The two leading Republican candidates running for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut – Linda McMahon and Chris Shays – squared off in a major campaign political debate Thursday at the von der Mehden Recital Hall on UConn’s Storrs campus.

The two candidates fielded questions about the economy, job creation in Connecticut, the crisis in Syria, women’s reproductive rights, and more during the hour-long debate, which was sponsored by The Hartford Courant and FOX CT.

The debate can be seen on FOX CT at 7 p.m. today, June 14.

Shays and McMahon are vying for the seat being vacated by Sen. Joe Lieberman (I), who is not seeking re-election after serving four terms.

McMahon won the state GOP nomination last month when she captured 60 percent of the votes at the party’s annual nominating convention. Former U.S. Rep. Shays earned 32 percent of the endorsement votes at the convention, more than double the amount required to force a GOP primary on Aug. 14.

This is the second U.S. Senate debate to take place in Storrs this year. In April, Democratic candidates Susan Bysiewicz, Chris Murphy, Matthew Oakes, William Tong and Lee Whitnum participated in a separate debate sponsored by the Courant and FOX CT.

Murphy, who currently represents Connecticut as the state’s U.S. Representative for the 5th District, earned his party’s nomination at the state Democratic convention in May. His candidacy is being challenged by former Connecticut Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz, who captured enough votes at the convention to contest Murphy in an Aug. 14 primary.