Lackluster Debate Sets Tone for Gubernatorial Race

Forrest Milburn– Editor

In a display lacking the expected fireworks, State Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth, faced off against Republican Attorney General Greg Abbott at the Edinburg Conference Center in the Rio Grande Valley.

The Sept. 19 debate was the first of two debates set for this year’s gubernatorial election and was moderated by McAllen Monitor editor Carlos Sanchez and reporters Ryan Wolf of Channel 4 KGBT and Dalila Garza of Channel 40 KTLM.

The panelists focused primarily on border security, immigration and other issues that appeal to the state’s growing Hispanic population, a crucial voting bloc that both candidates say they need to court if they plan on claiming victory come November.

However, the opportunity largely passed by unused, with the candidates sounding more polished and rehearsed than one might expect during a contentious race.

While Davis seemed to stay on-point and focus on Texas issues, Abbott often referenced President Barack Obama, seemingly trying to draw a clear connection between the White House and Davis.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re here in the Rio Grande Valley or if you’re in the Panhandle, you want to ensure that your public officials are abiding by the law,” Abbott said, after being asked about corruption along the border and recent comments he made on how the area resembled a “third-world country.” “As your attorney general and as your governor, I will ensure that is done.”

“These comments mean something. They label a community,” Davis said, directing attention to Abbott’s question regarding his “third-world” comments. “Mr. Abbott, although he’s said he has worked on corruption in other parts of this state, has never referred to other parts of [it] as ‘third-world.’ ”

The format also detracted from the effectiveness of the debate. While Sen. Davis was given exactly one minute to answer the first question, After Sen. Davis answered the first question, Abbott was given 45 seconds to make his rebuttal arguments before one of the

panelists returned to ask him a separate question.

Davis expanded on her stand on immigration when she said she believes everyone on the road should be insured including undocumented immigrants.

“As Arizona does, Texas, I believe, should issue driver certificates for people who pass a driver’s test and prove that they have insurance,” Davis said. “That’s the safest way that we can assure that people who are driving on our roads are

driving with the right authority and with the right insurance.”

On to the topic of veterans’ health care, moderator Ryan Wolf noted in his question to Abbott that an annual report ranks the Rio Grande Valley as worst in wait times when it comes to health care for veterans. In response, Abbott said he would work with the federal government as governor to effectively improve the timeliness and quality of health care for veterans.

“It is offensive that the men and women [who] have fought for our country are having to wait and now, it’s been documented, losing their lives because of the inadequate care from Veterans [Affairs],” Abbott said. “The men and women who serve on the front line should not have to be pushed to the back of the line when it comes to their health care needs.”

Abbott also went on to criticize the Obama administration for its lack of establishing a VA hospital in the Rio Grande Valley, an issue that Abbott said Obama campaigned on.

“It is offensive that during his campaign, Barack Obama came down here to the Rio Grande Valley and said that he would establish a veterans healthcare hospital right here,” Abbott said. “We’re still waiting for the president to make true on his promise. I will work with federal authorities to ensure that we get the health care we need for our veterans.”

Davis also sympathizing with the community’s veterans and said that she finds the veterans’ health care situation unacceptable.

support for the death penalty as state law, but also suggested that he would work to improve the law’s effectiveness.

“I am in favor of the death penalty, and we want to ensure the death penalty is going to be enforced effectively,” Abbott said. “However, I think it is important that Texas continues to take a national leadership role in ensuring the accuracy and certainty of the death penalty, and that is why I worked with Sen. Rodney Ellis this last legislative session on an advance DNA testing process in death penalty cases to ensure that if a person is accused of a crime that would face the death penalty, we have the right person.”

The debate between Davis and Abbott was the first gubernatorial debate Texans have seen since 2006. Some Democratic pundits were hoping that Abbott would make a life-threatening mistake on stage, like Clayton Williams did in the 1990 gubernatorial debate when he refused to shake Ann Richards’ hand. Some feel the gesture caused Clayton to lose to Richards by two points in the general election. However, Abbott made no glaring mis- takes.

Abbott often spoke past Sen. Davis, rarely addressing her. Some fiery comments made in each candidate’s answers, including, for example, when Sen. Davis gave her rebuttal to a question about pre-k funding.

“My opponent has proposed standardized tests for four-year-olds to demonstrate that they deserve to have pre-k support, picking and choosing those which would receive it and those which wouldn’t,” Sen. Davis said. “Under Mr. Abbott, four-year-olds in this state can be assured that they’d be subject to standardized tests. The only way they’d get around that is if they hire a lobbyist, form a [Political Action Committee] and donate to the Greg Abbott campaign, because that’s how he works.”

The next and final gubernatorial debate will be held in Dallas on Sept. 30. The debate will include timed responses and follow-up questions and will be televised on all major media markets in the state.

“Right now, [our veterans] are having to drive as far as San Antonio. We have a great opportunity for [fixing] this with the new [University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley] medical school,” Davis said. “I’d like to see us work with the UT-RGV medical school to see if we can create a shared campus that pro- vides a medical hospital specifically for our veterans.” While both candidates disagreed on most issues, they both support Gov. Rick Perry’s deployment of troops to the Texas border.

Both Davis and Abbott criticized the federal government for not acting on the surge of undocumented immigrants in an effective manner.

“If the federal government will not act to secure our border, Texas must, and we will,” Davis said. “I did support the surge of DPS troops to our border, but I also asked [Gov. Perry]— and what I would [have done] had I been governor at the time — I asked him to convene us in a special session so that we could hear from local community members what their needs were here.”

Both Davis and Abbott were also in agreement on their support for the death penalty.

When asked about how he would ensure that innocents are not put to death in the state, Abbott reiterated his support for the death penalty as state law, but also suggested that he would work to improve the law’s effectiveness.

“I am in favor of the death penalty, and we want to ensure the death penalty is going to be enforced effectively,” Abbott said. “However, I think it is important that Texas continues to take a national leadership role in ensuring the accuracy and certainty of the death penalty, and that is why I worked with Sen. Rodney Ellis this last legislative session on an advance DNA testing process in death penalty cases to ensure that if a person is accused of a crime that would face the death penalty, we have the right person.”

The debate between Davis and Abbott was the first gubernatorial debate Texans have seen since 2006. Some Democratic pundits were hoping that Abbott would make a life-threatening mistake on stage, like Clayton Williams did in the 1990 gubernatorial debate when he refused to shake Ann Richards’ hand. Some feel the gesture caused Clayton to lose to Richards by two points in the general election. However, Abbott made no glaring mis- takes.

Abbott often spoke past Sen. Davis, rarely addressing her. Some fiery comments made in each candidate’s answers, including, for example, when Sen. Davis gave her rebuttal to a question about pre-k funding.

“My opponent has proposed standardized tests for four-year-olds to demonstrate that they deserve to have pre-k support, picking and choosing those which would receive it and those which wouldn’t,” Sen. Davis said. “Under Mr. Abbott, four-year-olds in this state can be assured that they’d be subject to standardized tests. The only way they’d get around that is if they hire a lobbyist, form a [Political Action Committee] and donate to the Greg Abbott campaign, because that’s how he works.”

The next and final gubernatorial debate will be held in Dallas on Sept. 30. The debate will include timed responses and follow-up questions and will be televised on all major media markets in the state.

137 thoughts on “Lackluster Debate Sets Tone for Gubernatorial Race”

  16. Thanks a lot for sharing this with all people you actually know what you are talking approximately! Bookmarked. Please additionally talk over with my site =). We could have a hyperlink change contract between us|

  19. It takes an fictitious amount of exhausting under way to be the zpackus.com Pill roller and moral to be an unreal staff. They be undergoing to ‘adopt pains’ of each character each time they come in and there as a matter of fact is no allowance to error. Good Day has been there representing me for the purpose 10 extended years and has been ‘pock-marks on’ every time. Every point answered to where it was easy to understand, every med correctly dispensed safely and correctly counted. All these issues and more are properly done alongside the full staff, under the management of the Rather and crozier, and to intact their marines, if you can’t pick up your order, they will-power send it to your home. Is there anything they don’t do – NO! Hold responsible you entirely much and please bear in mind – There is no nobler recriminate to pinch your boyfriend man or woman. Power Favour all of you and set up a riskless and In the seventh heaven Holiday. From our family to yours – Thank You – Lisa & Javelin

  21. Wonderful article! That is the type of info that are meant to be shared around the net. Shame on the seek engines for no longer positioning this submit higher! Come on over and discuss with my site . Thank you =)|

  22. I blog often and I genuinely thank you for your information. This article has really peaked my interest. I am going to book mark your website and keep checking for new details about once a week. I subscribed to your RSS feed as well.|

  24. This is really attention-grabbing, You’re an overly skilled blogger. I have joined your rss feed and stay up for in search of more of your magnificent post. Also, I have shared your site in my social networks|

  27. It’s amazing to pay a quick visit this site and reading the views of all friends on the topic of this paragraph, while I am also zealous of getting familiarity.|

  29. It is actually a nice and helpful piece of info. I am glad that you just shared this helpful information with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thanks for sharing.|

  35. Thank you for any other informative website. The place else may just I get that type of info written in such an ideal means? I have a undertaking that I’m just now operating on, and I’ve been at the glance out for such info.|

  38. Wow, fantastic blog layout! How long have you been blogging for? you made blogging look easy. The overall look of your site is magnificent, let alone the content!|

  41. This is the perfect site for anybody who hopes to understand this topic. You realize so much its almost hard to argue with you (not that I actually will need to…HaHa). You definitely put a new spin on a subject that’s been discussed for ages. Excellent stuff, just wonderful!|

  63. Sweet blog! I found it while browsing on Yahoo News. Do you have any suggestions on how to get listed in Yahoo News? I’ve been trying for a while but I never seem to get there! Thanks|

  117. อย่ายอมแพ้ที่จะทำตามฝัน
    แม้ว่ามันดูยากเกินจะเป็นความจริงได้
    จำไว้เถอะว่า ทุกอย่างมีหนทางและความเป็นไปได้ด้วยกันทั้งนั้น

    Never give up on something you really want.
    However impossible things my seem, there’s always a way.

    #Black

    https://ipro191.com/

  119. การที่มีผู้ติดเชื้อกระจายไปตามต่างจังหวัดบ้างแล้ว พล.อ.ณัฐพลกล่าวว่า ยอมรับกังวล แต่กระทรวงมหาดไทยและกระทรวงสาธารณสุข ยืนยันให้ผู้ว่าราชการจังหวัด ในฐานะประธานคณะกรรมการโรคติดต่อจังหวัด ควบคุมคนที่เดินทางไปจาก กทม. เข้ารับการกักกันควบคุมสังเกตตามความเหมาะสมของแต่ละพื้นที่ จากนี้สาธารณสุขจะประเมินสถานการณ์เมื่อครบ 15 วัน และอาจผ่อนคลายได้ในบางกิจการ by wila

    Go to website https://ipro191.com/

Comments are closed.