Durbin, Oberweis Tussle In Final Debate [AUDIO]

John Gregory -- Illinois Radio Network

The two major candidates for U.S. Senate touched on some new topics in their final joint appearance of the campaign.

Among them: Whether the NFL should keep its tax-exempt status. U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said there are rumblings in Congress about changing the league’s classification as a non-profit organization.

“Both the NFL and the National League Hockey are tax-exempt,” Durbin said.  “The National Basketball Association and Major League Baseball are not.  Why?  No one can explain why there’s a difference.”

The candidates also touched on space travel during their debate broadcast on public television.  State Sen. Jim Oberweis (R-Sugar Grove), the Republican Senate nominee, says the explosion of a private company’s unmanned craft loaded with supplies for the International Space Station shouldn’t affect the growth of private space flight.

“Just because there was one rocket failure shouldn’t invalidate that program," Oberweis said.  “When NASA was running it, we had a much more serious failure.”

The candidates did agree on several issues brought up during the debate, including a federal law legalizing medical marijuana, and opposing the use of public funds to build the Obama presidential library.

Durbin said he opposes term limits:

Oberweis had originally called for seven official debates against Durbin. In the end, they met in two broadcast debates.