The two Democrats battling for the U.S. House seat in the city of St. Louis say they'll put their differences behind them for the good of the party following the primary election next week.
Congressmen Russ Carnahan and William Lacy Clay appeared together on Newsradio 1120 KMOX on Monday for their only debate of the primary season.
The debate covered very little new ground, with Carnahan continuing his claims that Clay actively worked against him to eliminate the 3rd District, the seat Carnahan currently holds.
"Had you cooperated instead of throwing Democrats under the bus, we could still have two Democratic districts in St. Louis," Carnahan said. "But we don't."
Clay, for his part, repeated denials of those accusations.
"You, like the Post-Dispatch, cannot produce any credible evidence that says that I sided with the Republican majority," he said.
But just more than halfway through the debate, Carnahan asked Clay to put aside any bitterness or bad feelings that are likely to linger.
"Let's agree that after this election is done, we're going to sit down, we're going to endorse the winner, and get to work on the race in November, reelecting the President and [U.S. Senator] Claire McCaskill," he said.
Clay shook his opponent's hand and vowed to work with him regardless of the outcome on Aug. 7.
"I agree," Clay said. "For 30 years I've been a loyal Democrat and will remain that."
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