Democrat Jared Polis and Republican Walker Stapleton clashed over nearly everything but kombucha Friday night in the first televised gubernatorial debate of the general election, held just 10 days before ballots go out to Colorado voters.

While the two candidates affirmed their mutual support for the zesty, fermented beverage in the final moments of the hour-long televised debate, they found almost no common ground up to that point.

Again and again, Stapleton, a two-term state treasurer, blasted Polis for what he termed the five-term congressman’s “radical and extreme” proposals, while Polis responded numerous times that Stapleton was “attacking plans that are not mine.”

The debate – one of eight forums and debates the candidates have scheduled before the election – was sponsored by Denver TV stations KCNC-CBS4 and Colorado Public Television-12, radio stations KOA and KHOW, and the Colorado Sun news website. It was broadcast live.

WATCH the debate at the end of this story.

Earlier Friday, the two men clashed in a morning candidate event sponsored by the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce and moderated by Denver Business Journal statehouse reporter Ed Sealover.

> CLICK HERE for coverage and a video of the chamber debate.

There was no shortage of contention in the Friday evening debate, including over taxes.

“I’m not interested in getting in a food fight with him,” Stapleton said at one point, following nearly a solid minute of bickering about whether either man plans to release his recent recent tax returns.

But the chow was flying and the lines were drawn from the start.

Asked how they would vote on Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court – a question that dominated the day’s news – Polis said he would vote against confirming Kavanaugh, while Stapleton said he would support elevating the conservative judge to the high court.

“I opposed him before those charges,” Polis said, referring to allegations of past sexual misconduct by Kavanaugh that have emerged in recent weeks. “I oppose his fundamental judicial philosophy as restricting our freedom and a failure to rein in an imperial presidency.”

“Washington has made an absolute circus out of this, and now the Senate needs to vote,” Stapleton said.

(The Senate was scheduled to vote on Kavanaugh on Saturday, with confirmation considered likely.)

At several points, Stapleton reiterated his contention that Polis is “the most radical, extreme candidate for governor in Colorado history,” pointing to Polis’ proposals – ranging from universal health care to moving the state toward 100-percent renewable power sources – that Stapleton claimed would triple the state’s $30 billion annual budget “with no way to pay for it.”

But Polis countered that Stapleton was mischaracterizing his plans, which the Democrat said would save money and spur economic growth.

“You’re the only one here supporting an initiative that would put our state deeper in debt,” Polis said after the two scrapped over proposals to fund transportation improvements.

Asked by moderator Shaun Boyd whether their own roughly 20-year-old “brushes with the law” revealed anything about their opponents’ character, both candidates demurred.

“It’s entirely up to the voters,” said Polis, who was cited for drag racing with an already suspended license and admitted to pushing an employee he suspected of stealing documents from his company. (The employee later pleaded guilty to theft in the only charges resulting from the incident.)

Stapleton agreed that judgment should be left to voters when asked about the time he was ticketed for driving under the influence and leaving the scene of an accident. (Stapleton later pleaded “no contest” to driving under the influence, and prosecutors dropped the other charges. He was sentenced to three years of probation.)

“I made a mistake, I learned from the mistake, it was the subject of a million-dollar ad campaign when I first ran for treasurer, and I’ve moved on in life,” he said.

Stapleton vowed to “govern as a pro-life governor” but refused to speculate about what laws he might sign if the Supreme Court overturns the Roe v. Wade decision that forbids states from outlawing abortion in many circumstances. He added that he would support a ban on third-trimester abortions.

Saying he “obviously” doesn’t favor late-term abortions, as Stapleton had charged, Polis said: “But what I want even less is Walker Stapleton deciding that for the women of Colorado.” He added that women should make their own decisions about pregnancy and supports “policies that reduce the need for abortion,” such as making long-term contraceptives available.

The candidates agreed the state needs to face the challenges posed by rapid growth but differed on their approaches.

“Growth means jobs and jobs mean growth,” Stapleton said. “They are inextricably linked, and that’s why I said that my top priority will be to fix Colorado’s crumbling infrastructure for the long term.”

He said his funding proposals include taxing sports gambling, reforming “the broken medical marijuana system” and getting the state’s maintenance costs in line with those incurred by neighboring mountain states. Stapleton also derided Polis’ proposals to spend transportation dollars on “multi-modal” improvements, including public transit and bicycle lanes.

“It seems like every time Walker talks, it’s ‘noun, verb, Jared Polis,’ ‘noun, verb, Jared Polis.’ I’m here to tell you about my plans,” Polis said, later adding: “Walker just said that buses, light rail and bikes are somehow radical. These are ways Coloradans get to work.”

He said issues spurred by growth affect every Coloradan’s quality of life, whether it’s longer commutes robbing time from families or rising costs pinching household budgets. He argued that expanding rural broadband would expand economic opportunities throughout the state, in addition to reducing the need to travel as much.

“I bring that real-world, practical experience to the governorship, and I can make growth work for every Colorado family,” Polis said.

> CLICK HERE for the candidates’ full debate schedule.

The candidates are set to meet on stage three more times in the next week, including at a debate in Grand Junction at 7 p.m. Saturday night – sponsored by the Daily Sentinel of Grand Junction, Colorado Mesa University and Rocky Mountain PBS, it’s set to air live online and on KRMA-Chanel 6. They’re debating at 7 p.m. Monday in Pueblo at an event sponsored by The Pueblo Chieftain.

On Oct. 13, Colorado Politics, The Gazette, Colorado Springs TV station KOAA-News5 and the El Pomar Foundation are sponsoring a debate in Colorado Springs, which will be viewable online. (That event also includes debates by candidates for the other major statewide offices.) CLICK HERE for more information.

BELOW: Watch Friday’s televised debate in its entirety.

CLARIFICATION: This story has been updated to reflect that Stapleton pleaded no contest to driving under the influence at the same time prosecutors dismissed charges that included leaving the scene of an accident.