Ken Cuccinelli, Terry McAuliffe both on the attack in first Virginia gubernatorial debate

From the opening bell of their first debate Saturday, Republican Ken Cuccinelli went after Democrat Terry McAuliffe as a Washington insider lacking the credentials to be Virginia’s next governor, while McAuliffe attacked Cuccinelli’s past record of social crusades and opposition to bipartisan compromise.

Against the backdrop of an already nasty and spirited contest, Saturday’s debate in front of the state’s bar assocation was business as usual. But with a looming state scandal brewing that is dangerously close to Cuccinelli and a tough road for the inexperienced McAuliffe to convince voters he’s up to the job, the 90-minute sparring match shed light on how the two campaigns will frame the nation’s most closely watched race of the year.