GRAND JUNCTION – Democratic incumbent Michael Bennet finally met Republican challenger Darryl Glenn under the spotlight Saturday night in a tame Colorado U.S. Senate debate.

The first debate of the season, it offered Glenn a chance to attack Bennet on the Iran nuclear deal, while giving Bennet an opportunity to defend his support in a public forum.

The event was hosted by Club 20, a Western Colorado advocacy group.

Given the rhetoric surrounding the controversial Iran deal – which at times included critics suggesting that the agreement would lead to nuclear devastation – the debate Saturday was fairly underwhelming.

Glenn asked Bennet if he still supports the deal, which the Obama administration pushed in an effort to restrict Iran’s nuclear activities. Bennet said he would, and then turned the conversation back on Glenn.

“One of the first things he would do ... he would rip up the Iran deal,” Bennet said of his opponent. “So, my question is, would you go to Russia and get the 12 tons of enriched uranium that no longer is in Iran?”

The International Atomic Energy Agency, which reports to the United Nations, said Iran is limiting its stockpiles of substances that could be used to make atomic weapons, according to reports.

Iran last year shipped thousands of pounds of enriched uranium to Russia, which was a key component of the deal.

Glenn also highlighted a $400 million payment to Iran as part of the deal, which critics said was tied to the release of four American hostages. Glenn framed the payment as “ransom,” a popular narrative pushed by the GOP.

Bennet said he recently received a classified briefing on the subject, telling Glenn in a jab, “My answer is that you do not know the answer to that.”

The Obama administration acknowledged two more cash payments totaling $1.3 billion, after delivering the $400 million by plane in January. The $1.7 billion settled claims dating to the incomplete sale of military weapons before the Iranian Revolution in 1979.

Democrats maintain that the cash payments are necessary to honor the nuclear deal, especially as sanctions have cut Iran out of the international banking system.

Glenn – a retired Air Force officer who served more than 20 years – suggested that the payments could “be used against our own men and women in the armed forces.”

Joining the debate was Libertarian candidate Lily Tang Williams, the first third-party candidate in recent memory to qualify for a major U.S. Senate debate in Colorado.

The three candidates navigated through a list of issues, including federal debt and the budget, Social Security, the Affordable Care Act, confirming a U.S. Supreme Court nominee, the Trans-Pacific Partnership and environmental regulations. The candidates predominantly came down on party lines.

For example, on reforms to the Affordable Care Act, Glenn called for a repeal, and challenged Bennet to join him in a town hall on the subject. Bennet responded, “Repealing the law and going backwards is the wrong idea. We should go forward and improve it.”

On the Supreme Court, Bennet called for a confirmation hearing, while Glenn said he has concerns with President Obama’s nomination of Merrick Garland.

On the Trans-Pacific Partnership, Glenn said he was concerned it would make America “subservient” to other nations, while Bennet said the agreement could help farmers and ranchers in Colorado grow.

Williams’ presence highlighted the lackluster nature of the election, in which Glenn has struggled to secure mainstream Republican support, especially on the national level, where the GOP has largely ignored what was supposed to be a competitive race.

Uncertainty with presidential candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton may have also helped Williams secure a spot in the debate, as she qualified because new Colorado registration numbers show the Libertarian Party reached 1 percent of registered voters – a sign that some voters are looking for an alternative.

Stating that the two-party system has failed America, Williams drew upon her own experience as a small businesswoman and Chinese immigrant.

“Maybe it’s time to vote different, to vote a Libertarian into Washington,” she said.

pmarcus@durangoherald.com