If there were any doubts the state auditor's race is this election's ugliest matchup, they were dissolved Thursday after a tense and animated Seattle Times editorial-board endorsement interview.

Republican James Watkins and Democrat Troy Kelley took turns portraying each other as unethical and unfit to serve occasionally relying on props like a copy of the United States tax code during the hourlong session, which barely delved into substantive issues related to the state watchdog agency's work.

When they weren't bickering, the hopefuls spelled out somewhat different visions for the office. Watkins, a Redmond business-development consultant with performance-review experience, said he would prioritize working closely with the governor and putting more money into assisting audits in smaller counties.

Kelley, owner of an escrow-services company and three-term state representative from University Place, said he would focus on auditing data security issues, interstate compacts and the implementation of President Obama's signature health-care law.

Both candidates repeatedly praised current Auditor Brian Sonntag, who is retiring after two decades on the job. He has not endorsed a successor.

They were far less kind about each other.

The fireworks began about 15 minutes in, when Watkins was asked about a website he recently put up to attack Kelley.

The website, factchecktroykelley.com, contains hundreds of pages of court documents primarily from two lawsuits.

One was a 2010 case in which Kelley paid an undisclosed settlement with a business customer, Old Republic National Title, which accused him of "fraudulently transferring funds, intentional spoliation of evidence, shady business schemes, tax evasion, and hiding from creditors" $3.8 million in newly formed accounts.

The other was an earlier case in which Kelley said he received an undisclosed settlement against his employer, First American Financial, after claiming he was fired for refusing to help cover up illegal activity. The company denied that, saying his exit was tied to a reorganization.

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Watkins, Kelley trade personal attacks in animated endorsement interview