Todd Akin in The Columbia Daily Tribune

On Abortion: Life begins at conception; support Constitutional Amendment

Brunner and Steelman both said they would want to look at the wording of a proposed amendment before endorsing it while still trying to portray a strong anti-abortion stance, with Steelman saying she does believe life begins at conception and Brunner pledging support to the overthrow of Roe v. Wade.

On Education: Federal government should be out of the student loan market

Akin said the government should be out of the student loan market altogether. "America has got the equivalent of the stage three cancer of socialism because the federal government is tampering in all kinds of stuff it has no business tampering in," he said.

Steelman said she would have to take a closer look at the proposal but said she supported more competition in the sector because "the federal government has a monopoly now on student loans."

Brunner didn't answer whether he would support keeping the rates at their lower level but said the whole college finance system needed a "fresh look."

On Principles & Values: I'm no career politician; I left a safe district

Akin, a six-term congressman, took exception. "If I were a career politician, I'd stay in a safe congressional district, wouldn't I?" While Akin listed jobs in a steel mill and for IBM, he also painted his experience in Washington, D.C., as an attribute. "I don't think the Senate is the place for on-the-job training," he said.

Brunner, who has poured more than $2 million of his own money into his campaign and has outspent his opponents, called Akin's remarks about on-the-job training "political talk." His opponents' recent job experience "is a little different than being on the production line," he said.