First debate of Pennsylvania 7th District contenders Lentz and Meehan

In a race where both campaigns have wrangled with gusto over nearly everything, down to signatures on nominating petitions, the first debate between the major-party candidates in Pennsylvania's Seventh Congressional District was more mild than wild.

Democrat Bryan Lentz and Republican Patrick Meehan, who are running to replace U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak, agreed more than not at their first debate, which was hosted by Larry Kane and will be broadcast at 9:30 p.m. Sunday on the Comcast Network.

The candidates agreed that tax cuts for those making less than $250,000 a year should be extended. They agreed that tax incentives for business could spur job growth. They even generally agreed on typically divisive issues, such as gay marriage: Lentz supports civil unions, and Meehan said civil unions are a matter that should be left for states to decide.

When they attacked, their plays largely came from mirror playbooks: pin the other guy to the troubles of an administration.

For Meehan, 54, a former U.S. attorney from Drexel Hill, that meant bemoaning the debt taken on since President Obama took over in 2009, and criticizing Lentz for voting as a state representative to raise taxes.

"In addition to the spending, there's a tremendous concern over the remarkable debt that has been run up, certainly since this recession has begun but principally since 2008," Meehan said.

Meehan said he would not have voted for the stimulus package.

"Not that there shouldn't have been dollars that should have been directed in a time that was very sensitive, but I think that stimulus was directed at the wrong kind of things," he said.

In response to Meehan's criticism that he voted for a state budget in 2008-09 that was $1 billion more than the previous year's budget, Lentz, 46, of Swarthmore, said he voted for it to help pay for education.

"The all-Republican school board of Upper Darby High School lobbied us for that increase because they needed it to provide a quality education," Lentz said. "Do you know who pays if the state doesn't give Upper Darby that increase? The property taxpayer, and they can tell you - the senior citizens - how much their property taxes have gone up in recent years."

During the 25-minute debate, Lentz tried to tie Meehan to the Bush administration's policies, which he blamed for the recession.