Governor candidates discuss their priorities
DeWine, Cordray answer questions prior to their Sept. 19 debate.
From taxes and the economy to issues such as guns, abortion and education, the issues facing the next governor are important to all Ohioans.
On Sept. 19, gubernatorial candidates Republican Mike DeWine and Democrat Richard Cordray are taking part in their first debate at the University of Dayton to address many of these issues.
With the debate one week away, and polls showing a close race, we are taking a look at where DeWine and Cordray stand on key issues. Each day until the UD debate we will focus on different issues in the Local section.
The Dayton Daily News, WHIO-TV and WHIO Radio are the media partners for the debate.
Here is a Q&A we had with both candidates:
Q: Why are you running for governor?
Richard Cordray: I’m running for governor to change the priorities and approach of our state government that has left too many behind. I know our state government can be a force for good when it’s focused on the economic issues that affect every Ohioan young and old — economic opportunity through a good job, improved education and training, and access to affordable healthcare.
Both Washington and Columbus prioritized trickle-down economics that has led to job growth that lags most of the nation, we have witnessed the ECOT scandal and failing charter schools that eat up our tax dollars, and there is more talk of reducing access to affordable care than expanding it.
We can only make these needed changes if we change our approach. We need a more constructive partnership between state and local officials to face and resolve our challenges, as we did to work through the foreclosure crisis together. That’s what I call the Ohio way and I’m running for governor because we need that approach in Columbus.
Mike DeWine: I have a vision for the future and taking Ohio to the next level. However, we can’t move forward in this state until we address some very serious challenges that are holding us back, including the opioid crisis and the skills/education gap.
We have far too many adults in this state who are not living up to their Godgiven potential because they cannot pass a drug test, and because of that, their children suffer, and they don’t contribute as much as they could if they were not an addict.
I intend to change that with a 12-point action plan that focuses on education, prevention, and treatment. Also, while we have many great schools and many great teachers who make a difference every single day, we still have too many children who are languishing in under-performing schools.
We have a moral obligation to help these children. Ohio needs more high-performing schools that equip our kids with the skills and knowledge they need for 21st century careers in Ohio. That will move Ohio forward.
What are the three biggest issues facing the state?
Richard Cordray: Three of Ohio’s most urgent challenges include health care, education, and economic opportunity that brings more and better jobs.
We must build an inclusive economy that works for us all. We must build a stronger education system. We have slipped from fifth to 22nd in K-12 education, according to Education Week, and Ohio’s 45th in the nation in college affordability.
We must stop diverting money from our public schools to failing for-profit charter schools that do not serve Ohio well. We must protect the Medicaid expansion and make health care more accessible and affordable for all Ohioans.
We must improve the exchanges and expand the CHIP program. And we must stop the opioid crisis, which has been disastrously neglected by our state leaders. We are now losing 14 people a day to these drugs, far worse than most states.
Mike DeWine: 1. We must end the devastating opioid epidemic that is killing 15 Ohioans each day, flooding our foster care system with the children of addicts and costing Ohio $8 billion each year. I have a 12-point plan to fight this crisis.
2. We must do more to close the education/skills gap in our state and prepare our kids for 21st century jobs. That all starts with improving early childhood education. We need more kids who are Kindergarten-ready and must greatly increase the number of high-performing schools in Ohio. We know what works regarding education, and we need to replicate it. Further, we need to ensure that every child who graduates is jobor college-ready.
3. We must improve our economic development efforts in Ohio and focus on every part of the state. We need a progrowth business climate in Ohio that keeps taxes low and predictable, with fewer burdensome, unnecessary government regulations. We will have more questions answered by DeWine and Cordray in our upcoming online fall voters guide which goes live before early voting starts on Oct. 10. We will also feature answers from the Libertarian candidate Travis Irvine and the Green Party candidate Constance GadellNewton.