Sen. Kay Hagan, left, D-North Carolina, and North Carolina Republican Senate candidate Thom Tillis greet prior to a live televised debate at UNC-TV studios in Research Triangle Park, N.C., Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2014. AP Photo/Gerry Broome, Pool
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CBS News Battleground Tracker projects that if elections were held today, Republicans would take the Senate, 51 seats to 49. GOP control could de...
With just a month before the midterm elections, Senate candidates in five states sparred about President Obama's policies, the economy, and women's rights on Tuesday night.
The debates were part of races both parties are counting on for victories - in Virginia for Democrats and in West Virginia for Republicans - and in closer races where both parties are hoping to win a seat from the other - Democrats from Republicans in Georgia, and Republicans from Democrats in North Carolina and Colorado.
Each race could ultimately decide whether the GOP will gain the six seats it needs to take control of the Senate in the next Congress.
Here are some highlights from the debates:
In second debate between Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan and Republican challenger Thom Tillis in North Carolina, Tillis tried to focus the conversation on the president, while Hagan drew attention to the conservative direction taken by the state's government during Tillis' time as state House speaker.
Tillis said the president's policies - "every single one of them" - are effectively up for a referendum.
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In debates, Republican Senate candidates shift focus to Obama