Giffords and Graf recalled their days together in the Legislature, questioning each other's votes from years ago and defending their records.

Chris Richards / Arizona Daily Star

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It was a trip down memory lane for Republican Randy Graf and Democrat Gabrielle Giffords at a congressional debate Tuesday night.

The two candidates for District 8 spent much of the evening recalling their days together in the Legislature, frequently questioning each other's votes from years ago and attempting to defend their records.

Joined by Libertarian David Nolan and independent Jay Quick, Giffords and Graf sparred, framing their criticisms over crime, immigration and spending around their interpretation of each other's records.

"Mr. Graf in one of his TV ads prominently displays a pregnant woman, but when a bill came forward in the Arizona Legislature to crack down on people who beat and abuse pregnant women, he voted against that bill," Giffords said at one point, referring to a bill Graf opposed that she said increased penalties for abusing pregnant women.

Meanwhile, Graf criticized Giffords over government spending.

"We have some differences of opinion. I'm for lowering taxes, Ms. Giffords is for increasing taxes. I'm for smaller government and less programs. She wants to increase government programs. It's a clear difference," Graf said.

But Giffords said she supported tax "incentives."

"We should give tax breaks, but the right and responsible tax breaks," she said. "We need to focus and prioritize."

The candidates clashed over what to do in Iraq. Giffords, Quick and Nolan all agreed that troops need to leave Iraq, though they presented different specifics on how that should be done. Nolan called for an immediate withdrawal in a way that will not harm troops.

Graf defended keeping troops in Iraq and accused Giffords of wanting to "cut and run," a phrase used often by Republicans this election year.

That brought a snappy response from Nolan, who said, "What would you prefer, stay and die?" Quick also accused Graf of simplifying the issue.

Graf maintained that Iraq is the central front in the war on terrorism.

"These enemies have been around a lot longer than we have been in Iraq," he said.

When given the opportunity to ask another candidate a question, Giffords turned to Nolan and asked him how two conservatives — he and Graf — could have such opposite views on the war.

Nolan rejected that he was a conservative, but said the Iraq war was not justified.

"The situation in Iraq is clearly not like the situation in World War II," he said, adding the greatest periods of government growth are during war.

Giffords was also questioned by Graf about her support for a path to citizenship for people in the country illegally.

Graf has said throughout the campaign that Giffords supports amnesty.

"I don't support amnesty. That's giving a free pass," Giffords said. Giffords says she wants people who have been in the country illegally for an extended time to have the opportunity to gain legal status by learning English and paying taxes.

Graf wants them to be required to return to their home country.

"Implementing a new guest-worker plan the way Ms. Giffords would do would do nothing but wave the white flag and give up," Graf said.

Giffords said she wants to crack down on people who knowingly hire illegal entrants.

But Nolan questioned whether that would work, since there is no way for employers to know who is legal. Nolan does support a guest-worker plan, however, he said.

"It's a question of how do we do it to keep the right people in and wrong people out?" he said.

Graf was questioned about his friendship with state Rep. Russell Pearce, who has been under criticism for suggesting that "Operation Wetback" be reinstated. Graf defended Pearce and said, "We are of like mind of how government should be run.

"That reference has unfortunately been blown out of proportion, he said. "He's a good person. He's a good American patriot. He's been a great legislator in Phoenix, and I'm proud to have him as an endorser of my campaign."

Giffords was asked how she will vote on a ballot proposition declaring English the official language of Arizona.

She opposed the move while in the Legislature. Giffords didn't answer the question directly but said, "English already is our official language" and stated that she supports funding of adult-education classes to help people learn English.

Quick, an owner of a local metal shop, told the audience this will be his first and last run for office.

He said he wants to "heal the wounds between the parties and get them working together."

"The majority of Americans are moderates, but there's only a handful of moderates back in Congress," he said.

Nolan said he felt both parties were overstepping the bounds of government: Republicans on the side of personal privacy and Democrats when it comes to expanding federal programs.

On StarNet: see video of the candidates discussing the Mark Foley scandal and the situation in North Korea at azstarnet.com/politics