The two major party candidates for governor met in their first, face-to-face debate of the campaign yesterday(Thur).
Republican Governor Terry Branstad and Democratic challenger Jack Hatch quarreled over the past and traded jabs over their proposals for the future.
Branstad described himself as a life-long Iowan who grew up on a farm and suggested Hatch, who is a state senator from Des Moines, can’t relate to rural Iowans.
The candidates spent several minutes of the debate focused on the previous governor, Democrat Chet Culver. Hatch defended Culver’s decision to borrow to build infrastructure and recover from the floods of 2008. Branstad was on the edge of his chair, waiting with this response:
Branstad argued the state is now dealing with natural disasters, without borrowing to finance recovery efforts. The debate’s moderator tried to move on to another topic, but Hatch interjected, suggesting the eastern Iowa cities hit by flooding six years ago would still be struggling if the borrowed state money hadn’t been there.
The two quarreled over the state package of incentives for the Egyptian company that’s building a fertilizer plant in Lee County. Hatch says the company got too much…and Branstad says Iowa farmers will benefit from the plant’s cheaper fertilizer.
On the subject of gambling and the Racing and Gaming Commission’s decision to deny a casino license to Cedar Rapids, Branstad says regulators should follow the law and “determine what’s in the best interests of the state of Iowa.” Hatch says state regulators shouldn’t deny Cedar Rapids a casino because it might take business away from casinos in Waterloo and Riverside. Hatch says the market should decide winners and losers. At the beginning of the debate, Branstad said he had “only just begun” and promised to serve all four years if he’s elected to a sixth term as governor. Hatch repeatedly criticized Branstad’s management style and brought up allegations that the governor is changing job classifications so Branstad can threaten immediate termination if administrative law judges don’t decide cases as the governor wants. Branstad called Hatch “crazy.” Branstad opened the debate by unveiling what he called his “Connect Every Acre” proposal, new state incentives to businesses to expand broadband service in rural areas.
Hatch says Branstad’s “Connect Every Iowan” incentive plan failed to make it through the legislature this past year because “special interests” killed it and Hatch says it may be time to regulate broadband like a utility.
The debate was sponsored and broadcast statewide by Iowa Public Television and it was staged inside a livestock sale ring on the state fairgrounds.
