BETHLEHEM - Democrat U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright and Republican challenger Matt Connolly made their cases to voters Tuesday evening during a televised debate at PBS39.

During the hourlong show, the candidates for Pennsylvania's 17th Congressional District embraced their contrasts. The second-term Cartwright stressed his experience and work in Washington, D.C., while Connolly touted his outsider status.Cartwright, a 55-year-old civil attorney from Moosic, said he deserved a third term in Congress thanks to his hard work and ability to bring federal tax dollars to the region. He was recently appointed to the powerful House Committee on Appropriations."I will continue to work hard for you as long as you keep me in office," he said.Connolly, a 50-year-old general contractor from Bethlehem Township, focused his talking points on how he would look to bring accountability to Washington, D.C. Failed policies and regulations are never reviewed, he said, wasting taxpayer money. If elected, he promised to upend that system."I am not running against my opponent. I am running for the people of the 17th Congressional District and the people of this country," he said.Their different approaches defined most of the debate. After stressing his appointments and passage of a bill that could eliminate $1 billion in government waste, Cartwright asked Connolly to explain his stances on specific laws and policies, such as the $305 billion investment in transportation infrastructure under the FAST Act or the Delaware River Basin Commission's moratorium on fracking. In many instances, Connolly said he was unfamiliar with the specific issues before retreating back to his approach about holding federal employees and Congress accountable for waste.Connolly, meanwhile, worked to paint Cartwright as an out-of-touch Washington insider. Nearly all of the bills Cartwright introduced failed to pass, he pointed out. Later, he incredulously asked if Cartwright believed terrorism and climate change were linked. Cartwright stood by the claim, saying a drought in the Middle East helped spur the Arab Spring that created unrest throughout the region."It doesn't behoove us to bury our heads in the sand when climate change can raise upheaval in the Middle East," Cartwright said."Islamic terrorism has been a problem for 600 years," Connolly scoffed.In many ways, the two mirrored the presidential candidates that will lead the tickets. Cartwright highlighted his familiarity with policy a la Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and Connolly presented himself as a fresh start in the same vein as Republican nominee Donald Trump. Even their attacks on one another mirrored the presidential election.Connolly asked how voters could trust Cartwright wasn't corrupt since he's tripled his net worth since taking office. Cartwright insisted he hadn't earned any money outside his salary as a congressman and said his wife's earnings as an attorney may account for any increased income."I can guarantee you I am not doing anything corrupt," Cartwright said.He countered by noting Connolly has two federal liens on his home and asked why voters should place him in charge of overseeing the federal budget when he owes federal taxes. Connolly said the liens were part of an ongoing dispute he had with the IRS over money he never received."I have paid taxes on everything I have earned," he said. "I don't like it when the government bullies around."The two did agree on some matters, such as their joint opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership that would lower trade barriers between the United States and Asian countries such as Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam. Both men agreed they put American laborers at a disadvantage. The pair also agreed the Social Security cap on taxable income needed to be raised to keep the program solvent, though they differed on changes.In a normal election year, a Democratic incumbent in the 17th District would be a safe bet for re-election. With Easton, Wilkes-Barre and Scranton anchoring the population, registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by 2-1. However, Trump's appeal with white, blue-collar voters could complicate things in the district.The district includes Schuylkill County and portions of Carbon, Lackawanna, Monroe and Northampton counties.