Two Republicans hoping to challenge incumbent U.S. Senator Charles Schumer this fall met one-on-one for the first time Monday night in a debate hosted on YNN. Jay Townsend and Gary Berntsen discussed everything from the proposed mosque and Islamic cultural center in New York City to the war in Afghanistan. While they agreed on many issues, they said there is one thing that sets them apart. Our Josh Robin has a recap of the debate.

  To view our videos, you need to
enable JavaScript. Learn how.
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.

Then come back here and refresh the page.

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. -- "If you could show me just one instance in his long career in the public sector where he has just once proposed that spending on something be cut, I might find something nice to say," said Jay Townsend.

"He doesn't stand up on the tough issues. On the issue of the mosque right now, he's in the fetal position in his office," Gary Berntsen said.

Both seized that issue. The former CIA officer Berntsen charged without evidence that Iran is funding the project. Townsend claimed he was first out of the gate with his opposition, which Berntsen deflected in one of the evening's only sharp exchanges.

"The time stamp on your press release doesn't mean very much, I've been fighting these guys for many years," said Berntsen.

"I don't think the mosque was proposed 20 years ago," replied Townsend.

There was more agreement elsewhere. Both would support a Arizona-like bill cracking down on undocumented immigrants in New York. Both back natural gas drilling in the state's Southern Tier and both dismissed global warming.

"Those that have proposed global warming over the last few years have conducted an enormous charade," Berntsen said.

"I wish I could believe them. But I can't believe anything that they say anymore and I'm convinced that much of what they were trying to do was a hoax," said Townsend.

On a personal level, Townsend, a political consultant, admitted he had been arrested a decade ago after a verbal altercation. He said he was acquitted.

Berntsen enters next month's primary with backing of the state party, but Townsend has the Conservative Party nod. Typically, both need the other to win statewide.

"The Tea Party is the new Conservative Party in New York. The Conservative Party will be small in comparison," Berntsen said.

Townsend says his upstate bonafides far outmatch those of his rival from Long Island.

"It's very important that we have at least one candidate running for the United States Senate or governor, who can make that connection with upstate voters, who doesn't need to be told the difference between a Guernsey and a Holstein," Townsend said.

For the record, both are cows. Holsteins are black and white, and Guernseys are brown.