Clinton, Sanders finally take gloves off in latest Democratic debate

Last night’s Democratic debate showed no love lost between frontrunners Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, whose previous interactions have made them seem more like running mates than contenders for the party’s top spot.

The two presidential hopefuls sparred over gun control, Wall Street regulations, and healthcare in an attempt to woo voters in what has become a tight race leading up to the Feb. 1 Iowa primary.

“What this is really about is not the rational way to go forward,” Sanders said of Clinton’s claim his single-payer healthcare plan would ignite a huge political battle. “It’s whether we have the guts to stand up to the private insurance companies.”

Sanders’ plan to have the U.S. government completely take over the healthcare industry is impractical, Clinton insisted. The former secretary of state wants to make improvements to Obamacare that would reduce out-of-pocket expenses and lower prescription drug costs.

“We have the Affordable Care Act,” she said. “That is one of the greatest accomplishments of President Obama, of the Democratic Party, and of our country.”

Clinton wasn’t shy about touting Obama’s policies, implying a vote for her would be a vote for more of the same.

But polls suggest at least some Democratic voters are ready for a change. Sanders has gained ground in Iowa and New Hampshire, erasing Clinton’s large leads in the early voting states. She still leads by a wide margin in national polls. But Sanders’ surge could spell trouble for her campaign as voters finally get a chance to cast their ballots.

Clinton slammed Sanders for his opposition to some gun control measures, suggesting she is the more liberal candidate on that issue. But the independent senator from Vermont, a self-proclaimed Socialist, can legitimately claim to be the more leftist choice on just about every other issue.

That might help him in the primaries, with an electorate drawn to outsiders. But it could be a problem in the general election, when candidates must appeal to a more centrist audience.

The candidates also tangled last night over regulating Wall Street, with Sanders suggesting Clinton would not be tough enough, since many of her largest donors have ties to the financial industry.

When asked about the role former President Bill Clinton might play in his wife’s presidency, should she be elected, Clinton tried to make light but conceded she would ask for his input and advice.

“It’ll start at the kitchen table—we’ll see where it goes from there,” she said.

The third candidate in the race, former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, struggled to stand out, as he has in previous debates. O’Malley’s poll numbers have remained in the single digits for most of the primary contest.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.