U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper and Republican state Sen. Mark Baisley laid out contrasting visions for Colorado’s Senate seat during their first debate Sunday at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, with disagreements ranging from the Iran war to health care and Social Security. The debate, moderated by The Colorado Sun’s Jesse Paul and Noticias Univision Colorado’s Rafael Contreras, was measured in tone but underscored deep differences over the role of government. Hickenlooper, a Democrat seeking what he has said will be his final term, was elected to the Senate in 2020 after serving eight years as Colorado governor and eight as Denver mayor. Baisley, who lives in Woodland Park, served two terms in the state House before winning election to the state Senate in 2022. He began this election cycle focused on the governor’s race before switching to the Senate contest in January. Hickenlooper said he wants to return to Washington to defend equality and the rule of law. Baisley said he would bring an engineer’s problem-solving approach and a willingness to work across party lines. On affordability and federal debt, both candidates acknowledged the pressure facing Colorado households but proposed different remedies. Baisley argued that reducing the size of government could help address the nation’s debt, which he described as more than $40 trillion, over the next two or three decades. He said government should prioritize the military and law enforcement, while leaving health care more to the free market. Hickenlooper criticized the Republican-backed tax and spending law known as the One Big Beautiful Bill, arguing it shifted wealth toward the richest Americans and added to the deficit. He said higher-income people should contribute more to help reduce the debt. On health care, he argued that without government involvement, insurers could stop covering people with pre-existing conditions. The candidates found limited common ground on fuel costs: neither ruled out a temporary suspension of the gas or diesel tax, though Hickenlooper said it would do little to bring prices down. They disagreed over Trump’s proposal to ease sanctions to allow U.S. purchases of Russian diesel. Hickenlooper said the plan would not help consumers and would provide Russia money it could use in its war against Ukraine. Baisley defended the proposal as a response to constrained fuel flows and the needs of farmers and truckers. The war with Iran was another point of sharp disagreement. Both candidates condemned Iran’s government and its support for terrorism, but Hickenlooper questioned the purpose and planning of the U.S. war, saying it had contributed to higher fuel prices. Baisley said Trump was confronting a dangerous government and argued Iran must not obtain a nuclear weapon. He criticized Hickenlooper for questioning the mission while U.S. service members were deployed. Hickenlooper countered that the United States was no better positioned than before the war and said Iran had demonstrated its ability to disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Before the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran, about 18 million to 20 million barrels of crude oil and liquefied natural gas passed through the strait each day. During the week of Sept. 30, the daily average for oil was about 11 million barrels, according to Kpler. Shipping risks and higher transit costs have kept prices elevated. On Social Security, Baisley proposed using Trump Accounts, investment accounts for children, as a model for replacing the current system. He said a $3,000 investment at birth could grow to more than $1 million by age 65. The projection depends on investment returns over many decades. Hickenlooper said that approach would not address a potential shortfall soon enough for people nearing retirement and backed lifting the Social Security wage cap to help fund the program. The candidates also differed over Trump’s administration. Hickenlooper criticized its effects on prices, health care and federal funding for Colorado, while citing support for ending taxes on tips and possible agreement on apprenticeship programs. Baisley said he valued Trump’s policies but noted the president would be in office for only two more years, while a senator serves a six-year term. He urged Colorado to engage with the administration rather than oppose it automatically.