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Republican Bill Cleaveland and Democrat Gwen Mason found themselves in agreement on most of the detailed technical questions posed by the senior citizen advocacy groups that hosted their candidates forum in Roanoke on Tuesday.

But when it came to funding transportation and cutting the state budget, the two candidates vying to replace Del. William Fralin in the Virginia General Assembly disagreed sharply.

On transportation, the two tended to follow the lead of their respective party's candidate for governor.

Like Democrat Creigh Deeds, Mason said the state needs to do a better job maintaining its roads and facilities, and if it comes down to it, she'll consider voting for a tax increase to do it.

"If we needed the funds to make our roads safe -- no one wants to raise taxes, but if we had to find revenue through measures that are being proposed, of course I'd vote for it," Mason said. "It's the right thing to do."

Like Republican Bob McDonnell, Cleaveland said he'd look for inefficiencies in the Virginia Department of Transportation, use money from privatizing state liquor sales and eventually use money generated by drilling for oil off the state's shores.

"My position has been clear -- we need to put a rein on government spending," Cleaveland said. "I happen to disagree there's no other room to move. ... This is the time for the legislature to show you as citizens that we're going to do what we're asking you to do -- and that is cut where it hurts if necessary."

But in response to another question, Cleaveland said he disagreed with Gov. Tim Kaine's plan to cut $1.35 billion for the current fiscal year, especially his proposal to trim the public safety budget by closing three state correctional facilities.

But with the exception of a proposal to cut back on monthly maintenance of state laptop computers, Cleaveland didn't offer many alternatives except to look for "lack of efficiency [and] duplication of services."

Mason didn't directly endorse Kaine's proposed cuts, but she did praise him for making "strategic" cuts to certain programs and services while protecting K-12 education.

Both Cleaveland and Mason, however, disagreed with Kaine's closure of many of the state's interstate rest stops, including seven on Interstate 81.

The forum was sponsored by AARP Virginia, the Alzheimer's Association, the Virginia chapters of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the Virginia Association of Centers for Independent Living and the Virginia Association of Area Agencies on Aging.

Most of the questions posed by the host groups dwelt on technical questions involving health care, housing and transportation for the elderly. In response to the majority of those questions, Cleaveland and Mason had similar answers.

They both cited personal examples of caring for their aging parents and talked about the challenges faced by an increasingly elderly population in need of more services.

Tuesday's forum -- the first between Botetourt County lawyer Cleaveland and Roanoke City Councilwoman Mason -- marked a turning point in the campaign to represent the 17th House district, which encompasses parts of Roanoke and Roanoke County and a slice of Botetourt County. The two candidates spent most of the past few months quietly campaigning, raising money and visiting neighborhoods.

But with only weeks until Election Day, the race -- which is being closely watched by both parties as they seek control of the House of Delegates -- has shifted into high gear. Mason started airing advertisements on television last week, and Cleaveland followed suit this week.

The two are also scheduled for a full slate of candidates forums with neighborhood, legal and business groups in October.