(Associated Press) Elizabeth Warren made a forceful case for a female president in Tuesday night’s final presidential debate before primary voting begins.

She also stood behind her accusation that progressive rival Bernie Sanders had told her a woman couldn’t beat Donald Trump.

Sanders vehemently denied Warren’s accusation, which threatened to split the Democratic Party’s left flank at a critical moment less than three weeks before Iowa’s caucuses.

And he said of course a woman could win, noting that Hillary Clinton scored millions more votes than Trump.

The Democratic Party’s leading presidential candidates also sparred over Iraq, war and foreign policy.