MPR News Election 2014 Debate

Live Event: Sunday November 2, 2014 at 7 p.m. CT

Kerri Miller and Cathy Wurzer will co-host the Election 2014 Senatorial Debate 7 p.m. CT on Sunday, November 2, 2014 at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul, Minn.

Join us! This event is free and open to the public. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. and you can find directions and parking information here. Use the tools on the right to share this event with your friends today!

The debate will be broadcast live on MPR News.

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Candidates

Photo Mark Zdechlik/MPR News

Al Franken

Lives: Minneapolis
Age: 63
Family: Wife - Franni; Children - Thomasin, Joseph; Grandchildren - 1

Biography: Franken won his seat in the U.S. Senate after a lengthy and expensive recount following the 2008 election. He sits on four committees, including one that deals with health and education issues and one that oversees the judiciary system. He also serves on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee and chairs two subcommittees - one dealing with privacy and technology, and the other dealing with energy.

Franken grew up in St. Louis Park, graduated from Harvard University. After starting a comedy career at Dudley Rigg's Brave New Workshop in Minneapolis, Franken became a writer and performer on Saturday Night Live. He earned five Emmy Awards for his work on the show. After leaving SNL in 1995, Franken wrote a series of bestselling books of political satire and later hosted a radio program on the Air America Network.

During his time in office, Franken has sponsored a few high-profile legislative successes, including a provision in the Affordable Care Act that requires insurance companies to spend at least 80 percent of their premium dollars on direct medical care. The provision resulted in sizeable rebates for more than 12 million insurance policy holders, including about 9,100 Minnesotans. Franken has also been an outspoken opponent of a proposed merger between Comcast and Time Warner as well as new campaign finance rules that allow corporations to invest more money in elections. One of Franken's first legislative efforts was a bill that paired service dogs with veterans who have mental or physical wounds from combat.

Mike McFadden

Lives: Sunfish Lake
Age: 50
Family: Wife - Mary Kate; Children - Conor, Patrick, Molly, Sean, Brendan, Danny

Biography: McFadden is a newcomer to politics, spending the last two decades at the helm of financial services firm Lazard Middle Market. The firm works with small and medium sized companies to find new ownership. He is taking a leave of absence to run for Senate.

McFadden grew up in Omaha, Nebraska. He graduated from the College of St. Thomas in St. Paul, then attended Georgetown University Law Center before moving back to St. Paul in 1993. He has coached his daughter in basketball and each of his sons in football over the last 12 years in the Mendota Heights Youth Athletic Association. McFadden has also been active with the Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Minneapolis' Phillips neighborhood. McFadden is calling for changes in the Affordable Care Act, including giving states more power to create their own insurance rules. He has also called for reducing business regulations and simplifying the tax system. McFadden says he opposes any tax increases.

Election 2014

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