Topeka ? The Republican Party primary between U.S. House members Jerry Moran and Todd Tiahrt to replace U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., heated up on Saturday.

Tiahrt said Moran has criticized him for bringing his family to live in the Washington, D.C. area while he serves in Congress. Moran’s family has remained in Kansas while Moran has served in Congress.

“I think that going after families is out of bounds,” Tiahrt said at the GOP State Committee meeting.

But Dan Lara, a spokesman for Moran, said Moran was not criticizing Tiahrt’s family nor Tiahrt’s decision to bring his family to the D.C.- area. He said Moran has made the point that oftentimes congressmen lose touch with their district.

On Friday, Tiahrt and Moran appeared at a forum before the Kansas Chamber. At that event, Moran noted that one of his goals as a congressman was not to allow Washington to change him. Moran said he and his wife decided to keep the family in Hays, and he would return during days off. “Washington D.C. is a very corrupting place,” he said.

On Saturday, Tiahrt said when first elected to Congress, he kept his family in Kansas but it didn’t work out. “I made my wife a single parent,” he said.

He said he and his wife decided to move the family to live in northern Virginia. He said he was able to see his children a lot more. Tiahrt brought up his son’s 2004 suicide, and that he has cherished that time he was able to be with his family during evening meals.

Moran was not at the meeting when Tiahrt made his comments. GOP Chair Amanda Adkins later announced Moran had a townhall meeting earlier in the day and had lost his voice.

Lara, Moran’s spokesman, later met with reporters to respond to Tiahrt’s comments.