Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer as majority leader if Democrats take control of the chamber.