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@NewsOK The stage is set! 
@NewsOK Chris Reen from @NewsOK opens with remarks about civil discourse. Moderator will be Chris Casteel.
@NewsOK Q1. Where do we get the revenue to fund education. Casteel reminds audience that Stitt didn’t support the pay raise plan that passed.
@NewsOK Stitt says he wasn’t governor when walkout happened. He wants to put onus on local school districts to fund education. #oklaed #okdebate
@NewsOK Drew has a plan to make new revenue available. Says if the legislature won’t do it, he’ll take it to a vote of the people. #OKGovDebate
@NewsOK Drew believes in diversifying budget so we aren’t dependent on GPT.
@NewsOK Q2. When will you raise teacher salaries? Would you do that next session? #OKGovDebate
@NewsOK Stitt says he has a plan; still won’t say what the plan is.
@NewsOK Drew says if you think it’s just about salaries you weren’t listening to the teachers at the capitol. #oklaed
@NewsOK Lack of certified teachers, need smaller class sizes, text books. These are the issues teachers are talking about. #oklaed
@NewsOK Drew- we’ll have to recruit them, bring them home from other states. They’ll be attracted by improvements to #oklaed.
@NewsOK Stitt thinks we could fill need for teachers with technology. He wants to stream in teachers. #okled #OKGovDebate
@NewsOK Q4- should we go back to common core?
@NewsOK Drew says 30% of our districts don’t offer a foreign language. Too many schools on 4-day week. We have a lot of work to do.
@NewsOK Casteel pauses to do bio for each candidate. Linda Edmondson gets a huge applause. #OKGovDebate
@NewsOK Casteel asks if Drew is a “professional politician.” #OKGovDebate
@NewsOK Drew highlights @OklahomaTSET and his time as a teacher, in the navy, and on issues including mental health, and school tech.
@NewsOK @OklahomaTSET Stitt is highlighting business experience. Casteel pushes - says Gateway is shady and asks what he did to clean up the mess Gateway made.
@NewsOK @OklahomaTSET Q5- Casteel asks Stitt to clarify position on vaccinations. Says he vaccinated all six of his kids. (There’s video of him saying otherwise.)
@NewsOK @OklahomaTSET Q6- do you need Republicans to expand Medicaid.
@NewsOK @OklahomaTSET Drew says decision to expand Medicaid is an executive decision and he’s for it. It’s necessary to save rural health care. #OKGovDebate
@NewsOK @OklahomaTSET Stitt says he would accept federal $ for roads and bridges but won’t expand Medicaid.
@NewsOK @OklahomaTSET Casteel pushes. Wouldn’t Medicaid expansion help rural healthcare?
@NewsOK @OklahomaTSET Q6- what promise will you make to restore mental health care funding?
Drew would fund department of mental health’s smart on crime plan. Essential to treat but also will bring down prison population.
Q7. What would you have done to hold people accountable at department of health?
Drew has held people accountable before. He prosecuted people at the health department.
Stitt wants more power if he’s elected.
Drew says the agency directors should be accountable to a board.
Q8- how do you reduce prison population?
Drew says we should review cases of people serving time for things that are no longer felonies. Governor should review.
We should also fund smart on crime.
Q8- do you support private prisons?
Stitt says he’ll negotiate “better contracts” with private prisons.
Drew says a profit motive should not be built into the prison system. “I think it’s just flat wrong.”
Q9. Should city government and business was be able to keep guns off their property?
Stitt says yes. He’ll protect business owners and their rights.
Drew has a concealed carry permit. Carried as a DA, and in the Navy.
But we should be able to make sure people on the terrorist watch list shouldn’t be able to buy a gun.
Q10- how would you select judges to make sure they are against abortion?
Stitt’s answer was ... interesting.
Drew talks about history and why the process is set up as it is - to avoid judges who can be bribed.
Says judicial nominating commission would send qualified candidates. I want judges w/ a history of adherence to the law.
Q11- moving on to state question on school funding.
Stitt says he supports it.
Drew says he’s planning to vote no. The teachers aren’t asking for it and it gives the legislature a cop out on funding. #okaled
It will also exacerbate the disparity between districts. I would leave it the way it is and ask legislature to properly fund #oklaed.
Q12- do you support state question to combine governor/lt. governor ticket?
Both candidates say yes.
This ends the debate. Thanks for following along!
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