Raoul, Harold square off in final debate for Illinois attorney general

CHICAGO (FOX 32 NEWS) - A major showdown took place Monday in one of the most hotly contested political races in Illinois.

Republican Erika Harold is battling Democrat Kwame Raoul to be the state's next attorney general.

In a final face-to-face debate with Raoul, Harold argued Illinois needs her as attorney general next year, when Democrats could once again hold every other statewide office.

“I certainly hope that the governor's re-elected,” Harold said. “But the reality is that, if he is not, then many people want to see a two-party system maintained within Illinois. And I would be a check…. it's being a check on certain agenda points. So, specifically some of the things voters care about. They want to see term limits. They want to see independent redistricting.”

State senator Raoul's TV ads note his opponent once ran for congress as a sharp critic of Obamacare.

“I think she very explicitly said that she would repeal the affordable act. Now this notion -- and many Republicans in congress are doing it right now -- of saying, "Yeah, but we have an alternative,’” Raoul said. “That's not worth the paper it's printed on.”

“It's very important that we protect peoples' health care and that we protect people who have pre-existing conditions,” Harold said.

The candidates sharply disagree on the issue of abortion with Harold holding a pro-life stance, while Sen. Raoul is pro-choice. On gay marriage, they agree. They support it and would not undo the law allowing it.