Democrats Markey, Lynch Clash In U.S. Senate Debate

Audio report above by NEPR's Henry Epp, text report below by The Associated Press.

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — The two Democratic U.S. Senate hopefuls have clashed for a second night, with Stephen Lynch accusing Edward Markey of lying about Lynch's record.

The two also split on the state's new medicinal marijuana law.

Lynch called the voter referendum a terrible decision. He acknowledged smoking marijuana when he was younger, but said he's seen the toll drugs can take.

Markey supports the law, saying it makes sense to let doctors to prescribe marijuana for patients with serious diseases.

Lynch also called Markey a "liar" for suggesting he opposed saving the auto industry. It was one of the most heated moments of the televised debate on WGBY-TV.

Lynch voted for the 2008 Auto Industry Financing and Restructuring Act. Markey said Lynch voted against the Troubled Asset Relief Program which Markey said helped save the industry.

The primary is Tuesday.