The 46th District NYS Senate race heated up as the two contenders for the Democratic seat met for a debate. Our Megan Eaton was there to find out what separates incumbent Neil Breslin and his primary challenger Luke Martland.

  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.

CAPITAL REGION, N.Y. -- Both men were civil as table topics Wednesday ranged from term limits to a late New York State budget and, of course, legislature dysfunction.

The hour long debate Wednesday night was sponsored by the League of Women voters for Albany County and the Capital Area Council of Churches. Audience participation was key, as those sitting in the Thelma P. Lally School of Education auditorium at St. Rose determined what questions Breslin and Martland had to answer.

Both candidates worked to establish their community ties and agreed on certain issues, such as wanting to see an independent watchdog policing the legislature. But the two disagreed on just how to fix issues plaguing the current Senate or what exactly some of those issues were.

One big topic? Term limits. Martland strongly believes there should be term limits for senators, to get new blood into the legislature. Breslin counters that term limits are already there, as the public decides by voting how long each senator should hold office.

Each believes he has what New York State voters are looking for.

"I am running to change that status quo and fix the things that I have mentioned and fix the problems that are plaguing New York State. I will work as hard as I can to work on the budget, economy, corruption that has made State Senate a national embarrassment," said Martland.

"I do fight for you. But I don't, as I said before, I don't have to preach it, I do it, I act it, I live it every day and remember our job as legislators are to protect the marginalized, the homeless, sick, needy to make schools better and more affordable," Breslin said.

You can vote in the 46th District democratic primary September 14th for which candidate you believe is best.