The five Democratic candidates who want to replace incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss collided Sunday in their first televised debate over campaign cash, gay marriage, political experience and even the past TV reporting of one of the candidates.

The thinly funded candidates attacked former state lawmaker Jim Martin for taking special-interest campaign money. DeKalb Chief Executive Officer Vernon Jones and former WSB-TV investigative reporter Dale Cardwell traded jabs over Cardwell's past reporting.

Jessica McGowan/AJC Special (ENLARGE)

Democratic candidates for the U.S. Senate including (from left) former WSB reporter Dale Cradwell, Dekalb County CEO Vernon Jones, Rand Knight, Jim Martin and Josh Lanier (background) leave the set after they faced each other during a live debate at Fox 5 studio.

Jessica McGowan/AJC Special (ENLARGE)

Democratic candidates for the U.S. Senate including (from left) Dale Cardwell, Vernon Jones, Rand Knight, Josh Lanier and Jim Martin face each other during a live debate at Fox 5 studio on Sunday.

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And retired businessman Josh Lanier of Statesboro quizzed Jones about why he voted for President George Bush in 2000 and 2004. Lanier and Atlanta businessman Rand Knight said they support gay marriage; Jones, Cardwell and Martin oppose it.

The candidates previously met in two political "forums," but Sunday afternoon's debate at Fox 5 TV was the first time they have been able to directly confront each other.

Candidates were allowed to question each other. And the gloves occasionally came off in what has heretofore been a tame run-up to the July 15 primary.

With just over two weeks until the vote, the issue of who funds statewide campaigns again emerged as a key issue. Cardwell and Lainer, the only two candidates who have vowed not to take political action committee or PAC money, again assailed Martin, whose campaign has partially been funded by large Democratic Party PACs.

"Do you want attorneys to decide who our next senator will be?" Cardwell asked after accusing Martin of getting half his campaign money from lawyers.

Martin, an Atlanta attorney, fired back that only 3 percent of his campaign cash is coming from special-interest groups. He noted that his next financial report will show "broad [financial] support" across the state.

An 18-year veteran of the state Legislature, Martin said a successful Democratic candidate will have to be adequately funded to beat Chambliss, who has a brimming campaign war-chest. "I play by the rules all candidates play by, certainly the rules Saxby Chambliss is playing by," Martin said.

Lanier said all candidates talk about limiting the influence of special-interest money on candidates – and have been doing so since Theodore Roosevelt was president. "We can't just keep saying we'll change it when we get elected," Lanier said.

Some of the sharpest exchanges were between Cardwell and Jones – and Cardwell and Martin – over the former TV reporter's investigative efforts when he worked for WSB. "I like Vernon," Cardwell said at one point, when asked if his reporting on the DeKalb CEO was fair.

Cardwell said he did critical stories on many politicians during his TV days, including Republican Gov. Sonny Perdue. Cardwell then slowly spelled out the name of a Web site critical of Jones that was started by former DeKalb police officers.

At one point, Jones shot back, "Obviously his factual reports have not been factual."

Jones and Knight also traded jabs when Knight, a political novice, turned to Jones and said: "I don't think you've ever met a bond issue you did not like."

Jones shot back that DeKalb bond issues have been approved by the voters and have funded needed improvements like street paving and green space purchases. The former lawmaker then pointed to Knight's lack of experience in government.

"Obviously, here is the case of someone who will talk the talk but who has never had to walk the walk," Jones said.