Candidates For Indiana Governor Face-Off In First Debate
By: David Shepherd
Updated: October 10, 2012
ZIONSVILLE - The candidates for Indiana governor face each other for their first debate, Wednesday.
Republican Mike Pence, democrat John Gregg and libertarian Rupert Boneham laid out their visions for Indiana and threw a few jabs along the way.
The candidates talked a lot about the economy, education and crime. They also discussed controversial issues such as right to work and "Obamacare."
A still struggling economy put the issues front and center. Specifically, attracting jobs to the state. Gregg wants to see wind turbines in northern Indiana to be made here.
"I ask myself why that aluminum blade comes shipped here rather than being made at Alcoha in Boonville or Layfette."
Boneham suggests, "Maybe start looking at decreasing our business taxes and creating a scenario where we are the lowest in business taxes in the Midwest."
Pence says, "I'm proposing, in our Road Map for Indiana, an across the board cut in personal income tax of 10 percent. That will put hundreds of dollars in the pockets of average Hoosiers. It's also the most effective way to cut taxes for job creators and small business owners."
It didn't take long for Gregg to go on the offense attacking Pence's road map for Indiana.
"You have voted and decimated the steel industry but you're talking about a road map to create jobs. Yet, your ideology has lead to Indiana loosing hundreds and thousands of jobs."
And the attacks didn't stop there.
Gregg said, "There's candidate Mike Pence and there's congressman Mike Pence. You're talking about the Judiciary Committee but, congressman, you missed 86 percent of the votes." He continued, "Mitch Daniels is a friend of mine but Mitch Daniels shows up to work every day."
Pence fired back saying, "John, you're not sounding very much like yourself these days. I've known you for a long time. This showing up for work bit, you know I have a 95 percent attendance record in the congress."
