In the first debate between U.S. Senate candidates Tom Udall and Steve Pearce, which took place Wednesday night, Democrat Udall threw the first punch: He referred to the "Pearce/Bush tired old policies" during his opening statement, tying his Republican opponent to an unpopular president.

But Pearce definitely had the funniest line in the debate. In his closing remarks, after saying Udall has fought domestic oil drilling, mining and gun rights in the past but now claims to support these issues, Pearce quipped, "Tom, if you want to look like Steve Pearce, you're going to have to get a haircut to look like Steve Pearce."

Pearce is bald.

The self-effacing joke lightened the mood immediately after Pearce showed anger at Udall for saying Pearce opposes health insurance for New Mexican children. "Tom, you and I will have some words after this," Pearce told Udall.

In the hourlong debate, the two congressmen, who are vying to replace 36-year veteran Sen. Pete Domenici, a Republican, spelled out their differences on several issues, including the Wall Street bailout, Iraq, immigration, funding national laboratories and, of course, energy — an issue that has dominated the Senate campaign. The debate took place at the Albuquerque Academy.

Moderator Tom Joles of KOB-TV asked the candidates if they had $100 billion and had to make the choice between oil drilling and alternative energy, what would it be.

Udall said he supports a "do-it-all" policy but said he believes alternative energy is the way of the future and the best way to build jobs in the state.

Pearce said he would spend the money on nuclear power plants. He described nuclear power as the "ultimate renewable energy."

The two disagreed on immigration policy. Udall supports a "path to citizenship" for illegal immigrants, while Pearce is opposed. But they actually agreed on the effectiveness of the border fence. Both said as soon as sections of the fence are built, they are torn down.

They strongly disagreed on Iraq. Udall, a longtime opponent of the war, said there should be a timetable to withdraw troops and said Pearce — like President Bush — would have the U.S. stay there indefinitely. Pearce said he supports keeping a military presence in Iraq like the U.S. has done in Germany and Korea.

At times, especially in the first few minutes of the debate, the normally easygoing Pearce seemed anxious, talking so fast that at times he almost seemed breathless.

Udall seemed more at ease. But at times his responses seemed almost canned. Frequently, he ignored Pearce's jabs about specific votes, instead making his own points against Pearce. For instance, Udall left unchallenged a charge that he voted for a bill that gave more money for bicycles than for nuclear energy. He also never answered Pearce's claim he'd voted to postpone reforming Medicaid.

But Pearce never answered Udall's charge he'd voted against more U.S. Border Patrol agents to secure the Mexican border — a subject for which Pearce's Republican primary opponent Heather Wilson also had blasted him.

Pearce got personal several times. More than once, he referred to his modest upbringing. "I grew up poor," he said. "All my life I've had to scrap."

Later in the debate, Pearce made an indirect reference to Udall's upbringing, saying, "I didn't grow up with a father who was a congressman." Udall's father, Stewart Udall, served in Congress before being appointed secretary of the Interior by President Kennedy.

Udall frequently pointed out Pearce has sided with President Bush more than 90 percent of the time. In a section of the debate in which candidates asked each other questions, Udall asked his opponent if he thought Bush was a good president. Pearce said Bush "has served well." But he pointed out he bucked the president on the immigration bill and bailing out mortgage lenders Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

One debate question the candidates couldn't be expected to answer: How much did "debate fatigue" cause potential viewers to miss the Senate debate, which began just a half-hour after the 90-minute presidential debate ended?

Contact Steve Terrell at 986-3037 or sterrell@sfnewmexican.com.