Topeka ? The two leading Republican candidates for U.S. Senate wanted no part of controversial comments made by their party’s leader on the war in Afghanistan.

U.S. Reps. Jerry Moran and Todd Tiahrt voiced unequivocal support for the mission in Afghanistan when asked during a debate Tuesday evening what they thought of Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele’s comments.

Earlier this month, Steele said at a fundraiser that the war in Afghanistan “was a war of (President) Obama’s choosing.”

Steele added, “This is not something the United States has actively prosecuted or wanted to engage in. If he’s such a student of history, has he not understood that, you know, that’s the one thing you don’t do is engage in a land war in Afghani-stan? All right? Because everyone who’s tried, over a thousand years of history, has failed.”

Asked to respond to those comments during a televised debate on Tuesday, Tiahrt and Moran said the goal in the war in Afghanistan was to establish a government there and prevent terrorists from training in the area.

“Our military leaders believe that success can occur,” Moran said.

Tiahrt said, “Given the right resources and right emphasis, our troops can accomplish almost anything.”

Steele has come under a lot of criticism for his comments, including within his own party. U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told CBS’ “Face the Nation” that “this is not President Obama’s war. This is America’s war. We need to stand behind the president.”

Neither Moran nor Tiahrt mentioned Steele by name during the debate. Both candidates said the war was worth fighting and praised the efforts of U.S. soldiers.

Moran said stabilizing Afghanistan was important to stop terrorism in the region. He noted the fact that Afghanistan’s neighbor, Pakistan, has nuclear weapons.

Tiahrt said there were many naysayers about increasing troop levels in Iraq, but that the strategy succeeded. The same can happen in Afghanistan, he said. He said the war could become a quagmire if President Obama fails to give the troops and generals what they need.

Moran and Tiahrt face off in the Aug. 3 GOP primary.