Detroit TV station WDIV hosted the second gubernatorial debate between Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Republican Congressman John James on Thursday night. The first debate took place Oct. 6.
The candidates' criticisms of each other, while sharp, mostly avoided name calling.
Benson said she would make improving public education her top priority if elected governor.
She said James has been a consistent supporter of Trump administration policies that have raised prices on Michiganders, including tariffs on Canadian goods, and higher gas prices caused by the Iran war.
"We have to recognize why we're in this mess," she said. "It's because of a reckless war in Iran that my opponent has voted for six times, including just a few weeks ago, to support."
James did vote six times against resolutions that would have curtailed President Donald Trump's ability to extend military action in Iran, but he said that "weeks ago," he urged the Trump administration to end the war along with harmful tariffs.
Benson said James had also voted for cuts to SNAP, which helps low-income families buy food, cuts to Medicaid, and the elimination of subsidies to make Affordable Care Act insurance more affordable.
"In just four short years in Congress, he's become a multi-millionaire, buying stocks in companies that he regulates," Benson said.
Benson said she supports lifting the federal gas tax to given Michiganders some relief at the gas pump, and she said has developed plans to improve public education, including getting rid of the "one-size-fits-all" funding approach, as well as plans to help boost the economy by boosting small and micro businesses.
James touted his business and military experience, and said in the eight years Benson has been Secretary of State, Michigan has seen declining school test scores, fewer jobs and an exodus of young people to Republican-led states.
"There are areas of Michigan that look worse than the combat zone that I flew in in Iraq," James said. "And that's wrong. We must do better. We have to demand change."
James said he has recently urged Trump administration officials to resolve the war in Iran, as well as the trade war between the U.S. and Canada.
"I have called for this war to be over weeks ago," he said. "I called for them to start acting like adults, go talk to the Canadians, because the fact of the matter is, the Canadians are targeting Michigan specifically."
The candidates expressed differing approaches to deal with data center development, with Benson saying she favored stricter guardrails to protect the environment and shield nearby residents from things like noise and higher electricity prices, and James saying he'd favor changing state law, so communities could reject data centers if they didn't want them.
Local 4’s Jason Colthorp moderated the debate.
Election Day is November 3, with absentee voting underway now and early voting starting in some Michigan communities.
