CAMP HILL — Without any debates scheduled, Pennsylvania’s two Republican U.S. Senate candidates came as close to each other as they’ve been in public on Friday.

Before a crowd of about 200 people at the Pennsylvania Leadership Conference in suburban Harrisburg, state Rep. Jim Christiana of Beaver County and U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta of Hazleton answered questions separately from conservative commentators.

While Barletta focused his criticism on the man he wants to unseat, second-term Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, Christiana attacked Barletta.

Friday’s stage might be the closest the men get to each other — and it might be their biggest audience — before the May 15 primary election. Christiana said that he has asked Barletta for debates in every Pennsylvania media market, and received no response from Barletta’s campaign.