GOP gubernatorial debate: 3 takeaways

Three of the four Republicans running for governor had their first debate Wednesday in Memphis, tackling questions from economic development to Confederate monuments.

Here are three takeaways from the hour-long debate between U.S. Rep. Diane Black, Knoxville entrepreneur Randy Boyd and Williamson County businessman Bill Lee. The fourth toptier Republican in the race, House Speaker Beth Harwell, was detained in Nashville by the ongoing legislative session.

1. Cordial in person, subtle attacks

Wednesday’s debate provided three of the four top-tier gubernatorial candidates an opportunity to make their case to be the state’s next governor.

The debate largely remained cordial, with Lee, Boyd and Black sticking to the issues and rarely going off script.

Away from the cameras, the candidates were a bit more critical of one another.

During the debate, Black’s campaign sent out a handful of emails, some of which attacked Boyd, including one labeled “Failure.”

Speaking to reporters afterward, Boyd scoffed at the emails. When asked about House Speaker Beth Harwell’s absence from the debate, Boyd said she had a legitimate excuse.

“I don’t fault her for doing her job. Actually, I respect somebody that actually does their job,” he said, denying his comments were a subtle dig at Black, who this year has missed the most votes among Tennessee’s congressional delegation.

“No, I just think it’s important that if you’re getting paid to do a job, you show up and do it.”

Lee, meanwhile, stayed away from any criticisms of his opponents, only saying he was unsure why Harwell was unable to attend. “I’m guessing she felt like she couldn’t be here.”

2. Memphis ‘wrong’ on statues

The memory of state lawmakers pulling $250,000 in funding for Memphis’ bicentennial in retaliation for the removal of Confederate monuments late last year was still fresh at the debate. But asked whether they supported punishment for the city, all of the candidates distanced themselves from their colleagues at the legislature and said no.

“First of all, let me say, I don’t think it’s right to punish Memphis for that decision. If (state lawmakers) don’t like that law, they need to close that loophole,” Black said, referencing the city’s argument that state law didn’t apply after it sold the statues to a nonprofit.

But the candidates also agreed that Memphis was wrong to remove the statues. “Our history is our history,” Boyd said.

Boyd added that it was ironic that the House would punish the city for removing history by taking away funding for them to remember their history.

The outcome for the statues ultimately showed a lack of leadership, Lee said. As governor, he said he would have called together officials to form a “unified solution.”

Ryan Poe and Joel Ebert

3. Arm the teachers

With the issue of school safety permeating legislatures throughout the country in the aftermath of the February shooting in Parkland, Florida, the candidates were asked whether they support arming teachers.

Asked to raise their hands if they support the measure, Lee’s hand shot up, quickly followed by Black’s. Boyd, hesitating, said his support was “conditional” before he reluctantly raised his hand as well.

Both Boyd and Lee said children should have the same protections the nation requires at airports and businesses, and said mental health was the root cause of the shootings.

“We protect our nation and our nation’s leaders with firearms, yet we leave our children in gun-free zones,” Lee said. “That doesn’t make sense to me.” Black said law enforcement officers should have more leeway to address “red flags” at schools, and advocated for more armed security guards.