PORTLAND – Sharp differences on foreign and domestic policy were highlighted Saturday when Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins and her Democratic challenger Chellie Pingree held their first face-off.

The debate took place before a near-capacity crowd at Portland High School Auditorium and was televised live by Maine Public Broadcasting. The crowd was an active participant in the debate, both with people cheering loudly for their candidates and submitting questions.

Both candidates were well versed on the wide range of issues, and each focused on her record in public service. Collins repeatedly referred to bills she had sponsored during her first term in the U.S. Senate, and Pingree cited a long list of accomplishments during her four terms in the Maine Senate.

“My record reflects that I have kept my promises,” said Collins.

Pingree promised the gathering that “when it’s a choice between the big special interests and the people of Maine, I will always be on your side.”

Although they took opposite positions on a number of issues, the differences between the two candidates were particularly acute on the issue of Iraq.

In response to a question about the recent congressional resolution that gave the Bush administration authority to wage war against Iraq, Pingree said that unlike Collins, she would have voted against the measure.

Pingree said she did not believe that President Bush had “made the case” for waging war without first putting together a coalition of allies. She said she was concerned that war against Iraq might detract from the war on terrorism and escalate problems in the region.

“I agree that Saddam Hussein is a dangerous dictator and a threat to our security,” said Pingree. “I think it’s extremely important that the United States does not act unilaterally.”

Collins said that while she had reservations about the administration’s position in the beginning, she eventually determined that the planned course of action was proper. She said she reached that conclusion after meeting with Secretary of State Colin Powell and taking part in a series of classified briefings.

Collins said that while war “should be the last resort and not the first alternative,” she stressed that Hussein had compiled a large stock of chemical and biological weapons and ignored the United Nations for years. She said she agreed with Powell that “to avoid war, you have to express your willingness to wage war.”

Pingree and Collins also differed on the issue of health care.

Pingree said she had fought successfully to lower prescription drug prices and would also lead the fight to develop a single-payer health care system for all. She said everyone agrees that Americans need universal health care, but that politicians have lacked the fortitude to make it reality.

“I believe the problem has been a lack of political will,” said Pingree. “I believe there is a way to have single coverage that will work in this country.”

Collins said she supported expanded access to health care but not through a single-payer system. She said that expanding access to Medicare and giving tax breaks to industries and small businesses that provide insurance for their employees was the way to address the issue.

“I do not believe in a single-payer system,” said Collins. “We need to build on the strength of our current system.”

The debate was sponsored by MPBN, the Edmund S. Muskie School of Public Service and the Margaret Chase Smith Center on Public Policy. The debate will be replayed on Maine Public Radio at 1 p.m. today. Three more televised debates will be held over the course of the next two weeks.

Supporters of Collins and Pingree said afterward that they were satisfied with the debate. Many already have made up their minds on how they will vote, but it is the undecided voter that could play a major role in the outcome of the election.

One of the undecided, Michelle Carr of Portland, said afterward that she had yet to make up her mind on either candidate and was looking forward to the other upcoming debates.

“I think much of what was said was educational and informative rather than defensive or arrogant,” said Carr. “I still haven’t made up my mind.”