Betsy Markey finally debates Cory Gardner

Colorado congresswoman Betsy Markey,considered among the most vulnerable of the House Democrats, met with her Republican challenger Cory Gardner, in their first debate Tuesday evening.

The embattled Democrat was booed at times as she questioned Republican Cory Gardner's honesty and defended her support of the stimulus package and the health care overhaul.

Gardner, a state lawmaker, spent most of the debate chiding Markey and ruling Democrats for what he called out-of-control spending. He elicited some of the loudest cheers of the evening when he laid into Markey's vote for the pricey stimulus package.

"You want a shovel-ready project we don't need? It's digging more debt," Gardner said.

Markey defended her votes in favor of the stimulus and the health care overhaul, though her answers were at times inaudible over boos at the debate which was sponsored by Northern Colorado 5.