Alaska’s four candidates for governor offered their visions for how to bolster the state’s economy, plan for natural disasters and support the state’s schools during Debate for the State Thursday night, hosted by Alaska Public Media, KTOO and Alaska’s News Source.
One of the sharpest moments of the hourlong debate was the back-and-forth over a question on how the candidates would work with people who disagree with them politically.
Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, a Democratic former legislator, said compromise was a virtue and that Republican businesswoman Bernadette Wilson would continue the dysfunction in government that he attributed to incumbent Gov. Mike Dunleavy.
“If you like the last eight years, you can get four more, and it's a very clear and easy choice on the ballot,” Kreiss-Tomkins said. “But the kind of dysfunction and record-breaking legislatures for most number of vetoes, I don't think Alaskans want any more of that.”
Wilson said her opponents were more concerned with "singing Kumbaya” than with delivering results.
“You've had bipartisan coalitions in the House and in the Senate,” Wilson said. “How has that worked for you, Alaska? Are you any better off today than you were 10, 20 or 30 years ago?”
Republican former Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson offered a rebuttal to Wilson, saying that state government gridlock has been a major problem.
“We haven't been going down there and singing Kumbaya. That's the point,” Bronson said. “The governor and the Legislature have not been getting along down there. And Jonathan and I, opposite sides of the political spectrum, agree you still need to go down there and work with the other. Everyone's tired of this fighting and this screaming and hollering at each other. As am I.”
Republican former Attorney General Treg Taylor said he had experience working across the aisle and pointed to his work with the country's other attorneys general as well as the state’s bipartisan Legislature.
“We successfully passed legislation to hold drug dealers responsible for drug (overdose) deaths,” Taylor said. "They now get a sentence of murder, a charge of murder. It all comes down to treating people with dignity and respect.”
READ MORE: What to know about Alaska’s general election
Alaska Public Media, KTOO and Alaska’s News Source will broadcast Debate for the State for the top two candidates for U.S. House on Wednesday, Oct. 14 and the top two U.S. Senate candidates on Thursday, Oct. 15 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Election day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
You can watch the full gubernatorial debate below:
