Klobuchar and Bills tangle on budget, climate change

The two candidates running for U.S. Senate in Minnesota ended their campaign with a final debate last night in St. Paul.

DFL Senator Amy Klobuchar and Republican Kurt Bills took part in an hour long debate at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul.

They differed over tax policy, spending cuts and climate change.

Bills criticized Klobuchar for failing to tackle fiscal issues like the federal debt and deficit.

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"We gave Amy Klobuchar six years to do a job," Bills said. "She said she's appalled at $300 billion deficits. She's added $7.4 trillion in national debt."

Klobuchar countered that she supports a mix of spending cuts and tax increases to tackle the deficit. She said Bills' support of a flat tax would hurt lower and middle income earners.

"A lot of these proposals out there proposed by Congressman Ryan, proposed by the Rand Paul forces that you have been supporting, they do not help the middle class," Klobuchar said. "They are tilted to help the wealthiest."

The two also differed over climate change.

Bills said he disagrees with scientists who say greenhouse gas emissions are causing the the earth to get warmer.

"I believe there are scientists out there who don't believe that we are driving a massive change in our climate," he said.

"I believe in the science of climate change," Klobuchar countered. "Minnesota is a state that believes in science so once you're there, what's your next step?"

Klobuchar has a double digit lead over Bills heading into Election Day.

You can listen to the full debate here: