Hutchinson, Ross Square Off In First TV Debate

Democrat Mike Ross and Republican Asa Hutchinson sat face to face across a table during a sometimes testy, occasionally snippy gubernatorial debate Friday night on KARK-TV that featured confrontations over policy issues, political ads and alleged personal attacks.

Hutchinson challenged Ross to definitively state his position on tax cuts.

Hutchinson has proposed an immediate $100 million income tax cut for middle class Arkansans and challenged Ross to state when his tax cut would take effect. Ross said his larger tax cut would kick in as revenues became available.

Ross, who has expressed support for Arkansas’ Medicaid private option, challenged Hutchinson to definitively state his position on the issue. Hutchinson said the program’s costs required further study and that he would be in the better position among the two to negotiate with the Legislature on improving the program. He said Ross would have supported simply expanding Medicaid had he been governor.

The debate at times grew personal, and there was little amiable chatter before and after the debate and during the awkward commercial breaks.

Sparks flew when Ross complained about an ad produced by the Republican Governors Association criticizing him for profiting off the sale of a pharmacy. Ross said this was an attack on his wife, Holly, who managed the pharmacy and demanded an apology.

Hutchinson said he couldn’t control what the RGA does and denied making a personal attack.

Ross also criticized Hutchinson for voting against expanding pre-kindergarten classes while in Congress but proposing to fully fund the Arkansas Better Chance program for pre-K students from families making up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level. Ross wants to expand it over time to families making up to 400 percent of the level.

“I wish the real Asa Hutchinson would stand up,” Ross said.

The two also clashed when Hutchinson mentioned Ross’ votes for and against Nancy Pelosi as House speaker during Ross’ tenure in Congress. When Ross said he had made a speech for the Democratic candidate opposing Pelosi, Hutchinson replied, “Don’t get so defensive about your flip-flopping on Nancy Pelosi.”

Both men started the debate by sharing personal biographies – Ross being the son of two educators, Hutchinson hitchhiking to visit his girlfriend because he couldn’t afford both law school tuition and gas. These introductions did not include their years of service in Congress, though that did come up later.

Ross said he wanted to be the “education governor” and Hutchinson said he wanted to be the “jobs governor.” Hutchinson talked about his plan to provide computer science courses in high schools.

The candidates both expressed support for keeping the Quick Action Closing Fund used by the governor as a carrot to attract industry. Ross criticized Hutchinson for originally opposing it when he ran against Gov. Mike Beebe in 2006. Hutchinson said the fund needs to be more transparent.

Asked about Common Core, Hutchinson said his education commissioner would review the standards. Ross said he supported the concept of Common Core.

Other issues discussed included the minimum wage increase (both of them said they support it) and the need for a new prison (both are looking for alternatives).

KARK anchor Bob Clausen and Capitol View host David Goins moderated the debate.

POST DEBATE RESPONSES
The two campaigns and a third party candidate for Governor, Libertarian Frank Gilbert, weighed in after the debate ended. Both Ross and Hutchinson claimed victories.

“Asa spent his allotted time sharing his 6-point plan to create jobs, to lower income taxes for middle class families and to grow the state’s economy. He also emphasized his plan to make computer science and coding classes available to every student in every Arkansas high school, which has the potential to create even more jobs in one of the fastest growing industries in the country,” a Hutchinson press release said. “Mr. Ross spent the majority of his time attacking Asa, not the issues.”

“Tonight, Arkansas voters saw two very different candidates. With Asa Hutchinson, voters saw a clear vision for our state’s future, and they heard a real plan that will actually work for all Arkansans. In Mike Ross, voters saw a candidate with no real plan, who continues to offer up the same empty promises we’ve seen throughout his campaign,” said Hutchinson campaign manager Jon Gilmore.

“Simply put, Arkansans were presented with a clear contrast in candidates this evening: Asa Hutchinson attacks the issues, while Mike Ross just attacks,” he added.

The Ross campaign countered.

“In the first live, televised debate between gubernatorial nominees Mike Ross and Asa Hutchinson, Mike Ross’s small-town Arkansas values stood in sharp contrast to Congressman Hutchinson’s career as a Washington bureaucrat and lobbyist that put him squarely out of touch with Arkansas. Ross pledged to continue and build on the jobs and economic progress of Governor Mike Beebe that Hutchinson has repeatedly criticized,” the Ross campaign said in a statement.

“Congressman Hutchinson continued his out of touch Washington double-speak, even refusing to take a firm position on whether he would continue the health care ‘private option’ in Arkansas, despite having previously opposed it. And, despite voting against raising the minimum wage multiple times in Congress, he flip-flopped on his previous opposition to the effort to raise the state’s minimum wage,” the Ross release asserted.

Libertarian Frank Gilbert criticized being left out of the televised debate.

“The so-called news media that did this should be ashamed. Presenting only views you prefer or believe are more popular, is not appropriate,” said Gilbert.

He criticized Hutchinson’s tax cut plan saying he wanted to go further in eliminating the state income tax.

Gilbert called Ross’ education goals “laughable” and said more competition was need in public education.

“Unfortunately, much of the debate time was spent bickering over silly personal attacks,” Gilbert said. “The voters of Arkansas deserve better. Unfortunately neither the old parties nor the television community are providing it.”

On Sunday’s edition of Talk Business & Politics, which airs at 9 a.m. on KATV Ch. 7, Republican strategist Clint Reed and Democratic strategist and blogger Michael Cook will offer analysis of the Governor’s debate.