On a hot Friday night in Phoenix, former congressman J.D. Hayworth needed to make a splash in his first televised debate with Sen. John McCain, his chief opponent in Arizona’s upcoming GOP Senate primary. Hayworth, politically, has been on the ropes in recent weeks — down in the polls and rattled by McCain’s blizzard of ads ridiculing his participation in an infomercial advertising federal loans. Desperate to find a way to regain his footing — to turn the spotlight away from his stumbles and onto the record of the 28-year incumbent — Hayworth put in a fine performance.

Throughout the hour-long clash on local television, Hayworth, looking relaxed and prepared, ably tangled with McCain on a variety of issues, zinging the senator with a handful of spiked gibes. Notably, however, and presumably much to his supporters’ chagrin, there was no knock-out punch, little crosstalk, and no clear-cut winner. Hayworth scored points, but he did not “win” the debate. It was more of a bruising tie. McCain, for his part, was steady and articulate, brushing off many of Hayworth’s policy criticisms with ease. The senior senator, known for his sharp tongue, also came armed with some notably Reagan-esque quips. By the end of evening, Hayworth’s victory, if any, came in making McCain defend much of his record, point by point.

Though immigration, financial regulation, the bailouts, and earmarks featured prominently, it was the takedowns and endless sniping, often weaved into answers, which ended up defining the night. Simply put, this primary has gotten nasty. While McCain and Hayworth did their best to look low-key and amiable, both seemed to have coals under their feet, smoking each other at every opportunity with a verbal smack or an eye roll. “There he goes again,” McCain said throughout the evening. “Political shape shifter” was a favorite line of Hayworth’s about McCain. And so it went.

Hayworth was asked the first question, and it was an oddly pointed one, a little personal: The moderator mentioned that Dick Armey once called Hayworth’s House career “mediocre” and asked Hayworth whether that was true. Hayworth, smartly, didn’t dive right in, first thanking the voters and his opponents for joining him for the debate. Then, quickly, he established his theme: Looking straight at the camera, Hayworth told the viewers that they can choose between a “convenient conservative” — with a nod toward McCain — or a “consistent conservative.”

In defending his congressional record, he placed his past efforts on tax cuts front and center — a recurring theme. McCain, he noted, voted against the Bush tax cuts in 2001 and 2003 — tax cuts, he argued, that helped to “reinvigorate” the economy, and ones which he helped to write while on the Hill. As he wrapped his strong opening answer, however, we got a glimpse of the J.D. persona that irks many — the guy who slaps back a little too hard. “Mr. Armey,” he said with a slight smirk, “may have other reasons [for the remark], perhaps his enthusiasm for open borders and amnesty.” After making such a solid pitch on his economic record, Hayworth’s sidestep into immigration, via an attack on Armey, was simply too much, too soon, and off-topic.

As the camera turned toward McCain, you could tell that the Arizona senator had had a private chuckle about the moderator’s choice for the initial question. “Yes, I would agree with Dick Armey,” he mused. He then gestured toward Hayworth, acknowledging that from the first answer, Hayworth sounded like a “pretty persuasive fellow.” But McCain knew he had gotten a softball, a gimme-putt opening topic, and he swung hard: “After he was voted out by his constituents, he became a lobbyist and after that, a talk-show host, and after that, an infomercial, late-night star. So he’s certainly had an interesting career.” Flicking Hayworth’s resume was almost too much fun for McCain — he wore his signature, barely-contained smile throughout. McCain also made sure to mention a litany of conservative groups supporting his candidacy. “I’m a proud, Ronald Reagan conservative,” he concluded, setting up his own theme for the evening.

Next up was Jim Deakin, the third candidate in the race and a tea-party activist. Maybe it was just an off-night for the gentleman, but Deakin struggled with the forum throughout, from his opening lines to his closing statement, often pausing uncomfortably and forgetting what he wanted to say, or mixing up his talking-points. He didn’t make much of an impression, but a hat tip to him for at least bringing up the Constitution more than his two opponents. Hayworth, knowing that he had limited time to make a dent in McCain’s armor — and that Deakin, if anything, took away tea-party votes from his own campaign — ignored Deakin and directed all of his punches toward the senator. It was an understandable move, but perhaps Hayworth should have reached out, in tea-party brotherhood, to Deakin, whose supporters may be open to swinging to Hayworth.

Soon, Hayworth remarked: “It’s very interesting to see John back on the attack trail. John claims he’s a Ronald Reagan Republican, but right out of the gate, he’s violating the Eleventh Commandment.” This was a little curious, since Hayworth seemed more than happy to speak ill of McCain, a fellow Republican.

Wisely, Hayworth came out early and said that he was wrong to make the infomercial for government loans. Addressing this head on helped Hayworth play offense. “I’m willing to admit my mistakes,” he said. “They were more personal in nature. The unfortunate thing, John, is that you’ve made mistakes that have hurt America.” He then hammered McCain, again, on tax cuts and for leading the fight for comprehensive immigration reform in 2007.

One could tell that Hayworth was getting under McCain’s skin. McCain would not look at Hayworth while the former congressman went on his mini-lecture about McCain’s record. Instead, McCain smiled tightly and scribbled on his pad. But McCain, known for his temper, did not get steamed. You could tell that he was annoyed by Hayworth, but was far from visibly fuming about it.

The moderator then turned to the financial-regulation bill that recently passed in Congress. Hayworth has a fun line here — the kind helps one to understand why he’s such a popular, and natural, radio-show host: “This new legislation is like handing a book of matches and a can of gasoline to a pyromaniac.” He needled McCain for “voting for the bailouts” in 2008.

McCain responded by agreeing with Hayworth about the new financial-regulation legislation, calling it a “travesty,” and said it did not address institutions being “too big to fail” or Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. “Congressman Hayworth voted to have Fannie and Freddie continue the ways that led to a financial meltdown,” McCain said. McCain also made sure to note that he has “never supported amnesty.” Deakin chuckled at this last comment.

Foreign affairs came next. McCain said Afghanistan would be “long and hard and tough” but stated with confidence that “we could succeed,” as long as the U.S. does not set a date for withdrawal. This topic was McCain’s best — he came across as a dedicated statesman and military man. The senator talked up his recent Fourth of July visit to the region and his at-one-time unpopular support of the surge in Iraq, saying his position there was similar to his unyielding commitment to U.S. efforts in Afghanistan. Hayworth was weak here: He framed his Afghan position around the rules of engagement, saying President Obama “does not understand” how to win the war. McCain, in response, said Hayworth does not understand the war. The rules of engagement for Gen. David Petraeus, the senator said, had already “been tweaked.”

The moderator swung things back to Hayworth’s record, asking the former congressman about his ties to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his work as a “television pitch man” for government-loan salesmen. McCain’s camp, the moderator said, called J.D. a “huckster,” and asked for a response. “It’s really sad to see John McCain, who we used to view as a statesman, reduced to being a political shape-shifter,” Hayworth said. “There you go again,” McCain laughed, attempting to mock Hayworth much like Reagan did with Jimmy Carter in the 1980 presidential debates.

Things began to get more interesting as McCain hit back. “Facts are stubborn things,” he said. Detailing his work as a maverick and slamming Hayworth for his past earmarks, McCain got back some mo, rehearsing well-worn lines. “I stood up against my own president, I stood up against my own leadership [on spending],” he said. “I was called the sheriff . . . I didn’t win Miss Congeniality.”

Hayworth returned the volley, saying that the senator should have taken on Obama with as much verve in the 2008 presidential race: “John, if you had told the truth about Barack Obama the way you are spreading falsehoods about me, you might be president of the United States right now.” More: “Shame on you,” Hayworth said, pointing his finger at McCain. “Arizona deserves better.”

McCain smiled. He came right back, zeroing in on Hayworth’s vulnerabilities. “My God, man, didn’t you know that this was a group that was taking people’s money to get them free money?” the senator said, in reference to Hayworth’s presumed lack of due diligence about the infomercial. “No one can call themselves a conservative when they engage in that kind of activity.”

Immigration — the big issue in Arizona — soon bubbled up. McCain talked up his “ten-point plan” to secure the border, one he recently proposed along with Sen. Jon Kyl (R., Ariz.). He also spoke about how important it was to fight drug crime spilling over from Mexico, and about why he is pushing for more troops at the border. Hayworth snapped that McCain’s tough border talk was a “blatant form of hucksterism” and that the Arizona senator was a closet supporter of amnesty. Hayworth then singed McCain by bringing up that liberal lion, the late Ted Kennedy, which whom McCain sponsored an immigration-reform bill. “I sponsored the Enforcement First Act,” Hayworth said, looking toward McCain — “Big difference.” McCain’s ten-point plan, he added, was nothing more than a “political document” that McCain is using to “get through this election” and “fool the people of Arizona once more.” Looking toward the floor, he piled on: “I thought he might have worn flip-flops from the pool.”

As the debate shifted to Obamacare and tax cuts, all three candidates were in agreement: support repeal and more tax cuts. McCain spoke about his months-long opposition to Obamacare, where he often argued against the bill with gusto on the Senate floor. Hayworth did not even let McCain take credit for that: “The Senate could have stayed in session so we could have defeated that bill instead of placidly signing off, going home for Christmas, and now talking about repeal,” he said. McCain chuckled and said it was absurd to say that he did not play a large role in combating Obamacare. While that attack fell flat, Hayworth scored a point by making McCain defend his support of the Troubled Assets Relief Program.

As the clock began to tick, Hayworth and McCain were both still standing, and smiling, but Hayworth seemed more of an equal — charismatic and well-briefed — a far cry from his recent role as the could’ve-been insurgent. With only 90 seconds each, the closing statements got right to the point. McCain focused on his experience, which he says has “helped him to lead.” You can count on me, he said, “to continue to lead with principle, honor, and dignity.” McCain hoped that voters ask themselves about “who can be more effective.”

Hayworth concluded by saying that a vote for him means Arizona conservatives will get a “first line of advocacy” in the Senate, “not the last line of defense.” It wasn’t a showy ending, but for Hayworth, it was enough. For him, the 60 minutes were useful — a way to reintroduce his campaign and his personality. While the one-liners will get lots of press coverage, it was Hayworth’s full performance — as of someone who’s in it to win it, despite his recent series of missteps and bad breaks — that was noteworthy. McCain, meanwhile, was the classic frontrunner: An incumbent who remains tough to beat and as sharp as ever as the opposition closes in.

Round two — the second debate – is tonight on Arizona Public Media. Grab your popcorn. The primary is on August 24.