Gillibrand and DioGuardi hold their first debate

Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Republican rival Joe DioGuardi clashed over health care, gun control and each other's trustworthiness in their first campaign debate Friday.

Gillibrand, the former upstate congresswoman appointed to replace Hillary Rodham Clinton when she became secretary of state, sought to demonstrate she has been an effective voice in the Senate during her brief tenure. Polls show her leading DioGuardi but also indicate she is still not well known to voters statewide.

DioGuardi was a House member from upstate in the 1980s. He played up his credentials during the debate in Manhattan as an accountant who would "take a sharp pencil to Washington" to address federal spending, taxes and debt.

Gillibrand, once a supporter of gun rights, was pressed on why she had changed her position on that and other issues when she went to the Senate.

She said she now worked on gun control with urban leaders like Mayor Michael Bloomberg, so was focused on keeping illegal guns out of cities and away from gangs, and reducing gun trafficking.

DioGuardi said Gillibrand's shift showed political expediency, and that voters deserved a lawmaker who was consistent on key issues. "I haven't changed my views on anything in my whole life," he said.

DioGuardi pledged to repeal the landmark health care law passed last year, which Gillibrand supported. He also called for extending former President George W. Bush's tax cuts, which are set to expire early next year.

Gillibrand said she would support an extension for those who earn under $250,000, but not for the wealthy.

DioGuardi was asked about his relationship with Medical Capital Holdings, which federal investigators believe ran a $1.7-billion Ponzi scheme that defrauded investors. He said he had been a consultant to one of the company's subsidiaries but was involved with nothing illegal. "This is pure fabrication," he said.