GOP clash in Senate debate

The three Republican candidates vying for a U.S. Senate seat clashed over immigration, gun control and rights for terrorism suspects in a testy debate Thursday night, with each making the case they were the true conservative who could beat incumbent Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer.Mike Zapler in the Mercury-News.

With less than five weeks until the June 8 primary and polls showing a fluid race, former Congressman Tom Campbell, former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina and state Assemblyman Chuck DeVore engaged in a series of sharp exchanges in a debate that, at times, forced the candidates to think on their feet and not rely on canned responses.