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Elizabeth Warren, Geoff Diehl Senate Debate: What To Watch For

BOSTON (CBS) – The first televised debate in the U.S. Senate race in Massachusetts between Republican state Rep. Geoff Diehl and incumbent Democrat Senator Elizabeth Warren is just hours away.

You can watch the hour-long debate live on WSBK-TV from 8-9 p.m. or the live stream on CBSBoston.com.

WBZ-TV political analyst Jon Keller will moderate the debate, which will include questions submitted from voters.

WBZ Senate Debate
(WBZ-TV graphic)

Warren drew a great deal of national attention earlier this week when she released a DNA test detailing Native American heritage. That also increased speculation she may run for president in 2020.

Diehl, a supporter of President Donald Trump, has called on Warren to drop out of the race, saying "her true intentions are to run for president."

So what can we expect at Friday night's debate?

"She's the incumbent, she has a big lead in all of the polls and this is Massachusetts, she can do all the Trump-bashing she wants and it will be well-received by her voters. Really, she has the easier task, she has to some extent, dribble out the clock and not give Diehl any leverage to pick up any kind of momentum," Keller said.

"Diehl, of course, faces a much more difficult challenge, and I think part of his challenge, obviously, he's got to go on the attack when you're 30 points down or whatever it is in the polls have him, you really don't have much choice. But he also needs to explain himself in a way that might persuade Trump-skeptical or Trump-averse voters to at least give him a chance to consider voting for him."

As for Warren's ancestry?

"The candidates will have ample opportunity to bring it up. I think you can probably expect there will be some discussion of that whole controversy as well," Keller said.

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