Transcripts For CSPAN Virginia Gubernatorial Debate 20171010

Cspan radio at 20 years where you hear history unfold daily. In the third and final debate for the Virginia Governor seat, republican ed gillespie and democrat Ralph Northman square off. The two debate education, jobs, opioid abuse, Broadband Access and Infrastructure Spending among other topics. This is about an hour. Good evening and welcome to beautiful wise, virginia, for the third and final virginia Gubernatorial Debate of 2017 cohosted by the university of virginias college at wise, the university of virginias school of leadership and Public Policy and the southwestern Virginia Technology council. My name is paul johnson. I am the evening anchor of wcyb and your host for this event. This is carmen foreman of the roanoke times. She covers state politics for the state of virginia. She will be asking questions of the candidates and i will be keeping track of the time. Today we will cover much ground as possible tonight while providing time for the issues affecting southwest virginia and the commonwealth today. Weve made every possible effort to ensure the fairness of these questions so central to our democracy. Let me state for on the record here the ground rules weve agreed to in an effort to advance the Public Interest in this conversation. The questionnaire seated beside me will ask each candidate a question in the order previously determined by a coin toss. Candidates will have a set response and rebuttal time which will count down on the floor clock. We will have candidatetocandidate questions and opening and closing remarks. When the candidates time has expired i will ask him to yield the floorment candidates should speak during the designated time and refrain from interrupting each other. Let us welcome our first candidate democrat ralph northam. [applause] now let us welcome our other candidate republican ed gillespie. [applause] now, please get the cheering out of your system because i will ask the audience not to applaud or make other noise until the end of the debate. Let the candidates speak for themselves. Now, we will have we will have twominute opening remarks from each candidate. The order was previously decided by a coin toss. Mr. Northam, you are up first. You have two minutes. Mr. Northam its great to be at the university of virginiawise. Thanks to carmen and paul for being our moderators. Its great to be back in wise and rural virginia. I grew up on virginias Eastern Shore, home to henry wise, who wise county was named after. I am the product of public schools. I attended Virginia Military institute and eastern virginia medical school. I served for eight years in the United States army taking care of Wounded Soldiers during desert storm. We have worked very hard over the last four years building the new virginia economy, bringing in over 215,000 new jobs to virginia. Our Unemployment Rate has gone from 5. 4 to 3. 8 . I believe in investing in virginians because when we do there is no other state that can beat us. My opponent, ed gillespie, is a d. C. Lobbyist. He believes in giving tax cuts to the wealthy at the expense of the working class which will put a 1. 4 billion hole in our budget. You know, as a doctor, i have a plan to resuscitate rural virginia. Its time to get the paddles out and shock rural virginia back to life, starting with universal access to broadband and cell coverage. I want to make sure all of our children have access to a worldclass Education System so they can be trained for the 21st century jobs. I want to make sure that we build ecosystems that can support startups and Small Businesses. Bring to expand i81 and amtrak out to rural virginia in the southwest. I want to make sure we talk about expanding the university of virginiawise right here bringing in more talent, bringing in more graduate courses so we can bring more business to rural virginia. And then finally, no individual, no family should be one medical illness away from financial demise. It shouldnt matter what zip code you live in. That shouldnt dictate whether you have access to health care or not. I look forward tonight to sharing my ideas on how we take virginia to the next level and how tomorrow happens right here in rural virginia. Thank you so much. Thank you, mr. Northam. Mr. Gillespie. Mr. Gillespie its great to be back at this great college. Ralph, its great to be with you again. I want to talk about the stakes of this election and the choices that are before us tonight because the stakes could not be higher and the choices could not be more clear. The fact is our Economic Growth has been stuck for six straight years now. Our Economic Growth rate last year in the commonwealth was. 6 making us 39th out of 50 states. Unfortunately, that wasnt an aberration. That was part of a pattern because for six straight years our Economic Growth rate has been below the national g. D. P. Rate. We used to always lead it and now were lagging it and for five of our six years our economic rate was below 45th . When it comes to wages and Economic Growth and job creation, virginia should be first in the country. And we can be with the right policies. But those are not the policies we have in place and have had in place for the past four years. Lieutenant governors time hit the bottom 10 states in Economic Growth. I know my policies will make life better for all virginiaans and will make sure the next generation can do better than the generation that came before us. And thats important to me. Im the son of an immigrant. My father came to this country as a child because his father, my grandfather, found work in america. And i was able to work my way through college. I was first generation on the other either side of my family and became counselor to the president of the United States of america. From janitor to the west wing of the white house in two generations time. I want to make sure that upward mobility is to virginians and my policies will do that. Lieutenant governor, i appreciate his service to our country and the commonwealth but his policies will make us have higher taxes and higher electric bills and fewer jobs is not where we need to go in virginia. We need to unleash Economic Growth and my policies will benefit all virginians and southwest virginia in particular for my plan for this area of our commonwealth. Paul thank you, mr. Gillespie. Its time to ask the first question. Carmen will do that. It goes to mr. Northam. Here are the rules. You will have 90 seconds and mr. Gillespie will have 90 seconds to respond and then you will have 60 seconds to respond to mr. Gillespie. The first question, carmen. Carmen mr. Northam, k12 schools are in crisis mode. With fewer Job Opportunities and more families moving out of the region, the schools are less. To make do with in the long term what would you do to reduce the disparity between rural and urban schools across the commonwealth . Mr. Northam thank you, carmen, for that question. You said exactly whats going on in rural virginia, whether it be on the Eastern Shore or south side or southwest. When people leave, these communities, there are less children and theres less funding for our public schools. So we need to make sure we understand that there is power in every child and every child should be able to reach the american depreemdreevement and the way we do that and we made a lot of great progress here in the commonwealth of virginia, but the first thing is to bring jobs into rural virginia. And when you bring jobs and allow families to come here and work and raise their families, then that helps the economy and it certainly helps with the public schools. O we have a plan right here in wise to expand the university of virginiawise to bring higher level talent into this area. Talent attracts business opportunity. School is important. One of the first places to start, we are underpaying our teachers right here in the commonwealth of virginia. If we are not only recruit but also retain teachers we have to make sure we put our money where our mouth is and make sure that k12 Public Education is a top priority. At the High School Level we have brought in more vocational and Technical Training and we are revising our s. O. L. s to make sure we teach our children not to take multiple choice tests. K12 is important. There are two things you ask about. How are the schools and how is health care . These are two areas that will be Top Priorities of mine in the next four years. All right, thank you. Mr. Gillespie, you have 90 seconds. Mr. Gillespie we need to talk about the population decline here in southwest virginia. Its having affect. The assembly came forward with the 1407b10 plan. We have schools where we have overcrowding and we have schools where we got population decline. We need to attract teachers to hardtostaff schools and i put forward a plan including student loan forgiveness for those teachers. We need to increase teacher compensation. And my k12 Education Plan does that. O to my website, edforvirginia. Com and you will see the plan there. We have the decline because of the economic numbers i was just talking about. We are not going to increase jobs in southwest virginia by doing what the Lieutenant Governor wants to do which is impose an obamastyle Clean Power Plan on virginia. The administration in washington, d. C. , the trump administration, has repealed the federal Clean Power Plan and the Lieutenant Governor wants to impose one. That will only result in more laidoff miners but laidoff factory workers because it will drive up electricity bills for all virginians. When you have laid off factory workers and miners. We already shed good manufacturing jobs and mining jobs in the commonwealth and it hits the poorest virginians hardest. They get hardest by higher electric bills. The rest of the country is not doing it. Thats going to drive up prices for our electric bills or i will oppose it. Higher electric bills or lower ones, a clear choice on november 7. Mr. Northam the question was about k12 education. Ed, i believe you say you are going to compensate our teachers but your economic plan, a tax cut of the wealthy at the expense of the working class puts a hole of 1. 4 billion in our budget. I dont know how you will pay our teachers more at the same time put a hole in our budget of 1. 4 billion. One of the things that is so important to me as a parent and child neurologist is Early Childhood education. We worked very hard over the last four years. We have a childrens cabinet. We just opened up 13,000 more slots this year in the commonwealth of virginia. A lot of them in rural virginia to prek education. I remind people all the time there is a tremendous learning potential for our children before they get to kindergarten. If one family has a means to send their children to prek and the other doesnt that is what starts the gap between the haves and have nots. I have been very interested in funding k12 education as well as prek and thats what ill do in the next four years. All right, gentlemen. Thank you. Time for our second question, carmen. Carmen mr. Gillespie, you mentioned earlier, earlier today president Donald Trumps administration plans to roll back the Clean Power Plan. One of the defenses between you and your opponent between coal and renewables. What would your policies be regarding these fuels, particularly in terms of subsidies either directly or indirectly through the tax system . Mr. Gillespie let me just point out Lieutenant Governors wrong in terms of the tax plan. Its not a tax cut for the wealthy. Its a tax cut for all virginians. In fact it wouldnt cut a dime. We can increase spending by 2 billion based on the projections for revenue. If that revenue doesnt come in wed phase in the tax cuts at a slower rate so we protect core government functions like education, transportation and public safety. He doesnt oppose the tax cuts because they are tax cuts for the rich. He opposes this because they are tax cuts. Stay on point. Mr. Gillespie i needed to respond. When it comes to Energy Policy we have real opportunities in southwest virginia. I am for all of the above but truly for all of the above including domestic production. I support the pipelines. I know we can implement them in an environmentally sensitive manner and protecting the private Property Rights as well. I know we can do the pump storage technology, Hydro Storage pump technology. I am supportive of that. And i support the reinstatement of the coal tax credit. Was unfortunate that that tax credit was eliminated for political purposes that i think were wrong. But we also need to do more in terms of fostering renewables. My plan for energy in the commonwealth would do all of those things but i am not looking to drive more miners out of work and to drive electric bills up and that is a clear choice, as i said. Higher electric bills or Lower Electric bills, that will be one of the choices on november 7. The Lieutenant Governors policies will drive up the cost of electricity in virginia. Mr. Northam i had a lot of discussions with coal miners and the coal industry and coal is very important to the economy in southwest virginia. I understand that. The demands for steamrelated coal are not what they used to be. The demands for other coal are very good. I will do whatever i can to support the coal industry in southwest in virginia. At the same time we have a great opportunity, as ed said, to use all of the above. We made great progress with renewable energies, with wind and solar. One of the things i talked about earlier tonight and will continue to expand on, is bring talent into the university of virginiawise right here. Graduate school level teachers, students and with this comes the ability to have research and development. With that comes deprant opportunities. With that comes business opportunities. So we have a great grant opportunities. With that comes business opportunities. So we have a great opportunity to use solar, to use wind. In addition to coal. In addition to hydroelectricity which we use right here in the southwest. In addition to natural gas and nuclear power. Its all of the above but we have a great chance, i believe, to move forward with Renewable Energy and its a winwin. If we can bring here people here to southwest that will study that, will study the production of energy, the storage of energy, that will create jobs and it also at the same time move us toward cleaner energy and a cleaner environment. Thank you, mr. Gillespie. Third question bass to mr. Northam. Carmen. Carmen last week the United States Supreme Court heard oral guments in gills v. Whitford about jenner mannedering. In wisconsin, the lower court said the states redrawn maps were unconstitutional in protecting one party. If the Supreme Court upholds the lower court, will you propose an independent third Party Approach to redistricting similar to the highly successful system in iowa . Mr. Northam this is important to me. I served in the Virginia Senate for six years. I was on the Elections Committee and my opponent is actually the architect of jerry mannedering throughout this country. So gerrymandering throughout this country. So we have two contrasting approaches to redistricting. Let me just tell you a quick story. When i ran for Virginia Senate in 2007, i ran against an eightyear incumbent. There were 14u7bd delegate races that year. There were 40 senate races. Out of 140 races there were only 17 that were competitive. Thats not good democracy. That means that we as the people should be choosing our representatives rather than politics tigses choosing their voters and thats politicians should be choosing their voters and thats gerrymandering and it needs to stop. I have told everyone that is listening, i will not sign a map in 2021. We draw our lines every 10 years. I will not sign a map unless its drawn fairly. I do propose and support a nonpartisan redistricting commission. That is very important. But as i said earlier, its time that the People Choose their representatives rather than politicians choosing their voters. Thats not what democracys about, and after we do redistricting, the next step is going to be Campaign Finance reform. Thats another area that i feel very strongly about. We need to start with nonpartisan redistricting. Mr. Gillespie, you have 90 seconds to respond. Mr. Gillespie s let me address the question about this. Im open to the concept of nonpartisan redistricting but i like to see, you know, instances where its worked. If you look at a lot of places where they have nonpartisan redistricting, the maps dont look a whole lot different from where they have partisan redistricting. I am open to ideas. Dont have any instance of it except for iowa when they have four quadrants. I am not the one whos gotten 500,000 dollars, half a Virginia Governor<\/a> seat, republican ed gillespie and democrat Ralph Northman<\/a> square off. The two debate education, jobs, opioid abuse, Broadband Access<\/a> and Infrastructure Spending<\/a> among other topics. This is about an hour. Good evening and welcome to beautiful wise, virginia, for the third and final virginia Gubernatorial Debate<\/a> of 2017 cohosted by the university of virginias college at wise, the university of virginias school of leadership and Public Policy<\/a> and the southwestern Virginia Technology<\/a> council. My name is paul johnson. I am the evening anchor of wcyb and your host for this event. This is carmen foreman of the roanoke times. She covers state politics for the state of virginia. She will be asking questions of the candidates and i will be keeping track of the time. Today we will cover much ground as possible tonight while providing time for the issues affecting southwest virginia and the commonwealth today. Weve made every possible effort to ensure the fairness of these questions so central to our democracy. Let me state for on the record here the ground rules weve agreed to in an effort to advance the Public Interest<\/a> in this conversation. The questionnaire seated beside me will ask each candidate a question in the order previously determined by a coin toss. Candidates will have a set response and rebuttal time which will count down on the floor clock. We will have candidatetocandidate questions and opening and closing remarks. When the candidates time has expired i will ask him to yield the floorment candidates should speak during the designated time and refrain from interrupting each other. Let us welcome our first candidate democrat ralph northam. [applause] now let us welcome our other candidate republican ed gillespie. [applause] now, please get the cheering out of your system because i will ask the audience not to applaud or make other noise until the end of the debate. Let the candidates speak for themselves. Now, we will have we will have twominute opening remarks from each candidate. The order was previously decided by a coin toss. Mr. Northam, you are up first. You have two minutes. Mr. Northam its great to be at the university of virginiawise. Thanks to carmen and paul for being our moderators. Its great to be back in wise and rural virginia. I grew up on virginias Eastern Shore<\/a>, home to henry wise, who wise county was named after. I am the product of public schools. I attended Virginia Military<\/a> institute and eastern virginia medical school. I served for eight years in the United States<\/a> army taking care of Wounded Soldiers<\/a> during desert storm. We have worked very hard over the last four years building the new virginia economy, bringing in over 215,000 new jobs to virginia. Our Unemployment Rate<\/a> has gone from 5. 4 to 3. 8 . I believe in investing in virginians because when we do there is no other state that can beat us. My opponent, ed gillespie, is a d. C. Lobbyist. He believes in giving tax cuts to the wealthy at the expense of the working class which will put a 1. 4 billion hole in our budget. You know, as a doctor, i have a plan to resuscitate rural virginia. Its time to get the paddles out and shock rural virginia back to life, starting with universal access to broadband and cell coverage. I want to make sure all of our children have access to a worldclass Education System<\/a> so they can be trained for the 21st century jobs. I want to make sure that we build ecosystems that can support startups and Small Business<\/a>es. Bring to expand i81 and amtrak out to rural virginia in the southwest. I want to make sure we talk about expanding the university of virginiawise right here bringing in more talent, bringing in more graduate courses so we can bring more business to rural virginia. And then finally, no individual, no family should be one medical illness away from financial demise. It shouldnt matter what zip code you live in. That shouldnt dictate whether you have access to health care or not. I look forward tonight to sharing my ideas on how we take virginia to the next level and how tomorrow happens right here in rural virginia. Thank you so much. Thank you, mr. Northam. Mr. Gillespie. Mr. Gillespie its great to be back at this great college. Ralph, its great to be with you again. I want to talk about the stakes of this election and the choices that are before us tonight because the stakes could not be higher and the choices could not be more clear. The fact is our Economic Growth<\/a> has been stuck for six straight years now. Our Economic Growth<\/a> rate last year in the commonwealth was. 6 making us 39th out of 50 states. Unfortunately, that wasnt an aberration. That was part of a pattern because for six straight years our Economic Growth<\/a> rate has been below the national g. D. P. Rate. We used to always lead it and now were lagging it and for five of our six years our economic rate was below 45th . When it comes to wages and Economic Growth<\/a> and job creation, virginia should be first in the country. And we can be with the right policies. But those are not the policies we have in place and have had in place for the past four years. Lieutenant governors time hit the bottom 10 states in Economic Growth<\/a>. I know my policies will make life better for all virginiaans and will make sure the next generation can do better than the generation that came before us. And thats important to me. Im the son of an immigrant. My father came to this country as a child because his father, my grandfather, found work in america. And i was able to work my way through college. I was first generation on the other either side of my family and became counselor to the president of the United States<\/a> of america. From janitor to the west wing of the white house in two generations time. I want to make sure that upward mobility is to virginians and my policies will do that. Lieutenant governor, i appreciate his service to our country and the commonwealth but his policies will make us have higher taxes and higher electric bills and fewer jobs is not where we need to go in virginia. We need to unleash Economic Growth<\/a> and my policies will benefit all virginians and southwest virginia in particular for my plan for this area of our commonwealth. Paul thank you, mr. Gillespie. Its time to ask the first question. Carmen will do that. It goes to mr. Northam. Here are the rules. You will have 90 seconds and mr. Gillespie will have 90 seconds to respond and then you will have 60 seconds to respond to mr. Gillespie. The first question, carmen. Carmen mr. Northam, k12 schools are in crisis mode. With fewer Job Opportunities<\/a> and more families moving out of the region, the schools are less. To make do with in the long term what would you do to reduce the disparity between rural and urban schools across the commonwealth . Mr. Northam thank you, carmen, for that question. You said exactly whats going on in rural virginia, whether it be on the Eastern Shore<\/a> or south side or southwest. When people leave, these communities, there are less children and theres less funding for our public schools. So we need to make sure we understand that there is power in every child and every child should be able to reach the american depreemdreevement and the way we do that and we made a lot of great progress here in the commonwealth of virginia, but the first thing is to bring jobs into rural virginia. And when you bring jobs and allow families to come here and work and raise their families, then that helps the economy and it certainly helps with the public schools. O we have a plan right here in wise to expand the university of virginiawise to bring higher level talent into this area. Talent attracts business opportunity. School is important. One of the first places to start, we are underpaying our teachers right here in the commonwealth of virginia. If we are not only recruit but also retain teachers we have to make sure we put our money where our mouth is and make sure that k12 Public Education<\/a> is a top priority. At the High School Level<\/a> we have brought in more vocational and Technical Training<\/a> and we are revising our s. O. L. s to make sure we teach our children not to take multiple choice tests. K12 is important. There are two things you ask about. How are the schools and how is health care . These are two areas that will be Top Priorities<\/a> of mine in the next four years. All right, thank you. Mr. Gillespie, you have 90 seconds. Mr. Gillespie we need to talk about the population decline here in southwest virginia. Its having affect. The assembly came forward with the 1407b10 plan. We have schools where we have overcrowding and we have schools where we got population decline. We need to attract teachers to hardtostaff schools and i put forward a plan including student loan forgiveness for those teachers. We need to increase teacher compensation. And my k12 Education Plan<\/a> does that. O to my website, edforvirginia. Com and you will see the plan there. We have the decline because of the economic numbers i was just talking about. We are not going to increase jobs in southwest virginia by doing what the Lieutenant Governor<\/a> wants to do which is impose an obamastyle Clean Power Plan<\/a> on virginia. The administration in washington, d. C. , the trump administration, has repealed the federal Clean Power Plan<\/a> and the Lieutenant Governor<\/a> wants to impose one. That will only result in more laidoff miners but laidoff factory workers because it will drive up electricity bills for all virginians. When you have laid off factory workers and miners. We already shed good manufacturing jobs and mining jobs in the commonwealth and it hits the poorest virginians hardest. They get hardest by higher electric bills. The rest of the country is not doing it. Thats going to drive up prices for our electric bills or i will oppose it. Higher electric bills or lower ones, a clear choice on november 7. Mr. Northam the question was about k12 education. Ed, i believe you say you are going to compensate our teachers but your economic plan, a tax cut of the wealthy at the expense of the working class puts a hole of 1. 4 billion in our budget. I dont know how you will pay our teachers more at the same time put a hole in our budget of 1. 4 billion. One of the things that is so important to me as a parent and child neurologist is Early Childhood<\/a> education. We worked very hard over the last four years. We have a childrens cabinet. We just opened up 13,000 more slots this year in the commonwealth of virginia. A lot of them in rural virginia to prek education. I remind people all the time there is a tremendous learning potential for our children before they get to kindergarten. If one family has a means to send their children to prek and the other doesnt that is what starts the gap between the haves and have nots. I have been very interested in funding k12 education as well as prek and thats what ill do in the next four years. All right, gentlemen. Thank you. Time for our second question, carmen. Carmen mr. Gillespie, you mentioned earlier, earlier today president Donald Trumps<\/a> administration plans to roll back the Clean Power Plan<\/a>. One of the defenses between you and your opponent between coal and renewables. What would your policies be regarding these fuels, particularly in terms of subsidies either directly or indirectly through the tax system . Mr. Gillespie let me just point out Lieutenant Governor<\/a>s wrong in terms of the tax plan. Its not a tax cut for the wealthy. Its a tax cut for all virginians. In fact it wouldnt cut a dime. We can increase spending by 2 billion based on the projections for revenue. If that revenue doesnt come in wed phase in the tax cuts at a slower rate so we protect core government functions like education, transportation and public safety. He doesnt oppose the tax cuts because they are tax cuts for the rich. He opposes this because they are tax cuts. Stay on point. Mr. Gillespie i needed to respond. When it comes to Energy Policy<\/a> we have real opportunities in southwest virginia. I am for all of the above but truly for all of the above including domestic production. I support the pipelines. I know we can implement them in an environmentally sensitive manner and protecting the private Property Rights<\/a> as well. I know we can do the pump storage technology, Hydro Storage<\/a> pump technology. I am supportive of that. And i support the reinstatement of the coal tax credit. Was unfortunate that that tax credit was eliminated for political purposes that i think were wrong. But we also need to do more in terms of fostering renewables. My plan for energy in the commonwealth would do all of those things but i am not looking to drive more miners out of work and to drive electric bills up and that is a clear choice, as i said. Higher electric bills or Lower Electric<\/a> bills, that will be one of the choices on november 7. The Lieutenant Governor<\/a>s policies will drive up the cost of electricity in virginia. Mr. Northam i had a lot of discussions with coal miners and the coal industry and coal is very important to the economy in southwest virginia. I understand that. The demands for steamrelated coal are not what they used to be. The demands for other coal are very good. I will do whatever i can to support the coal industry in southwest in virginia. At the same time we have a great opportunity, as ed said, to use all of the above. We made great progress with renewable energies, with wind and solar. One of the things i talked about earlier tonight and will continue to expand on, is bring talent into the university of virginiawise right here. Graduate school level teachers, students and with this comes the ability to have research and development. With that comes deprant opportunities. With that comes business opportunities. So we have a great grant opportunities. With that comes business opportunities. So we have a great opportunity to use solar, to use wind. In addition to coal. In addition to hydroelectricity which we use right here in the southwest. In addition to natural gas and nuclear power. Its all of the above but we have a great chance, i believe, to move forward with Renewable Energy<\/a> and its a winwin. If we can bring here people here to southwest that will study that, will study the production of energy, the storage of energy, that will create jobs and it also at the same time move us toward cleaner energy and a cleaner environment. Thank you, mr. Gillespie. Third question bass to mr. Northam. Carmen. Carmen last week the United States<\/a> Supreme Court<\/a> heard oral guments in gills v. Whitford about jenner mannedering. In wisconsin, the lower court said the states redrawn maps were unconstitutional in protecting one party. If the Supreme Court<\/a> upholds the lower court, will you propose an independent third Party Approach<\/a> to redistricting similar to the highly successful system in iowa . Mr. Northam this is important to me. I served in the Virginia Senate<\/a> for six years. I was on the Elections Committee<\/a> and my opponent is actually the architect of jerry mannedering throughout this country. So gerrymandering throughout this country. So we have two contrasting approaches to redistricting. Let me just tell you a quick story. When i ran for Virginia Senate<\/a> in 2007, i ran against an eightyear incumbent. There were 14u7bd delegate races that year. There were 40 senate races. Out of 140 races there were only 17 that were competitive. Thats not good democracy. That means that we as the people should be choosing our representatives rather than politics tigses choosing their voters and thats politicians should be choosing their voters and thats gerrymandering and it needs to stop. I have told everyone that is listening, i will not sign a map in 2021. We draw our lines every 10 years. I will not sign a map unless its drawn fairly. I do propose and support a nonpartisan redistricting commission. That is very important. But as i said earlier, its time that the People Choose<\/a> their representatives rather than politicians choosing their voters. Thats not what democracys about, and after we do redistricting, the next step is going to be Campaign Finance<\/a> reform. Thats another area that i feel very strongly about. We need to start with nonpartisan redistricting. Mr. Gillespie, you have 90 seconds to respond. Mr. Gillespie s let me address the question about this. Im open to the concept of nonpartisan redistricting but i like to see, you know, instances where its worked. If you look at a lot of places where they have nonpartisan redistricting, the maps dont look a whole lot different from where they have partisan redistricting. I am open to ideas. Dont have any instance of it except for iowa when they have four quadrants. I am not the one whos gotten 500,000 dollars, half a Million Dollars<\/a> in superpac money from an organization dedicated to winning control of the governorship here so they can control gerrymandering and that would be my opponent who got that 500,000 from a superpac that was set up by former attorney general eric holder for that purpose. I never voted to enact a District Line<\/a> for my state senate that made it safer for me to be able to run for reelection. My opponents the one that voted for that in our General Assembly<\/a>. I hear a lot of great talk but it seems to me like a lot of politics where we got somebody talking about the need to do something about this but at the same time a record of accepting money from a superpac dedicated to preserving and winning control for democrats of redistricting here in virginia and having voted for a redistricting map that was an incumbent Protection Plan<\/a> when he was in the General Assembly<\/a>. Mr. Gillespie, thank you very much. Mr. Northam, you have 60 seconds. Mr. Northam the sixth district which i represented in the six years of my senate started on the Eastern Shore<\/a>. It had about half of norfolk. A little bit of Virginia Beach<\/a> and then wrapped all the way around the Chesapeake Bay<\/a> to matthews county. I used to tell people, if you want to look up the definition of gerrymandering, look at the sixth district. Its not right and we need to make a change. Some other things i would just mention about voting rights. There are still a lot of inequities. As i said earlier, i served on the privilege as an Elections Committee<\/a> for six years in the Virginia Senate<\/a>. Every time that we tried to make it less cumbersome for people to vote, our friends on the other side of the aisle made it more difficult. So things like the photo i. D. , which was designed to stop fraud. Well, theres no evidence of any fraud in voting. Then we advocated for no excuse absentee voting. All of these things that we try to do to make it easier for people to vote, our opponents make it more difficult. Here in mark, the best way to make democracy strong is for all of us to have access to the ballot box. Gentlemen, our fourth question pertains to southwest virginia and the whole state in fact but it has been declared an epidemic in southwest virginia. Carmen. Carmen southwest virginia has been dubbed the epicenter of the Opioid Epidemic<\/a> in virginia. Governor mccaul declared the epidemic a Public Health<\/a> emergency, creating a task force to devise possible solutions. How will you halt the growth of opioid abuse and what Treatment Options<\/a> will you provide for opioid abusers seeking recovery, including mothers and infants born with withdrawal symptoms . Mr. Gillespie this is a crisis across the commonwealth. Its pronounce here in southwest virginia. When i start this had campaign i talked about this a lot on average every day three virginians die from opioid or heroin overdose. And a couple months ago i had to start saying every day four virginians die every day. We have to address this i was talking to a mother in this area of scott county whose 25yearold son was dealing with opioid addiction and had stolen jewelry from her. All too familiar story. I hear it from others as well. They had to change the locks on their door. She was relieved when he was arrested because she thought that might save his life. And so i put forward a plan, Addiction Recovery<\/a> and Mental Health<\/a> plan, to help address this crisis. It is a detailedspecific policy proposal. It starts with the principle that addiction is a disease, not a moral failing. These are not bad people who need to get depood. These are sick people who need to get well and we need to get them into treatment. Second, we have to put greater focus on prevention. We need to not only treat it but prevent it and get to children before the drugs gets to them. Unfortunately, in this day and age right now, what were dealing with that means in fourth, third grade even to make sure we are able to prevent. The other thing we have to make sure when someone reaches out their hand and says, i am an addict, i need recovery, we need to have the commonwealth of virginia there to take that hand and get them into a program. Many different paths for recovery. Inpatient, outpatient, medically assisted, but i have a specific plan to address this. My Addiction Recovery<\/a> and Mental Health<\/a> plan. This cannot become a partisan issue. This is something that democrats, republicans, independents, everyone should come together in the commonwealth of virginia to save lives and save families and i made it a priority. Thank you, mr. Gillespie. Mr. Northam, you have 90 seconds. Pediatrician, i take care of babies. Its a crisis we have across the commonwealth. Just this past year we lost over 1,100 virginians to overdose. As a doctor i have been around our state talking to medical schools, residents, students, talking about new, innovative ways to treat both chronic and acute pain. The mindset has to change. I also worked with Law Enforcement<\/a>. We have far too many individuals that are addicted to opioid who is are in our jails and penitentiaries. Finally, we gave a blanket prescription this year for naloxone. Its the only medicine that will reverse the deadly side effects of opioid overdose. Now if you know anybody out there or have friends or relatives that have issues or challenges with opioid addiction, they can go to a pharmacy or someone in the family can go to the pharmacy and ask for a prescription for narcane and they will give it to them with no questions being asked. The last thing i would say, we just put 30 million into our budget for Mental Health<\/a> care. And as i said earlier, there are consequences to limited resources. Its going to take resources to go after this challenge and, again, a plan that puts 1. 4 billion hole in our budget, you cant have it both ways. I would just say there are options in this election. I think a child neurologist, someone who has been dealing with this issue over the years, more able to respond than a d. C. Lobbyist. Mr. Gillespie we need to crack down on dealers, get everybody to the table. We need to understand we are not going to arrest our way out of this epidemic. I have sat in the jails with addicts and sheriffs are running Recovery Centers<\/a> across the commonwealth. Its one of the reasons we need to support them and i was bitterly disappointed and dimaced when they cancelled the meeting with the virginias Sheriffs Association<\/a> to talk issues like this and address their needs to address this on the front lines. The meeting was cancelled because of politics. Because im proud to say a majority of sheriffs across the commonwealth, 65, have endorsed my candidacy. But the virginia Sheriffs Association<\/a> does not endorse. They are an advocate for the needs of the sheriffs and deputies across the commonwealth. When that meeting was cancelled, rather than talking about what we need to do to provide for the budget, they need to address this addiction epidemic and the Mental Health<\/a> challenges they face, i couldnt believe it. Im shocked by it, to be honest with you. I would never do Something Like<\/a> that as our governor. Mr. Northam can i respond to that . No, not really. We need to respond. I dont mean to be rude. Our fifth question, carmen. Carmen mr. Northam, both you and your opponent supported expanding broadband to rural areas across the state. What are your specific plans to expand Broadband Access<\/a> and how would you fund such efforts . Mr. Northam great question. As i said in my opening comments, one of my pet peeves at the top of my priority list will be to bring broadband to all areas of virginia. We have worked very hard building the new virginia economy not only helping new businesses to grow in virginia but also attracting new start a business if you dont have access to broadband and you dont have access to cell coverage. So its something we have been working on. Its going to have to be, carmen, an agreement between the private and Public Sector<\/a>. Obviously the challenge out there is getting to what we call the last mile. It is very expensive. As you know, especially in rural virginia. So we need to bring people to the table. Thats a reputation that i have in richmond. And its going to be people at the table that are both in the private sector and the Public Sector<\/a> as we move forward. We will work together. Again, to make sure there are no holes, no gaps in the commonwealth of virginia with broadband. And lastly, i would just say for our children. Our children that are working on a computer at school, when they go home with an assignment at night, and they dont have access to broadband, their hands are tied. And so, again, if were going to put our money where our mouth is we need to make sure every child has the same opportunity across virginia and that they have access as well as businesses have access to broadband. Access, to broadband. Mr. Gillespie 70 of all traffic flows through virginia, loudoun county, and we have 900,000 virginians that dont have access to highspeed internet. My plan would cut thatf by having war than 450,000 virginians get access to broadband. Begin work with the Tobacco Commission<\/a> we could work with the Tobacco Commission<\/a> to have some funding for highspeed internet access. A multimillion dollar bonding fund which we would make available to have a publicprivate partnership. Somebody is taking a ditch to lay a pipe or something. Let us make sure we get broadband put in there in a costeffective manner. The commonwealth itself has a number of structures that can be utilized to help defray the cost of deploying broadband. Ive written a detailed, specific policy like i have on 18 other policies. My southwest virginia policy will be my recent one. I encourage people to go to my website and see my detailed specific policies to get more than 450,000 virginians licked ed up to highspeed internet. Broadband is absolutely essential. Workforce Development Also<\/a> is absolutely essential. I would like to talk briefly about the jobs of the 21st century. They are much different from when i was growing up. Science, technology, engineering, arts, math, and health care. Things like biotechnology, areas we are promoting right here in rural virginia. One of the ways how i was doing this is the g3 program. Get skills, get a job, get back. A lot of people in virginia to go to Community College<\/a> for two years without debt, with the understanding that once they become certified they will get back a year of Public Service<\/a>. This will allow individuals from across the commonwealth and this lountry to come to rura virginia and star in work and it visits raise your in virginia. Southwest virginia faces an aging workforce and a brain drain of Young People Working<\/a> in the area. What policies will you propose to help rule areas reinvent themselves to keep millennials in southwest virginia and what would you encourage due to encourage young folks to work in the commonwealth . This is something i do care about. As Lieutenant Governor<\/a>, he serves on the virginia panel, the organization responsible for identifying the things we need to do to get rule virginia growing. He did not attend a single one of those meetings. He did not show up. Does you my plan is to make sure we doubled the enrollment. Programs. Ve graduate Cyber Security<\/a> programs that we have here at at uva wise. And we increase the budget take the budget to a 40 million, 30 million basis. That will be an engine for Economic Growth<\/a> in the commonwealth of southwest virginia. I mentioned technology which is very important, the cold tax credit. Him. Allowing us to have hemp. E had oneake is the number Outdoor Recreation<\/a> destination. The natural beauty. More putinstant and our rivers in and streams. That would help with good paying jobs as well. Fulle mailboxes have been and the airways for, but i would remind you mr. Gillespie i for ourr eight years country. I showed up for our country. I served in the Virginia Senate<\/a> for eight years. Is your Lieutenant Governor<\/a>, i did not miss one second of being on the podium. I have shown up for virginia, i have been proud to do so. Doing that, been you have been a kstreet lobbyist. The only time you show up as when you get paid. Lets stay on point. When it comes to jobs in rural virginia, we have jobs that are 80,000, 90,000 jobs. White color, bluecollar jobs. Now we refer to them as new color jobs. Collar jobs. Uva wise but also the opportunity to go to two years of Junior College<\/a> without incurring any debt with the agreement that without any certification they will come back to an area like wise and give back. Seventh question. Clients. Show up for my the firm i loved more than a decade ago, i was effective on i will belf and effective on behalf of the people of the commonwealth of virgin you. We are talking about a job you have now. You have clients. Imo one of them. One of the i a. M. Them. We need Broadband Access<\/a>. You did not attend at a single meeting. You also did not serve to make sure virginias are safe in their homes and businesses. You did not serve in one meeting of the security panel. We have the economic partnership, essential means by which we try to distinguish economic partnerships. You missed 67 of that. Maybe it is just as well because you are for higher taxes, i am for lower taxes. I am for higher wages, you are for lower wages. I will work hard to get policies and acted. Is now time for our seventh question. Governor bob mcdonald and acted increase funding for bridges. In spite of this, the quality of the infrastructure is still lower than average. Yet the tax rate is the 38 lowest in the u. S. While increasing taxes and used to be taboo, considering gas prices are still low, and now are the time. I would like to remind everyone i am a Small Business<\/a> on hampstead road. If we cannot get to our office, our patients cannot get to our office, then we cannot take of health care on hampton road. Transportation is vitally important not only in metropolitan areas but also in rural virginia. New source had any of revenue for transportation 1986. Rginia since we got farther and farther behind the car. We will not keeping up with our bridges. Because of governor mcdonalds bipartisan plan he put on the table and 2013, we now have revenue coming into the commonwealth. A lot of the projects are because of the 2013 Transportation Plan<\/a>. One of the things that happened during that plan is a regional tax in Northern Region<\/a> you and hampton road. There was no floor put on that thinking the cost of a gallon of gas would go higher. There is a lot of revenue. We need to take that back to richmond and have it a remedy for that. We need to maximize every transportation dollar. We need to work with the federal government. I will be able to work with secretary elaine chao and the congress and the administration to get the call filled the expressway done. 81, 73, to dredge the chennai and our port which we need to do and to make sure were also addressing things like our National Security<\/a> work with the administration. When it comes to our transportation dollars, we need to have a lockbox. Every dollar for Transportation Needs<\/a> to be spent on transportation. I support that. The Lieutenant Governor<\/a> does not. Do not believe we need to have higher cost. The higher the cost, the fewer projects. I dont leave it mandatory minimum wage, that drives up the cost. We will get more mileage out of our dollar on transportation because i will not impose higher cost projects. The one they cost the fewer you get in transportation has to be a priority for us here in the commonwealth of virginia. For our eighth question, you both get 60 seconds but no rebuttal, ok . Asked to i get a response . Get aeciate it do i response to that . Yes, you do. Ask one of the things we did in 2014, we went act and created what is called smart scale. I just had a discussion this morning. There are people in rural virginia. Were very worried about the infrastructure so we can support the coal industry, etc. So we need to take care of our roads and bridges in rural virginia as well. Theres a bias there and we need to correct that as well. As far as the Transportation Plan<\/a> of 2013, i was proud to support that in a bipartisan way. My opponent has attacked me for supporting that. Iminate or drame and which one would you expand, and and why . Gillespie i think we can identify a lot of savings in our budget. What that is an opportunity is this. Because of demographics we face a retirement club. Theave 100,000 workers in workforce who are dedicated employees but 20,00025,000 will retire. We do not have to replace all of those jobs. Consolidation, automation, we can streamline. We can do that through attrition if we take advantage of that opportunity and i want. I would not replace more than 1000 of those fulltime positions, get the savings, take 50 to increase salaries for existing workers and recruit new workers so we have a workforce that meets our needs as part of my transformation of our works policy. Lt. Gov. Northam one of the things the governor did was bring in an outside group to see what was working well and what was not. It made government one efficient and it also save the commonwealth of virginia a lot of money. As far as a program as i went to look at, i need to have a discussion with state police and other people. One of my pet peeves are inspections on other people. First threehe anyone buys a car, a sticker will be put on in and they wont have to have it inspected for three years. As far as programs to expand, there is tremendous learning potential in children before kindergarten so through a privatepublic relationship i will make sure all of the children of denis commonwealth of virginia have access to prek education. Candidate now can ask the other a question and the other will have 60 seconds to answer, that the other will have 60 seconds to respond. The meeting the governor canceled with the virginia sheriffs, was disappointed. They are nonpartisan, on the front lines of trying to predict the safety of our commonwealth. I am proud to be endorsed by a majority of our sheriffs that they should not be published as an organization trying to stand up for the deputies and make sure with proper compensation. Y are on the front lloyds lines of many of the problems of we talked about tonight. I would like to ask you tonight if you would join me and having governor mcauliffe, i Lieutenant Governor<\/a> northam my question and you said when i the question last time you needed time to review that particular issue. By the way they are inserted under the skin or in the cervix. They are very effective. One of the most efficient ways of contraception for our women so they can choose if and when to start a family. My question is simple, would you support that Budget Amendment<\/a> to increase access of larks to women across virginia . Mr. Gillespie i dont oppose t time you needed time to review that particular longterm access to contraception. What i support is making contraceptives, such as oral contraceptives more readily available to women across the commonwealth. As you would know better than e, but the American College<\/a> of sti logists and object trishans said we could have sti trishans said we could have overthecounter for oral contraceptives and they wouldnt need a prescription. In my mind they should be behind the counter. I would have them back there with sudafed. I think increasing access to crew contraceptives is a smart thing and a policy that i fully support. I would actually make them more readily available. I think that would also end up making them more affordable if they werent prescription as well. Lieutenant Governor Northam<\/a> the question wasnt oral contraceptives. Mr. If i less pi i am prolife. I couldnt support abortion but not opposed to contraceptives. Even the long acting reversible. Lieutenant Governor Northam<\/a> you would support that Budget Amendment<\/a> . Mr. Gillespie i would support ose funds that are contraceptives. Northam im glad to hear that. One of the things thats out and as we reach talk to businesses that are interested in coming to virginia is being inclusive. There are pieces of legislation that discriminate against womens access to Reproductive Health<\/a> care, they discriminate gainst the Lgbtq Community<\/a> and immigrants. Businesses are watching virginia. So virginia needs to move forward. We cant flookt fir rue mirror, im clad to hear tonight you will be supportive of increasing access for women to long acting reversal contraceptives. Great news for women in virginia. Thank you for that. We also had a discussion over the past few months now about sanctuary cities. We have to clear some things up. As i have agreed with you. You have made the point, we do not have them i made the point e wont if i am governor because i would sign the legislation you voted against to ban them. You bragged about that vote in the democratic primary and said the only reason you dont support it is because we dont have them. If a sanctuary city were to be established during your time as governor should you win on november 7 and the Assembly Sent<\/a> you a bill saying we need to reverse that, a second or third to reverse those sanctuary cities having established themselves as such and not cooperating with federal authorities to deport people here illegally who committed crimes, would you sign that . Lieutenant Governor Northam<\/a> thank you for that question. As we did agree. Have sanctuary cities in the commonwealth of virginia. Its a solution looking for a problem. We made that clear. Just to go back, have sanctuary thought it was kind of amusing, when that vote came up on the floor of the senate it was nothing more than a political ploy. Thats whats wrong with a lot of politics today. I did cast the deciding vote. And right after that, by the way, one of the senators switched his vote. We reconsidered. It was defeet. About five minutes later a statement from you came out. It almost seems like it was a little bit of political games going on. I have made it clear that i support local Law Enforcement<\/a>. I dont support sanctuary cities. We dont have sanctuary cities. Let me finish. We dont have sanctuary cities. I support local Law Enforcement<\/a> doing their job. I support pay increases for our sheriffs deputies and state police. And i would do everything and i always have done everything to make sure that our communities and the commonwealth of virginia are safe and things like this piece of legislation that was a political ploy are doing nothing more than promoting fear mongering and hatred and bigotry in this commonwealth. We dont condone that. I dont condone it. And again it was a political ploy. We dont have sanctuary cities. I dont support sanctuary cities. Mr. Gillespie you refuse to say in the event one were established you would ban them. Even in retrospect in response. Thats very telling to me. The factcy was just talking today to a faith leader of hispanic virginian, strong faith leader in northern know, who said, you being antims13 is not being antiimmigrant. It is important we want these people gone. Its our communities that are k being antims13 most vulnerable to their violence and to its not ralph, the young women who are being forced into Human Trafficking<\/a> situations are not in neighborhoods like yours and mine. They are in the neighborhoods of this gentleman i was talking to today. I believe we need to protect those folks. I would ban one that says that a city or county cannot establish themselves as a sanctuary city because we need to cooperate when someones here illegally who may be an ms13 gang member or not. If they commit a crime we need to cooperate with federal authorities. That person should be deported. Not people brought here by their parents. Not the dreamers. They should not be, as this faith leader shared with me, i told him i agreed, but we cannot allow for the establishment of sanctuary cities. You would not even say you would ban them after the fact. Thats a concern. Gentlemen, time waits for no one especially on television. We had planned to give you one other question. I want to hear your closing statements because were running out of time. Lieutenant Governor Northam<\/a> could i ask a question . And illll be very quick. I appreciate that. We have had some tremendous mr. Dy was gun violence, the shooting ad 10 years ago at virginia tech. We lost 32 precious lives. We just had the shooting in las vegas. We lost 58 lives over the shoot 10 years ago at virginia tech. We lost 32 precious 500 individuals wounded. I just have a very simple question for you. As you know i do support and promote, im an advocate for responsible gun ownership. My question is, do you support universal background checks in the commonwealth of virginia . Mr. Gillespie as you know there are universal background checks and we had a bipartisan agreement reached with the governor and republican General Assembly<\/a> in 2016 implemented that allows for background checks at gun shows for private dealers. State police are now there. To help them accommodate that. And that is being implemented. I think its being helpful. Im eager to see it implemented even more fulsome. One thing i noticed yesterday was when senator dianne feinstein, probable lith foremost champion of gun control laws in the United States<\/a> senate from california, said there was no law that could have prevented what happened in las vegas. I suspect im like a lot of other virginians and americans, i never heard of bump stocks until that heartbreaking stomach turning mass murder that we saw in las vegas. Do i believe that a device that allows you to circumvent a ban on automatic weapons should be regulated and should be banned if its designed to turn a onautomatic weapon into an automatic weapon. There are that is something i would certainly support in response to what we saw in las vegas. Lets be clear about something. In temples your desire to limit Second Amendment<\/a> rights here in the commonwealth of virginia, the fact is as gun ownership has risen in america, the rate of Violent Crimes<\/a> and murder has declined as gun ownership has automatic weapon. There are that is something i would certainly risen. Gentlemen, we only have a couple minutes left. You are each going to have one minute for your final statement. Mr. Northam, youre first. Lieutenant Governor Northam<\/a> thank you to the university of virginia wise, and carmen, and ed thank you so much for running. And your wife, i you that look at peoples resumes. What did they do before they went into Public Service<\/a> . I have had a life of Public Service<\/a>. I served and your wife, i see your lovely wife here, and wish youall the best as we come down to the home stretch. I would just tell in the united army. I took care of Sick Children<\/a> and their families for over 25 years. I have served in the Virginia Senate<\/a> and as Lieutenant Governor<\/a>. And i will tell you that i look forward to serving in the next four years. Were in this together. Making sure that we have access to health care. Making sure that our children have access to a world class Education System<\/a>. Making sure that all of you have good highpaying jobs in virginia. We live in the greatest state, in the greatest country in this world. You to vote l of on election day. I would certainly be privileged and honored to have your vote on november 7. Thank you so much for watching. Thanks so much for being with us tonight. Have a great weekend. You to vote 6 you of you. On election day. I would certainly be privileged and thank you will. Mr. Gillespie thank you so much for making time through this very important debate. I wish you and pam all the best on a personal level as well. I do believe this election on november 7 is critically important to us. We have had three straight years now where more people have moved out of virginia than into virginia. Last year 51 who moved out took a Fouryear College<\/a> degree with them. This is not matter in southwest virginia, it is across the commonwealth. That reflects the lack of opportunity. My policies, my plans will result in the creation of more than 53,000 new additional fulltime, goodpaying private sector jobs across the commonwealth. Thats a 25 increase over currents projections. We need those jobs and we need those opportunities. I have the plans to get virginia growing again. I have the sense of urgency to get them done. And i will not fail us. I hope im given that opportunity. I will be a governor for all virginians. My policies will benefit all virginians. I ask for your vote on november 7 so that i can serve the people of virginia. Ill be an honest, ethical, principled, faithful servant leader worthy of virginia. Thank you, gentlemen, we ave to go. Here. O the audience you were great. Im paul johnson. Dont forget vote november 7. Thanks for joining us here live from the university of virginia at wise. Good night, everybody. [applause] [captions Copyright National<\/a> cable satellite corp. 2017] thursday, were live here. You were great. Im paul johnson. Dont forget vote november 7. Anks for in nashville, tennessee for the next stop on the cspan bus 50 capitals tour. Former governor phil breadyson ill be our guest starting at 9 30 a. M. Eastern discussing the top policy issues facing tennesseans. And join us thursday for the entire washington journal. Starting at 7 00 a. M. Eastern on cspan. Cspan, where history unfolds daily. In 1979, cspan was created as a Public Service<\/a> by americas Cable Television<\/a> companies. And is brought to you today by your cable or satellite provider. President trump today fielded questions about concerns expressed by republican senator bob corker that the president is taking the country on a path toward world war pr","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"archive.org","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","width":"800","height":"600","url":"\/\/ia600808.us.archive.org\/11\/items\/CSPAN_20171010_162100_Virginia_Gubernatorial_Debate\/CSPAN_20171010_162100_Virginia_Gubernatorial_Debate.thumbs\/CSPAN_20171010_162100_Virginia_Gubernatorial_Debate_000001.jpg"}},"autauthor":{"@type":"Organization"},"author":{"sameAs":"archive.org","name":"archive.org"}}],"coverageEndTime":"20240629T12:35:10+00:00"}