Major funding for election 2022 Arkansas PBS debates is provided by AARP Arkansas, with additional funding provided by the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce.

From the campus of University of Central Arkansas in the studios of Arkansas PBS, it's election, 2022 Arkansas PBS combinatorial debate 54321 upon.

Hello again everyone, and welcome again to debate week here on Arkansas PBS.

At this hour, the candidates for governor and they are, in alphabetical order, the Libertarian candidate Ricky Dale Harrington Junior, the Republican nominee.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders and the Democratic candidate Chris Jones.

The questions for the debate will be coming from our Arkansas PBS Public Affairs Team, Donald Terrell, also of Fox 16 News, Christina Munoz of Natural State update.

And I'm Steve Barnes.

The rules for the debate, as always, were agreed upon by all the candidates prior to the debate.

And they are these.

Each nominee will have one minute to respond to questions.

The candidates will have 30 seconds for rebuttal if they elect to use those 30 seconds.

And at the conclusion of questioning, each candidate will have one minute for a closing statement.

The order of candidate appearance questioning was determined prior to the debate in a drawing.

It was overseen by the candidates themselves or their representatives.

Our first question will come from Donna Terrell to Mr Harrington.

Thank you, Steve, and thank you all for being here.

We really do appreciate it.

The first question I want to talk about national versus state politics.

To an extent, national politics have always been a part or had an influence on local politics.

But in this election, it seems we may have lost balance.

Are we talking too much about Washington, DC?

Is this a referendum on Donald Trump and Joe Biden?

Or is this a race between you candidates with a focus on Arkansas and Arkansans and Mr Harrington?

I'll start with you.

Well, I'd first like to say that is one of the reasons why I decided to run for Governor of Arkansas instead of running on a federal level because of this hyper partisanship that is going on in Washington, it's becoming very, very volatile.

And my focus in that Senate campaign?

Directly translate to right here in the state and helping the people of Arkansas.

We've got to find a way to get away from the violence, the anger and the hatred that is so prevalent in our country.

And we need to start treating one another as human beings that have the right to self-determination.

So all this stuff that's going on in Washington and all the talking heads on cable news, sometimes we need to tune them out.

And remember that we have neighbors in this state that happen to believe differently.

We need to get back down to these basics of good governance to miss Sanders.

You have one minute.

1st Thank you so much for having us here today.

I think that there has to be a balance.

You cannot ignore the failures that are coming out of Washington right now.

We have out of control crime that is ravaging our cities.

We have a crisis taking place at our southern border allowing drugs to pour into our communities.

We have record-breaking inflation that is hurting families across the state.

So these failures of the Biden administration certainly cannot be ignored.

However, the reason I'm running for.

Governor is because I think the places where we can make the biggest difference and transform our state and impact and empower families is at the state level.

Focusing on things like education.

Making sure that every child in the state of Arkansas has access to a quality education and that we're putting kids on a pathway to prosperity.

That we are building a skilled, qualified workforce right here at home so that everyone has opportunity, making sure the communities our kids grow up in.

Are safe.

These are the things that I'll focus on and prioritize as governor.

And these are the things I've spent the last two years talking about as I've traveled around the state of Arkansas.

And that message is clearly resonating as we've seen.

Mr. Jones, you have one minute.

Thank you to UCLA.

Thank you to the moderators.

Thank you, Ricky Dell for being here again, Sarah, thank you for being here for the first time.

Look, this is always been about Arkansas.

I'm a 7th generation Arkansan who grew up in Pine Bluff.

And from the start, we set out to listen to our.

Kansans all over this state, we've traveled to all 75 counties and heard from Arkansas, Arkansas, and what they're saying is that they really want us to get back to the bread and butter issues that matter.

And that's why our agenda is pretty straightforward.

It's about spreading PB and J across the whole state.

Now, it sounds cool and sounds cute, but the deal is when you think about a bad peanut butter and Jelly sandwich, peanut butter is clumped in the Kelly's clump, and sometimes you take a bite and all you get is dry bread.

Well, Arkansans across this state in places from Mina to Cove.

The stamps to Wabbaseka are taking bites and getting dry bread.

We need preschool broadband and jobs across the entire state, and that's as governor.

That's certainly what I would focus on.

All right, Mr Harrington, we go back to you for 30 seconds for rebuttal.

Anyone that is in that office in Washington has an opportunity.

Anyone that is in the office here in Little Rock has an opportunity to do good for people.

And again, I want to reemphasize that we are focusing too much on its one side solution versus the other side solution.

And we need to get back down to basic common sense.

When we deal in our government, we have to start listening to one another, be open with our ideas and start focusing on solutions and the stuff that we have going on right now in our country.

We have to find a way to get away from it.

Miss Sanders, you have 30 seconds, I think one of the most important things.

Can do and certainly one of the biggest priorities that I'll have as governor when I take office in January is to focus on the education in Arkansas.

I think it is the single biggest and best place where a governor can impact, change and really transform our state.

I recently introduced a plan called Arkansas learns that will focus on several key areas that will bring our state together and make sure every child in this state is put on a path to success.

Mr. Jones, you know I actually agree.

We we certainly have to treat each other like neighbors and we must focus on education.

My grandfather who had a third grade education, he grew up in South Arkansas, he drove a truck.

He knew the value of education and pushed that for us.

And I want every Arkansan to have opportunities and that includes starting out of the blocks with pre-K and going all throughout the educational pipeline.

I also want to make sure that we're focused on economic development in rural areas that have been forgotten and left out and cause and then that way we uplift Arkansas.

And really, truly realize the promise of Arkansas's next question from Miss Munoz, who goes first to Miss Sanders.

Yes, thank you.

Thank you all for being here.

One thing you all have in common is a lack of experience in elected office.

So why should our Kansans trust you to be the leader of our state based on your resume?

Miss Sanders, to you first?

Absolutely.

I think one of the biggest things and one of the most important qualifications of a leader is being prepared for things that you have no idea are coming your way.

Anybody can talk about specific policies and the things that they want to do, but the real test of a leader is when they're challenged with things that they never see coming.

I've been tested at the highest level of government under the most intense criticism you can possibly imagine, and never once backing down from who I am or what I believe, but always rising to the moment, facing every challenge head on.

Never changing who I am or what I believe in, and knowing exactly who I am and not looking to the critics to define me.

I never needed validation from the room because I had a creator who had already given me that and set me on a path I know.

I'm prepared to step in on day one and be both the fighter and the leader that our state needs.

Frankly, at a time I think we needed the very most.

Mr. Jones, one minute.

The the governor's position is certainly multiple role.

It has multiple roles.

One of those key roles is an executive.

I am the only candidate on the stage who's run multiple multi $1,000,000 organizations.

One has to know how to set budgets, how to manage individuals, how to set a vision and then how to set a plan to realize that vision.

But the reality is even with plans and even with bringing folks together and even with understanding the challenges and as an engineer, I certainly know how to understand challenges and problems.

What Arkansas?

Needs right now, as I've traveled the state and heard from our Kansans, is not only someone who has the plans, but someone who knows how to execute those plans and has done it before.

And I did it when I ran the Arkansas Regional Innovation hub.

And all and.

And key and fundamental to all of this, what I've heard from all our Kansas is that we need a leader who has compassion, who actually will work for all our Kansans, no matter who you are, no matter what your background, no matter what your party affiliation and where you come from.

And as Governor, I will certainly do that every single day in the office.

Mr Harrington, one minute.

Excuse me, the candidates on stage here, Doctor Jones and Mukabele Sanders, have wonderful resumes.

I don't have that type of resume.

What I do have is a lifetime of serving people.

Of traveling to other countries and learning their language and understanding their culture, understanding who they are to bring a message to them and help them change their life.

I spend time working with the least.

I've managed people before and there's one thing I want to say.

Is that in leadership?

It takes a milieu of different skills.

Not only do you have to be strong, but you have to have compassion.

Be firm, fair and consistent, and one thing I want to finish with is I started my candidacy as a nobody.

And here I am standing beside these three wonderful people right now on this one thing, running for the message of peace in our country.

And I believe what we need right now is a peacemaker.

And I'll promise you, I will do my best to bring peace here in Arkansas.

Got to go back.

Mr Harrington.

Miss Sanders, you have 30.

Arkansas needs a balance.

We need someone who is both capable of fighting back against an out of control federal government that is insistent on taking over the lives of every.

Citizen across the country.

I know I'm capable of fighting back against the radical left and the crazy bad ideas coming out of Washington because I've been doing it for the last several years and winning.

But we also need a leader, someone who's not only capable of fighting back against good policy, but also capable of leading our state forward with heart and compassion and implementing good policy.

I know I'm prepared to step in and be both the fighter and the leader that we need on day one.

Got a call time, Mr. Jones?

You have 30.

Arkansans have a history of electing pragmatic governors.

Governors who are willing to show up, listen, engage and and develop real plans that actually make a difference in people's lives.

And as Governor, I will certainly wake up every day and do that.

We need a governor who is really focused on problem solving and not the extremism that I'm hearing.

Mr Harrington, 30 seconds.

I was trying to get into it a little bit, describing my campaign when I first started to run for the US Senate.

Started with just a treasurer and myself, and we almost raised $100,000 in that race right there.

What I want people to see about me is that I started with nothing.

And I'm trying to do the best that I can running this professional campaign.

And if you see somebody that's doing well with nothing, I wonder what type of governor that would be whenever it comes to respect to the people's money.

New question of a governor has to be credible not only with the General Assembly, but with the electorate as well.

Miss Sanders, you were press secretary to a president whose credibility was and remains under constant challenge.

Mr. Jones, as evidenced by the last election of the President of your party, has very obvious and serious credibility problems with Arkansas voters.

Mr Harrington.

Arkansas voters have never demonstrated with their votes.

Any way that they want libertarian nominees credible enough to serve in statewide office, beginning with Mr. Jones?

Sir, why should Arkansas voters trust you?

Why should they find you credible?

The issue of credibility is a real one.

It's a deep one.

It's one that matters to me as a scientist because you have to have a foundation of facts.

It matters to me as a minister because you have to have a foundation of truth.

So credibility matters.

And I've shown up across this state.

We've walked miles together in almost every county, and I've had conversations with our Kansans about the importance of not only now, but our future.

So I think it's critical as a minister.

Read the Bible and it tells me to inspect fruit.

I think it's incredible.

It's critical that Arkansans inspect the fruit of everyone up here and make the determination as to who they can trust because it's a matter of trusting the dollar that they send in.

It's a matter of trusting that a governor will show up in a crisis, crisis situation.

And it's a matter of trusting that the governor will make the right decision for you when you're not in the room.

And I remember Mr Fault, who's a disabled veteran in Northwest Arkansas and Piggott and he said.

Don't forget about us and I'll never forget about you, Mr Faulk.

NE Arkansas.

Alright, Mr Harrington, one minute.

One of my campaign platform foundations is integrity.

I've talked about integrity during the campaign trail, especially when it comes to.

Our executive branch of government and enforcing the law.

When a person is a law enforcement officer or has worked in law enforcement, they have certain powers that other people do not have.

And when you have that power, you can maybe get away with some things that the average citizen may not be able to get away with.

But whenever you know those things, you put yourself in a.

Particular situation where you have to demonstrate your integrity.

And I know there's been a lot of instances in my life.

Where nobody else is looking, but I know.

And I'll tell you, as governor, I will do my absolute best to lead with integrity, because that's what we have to have in our government.

Because there are plenty of times where those who have had power have abused the civil rights of the people.

Got to end it there, Miss Sanders, one minute.

One of the reasons that I've spent the last two years is I've traveled to all 75 counties in our state, going back now to the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th times, and many of them is focusing on a message of empowerment, bringing our state together, delivering a positive message that helps impact every Arkansan for the best.

One of the reasons one of the biggest priorities I have is education is because I know it is one of the single best places that we can transform a person's life.

I know that if we help kids in this state.

Read they are on a much better pathway to success.

Right now, only 35% of Arkansas third graders are reading at or above a third grade reading level.

We know that if kids are not hitting that most basic benchmark, there is a 70% chance that they'll have a lifetime in poverty.

To me, this is simply unacceptable and it's one of the reasons it's the very first priority in my Arkansas learns plan is because I know that if we put kids on a better pathway to success and we focus on messages.

Like that, that bring people together and empower every Arkansan.

Our state will be better for it.

Mr. Jones, 30 seconds.

You know, again on the question of trust, I'm a capitalist, and I know that the capitalist society functions in in when there's a flow of trust.

If you don't have trust, you can't run your business, you don't have trust, you can't grow.

And so we have to have a foundation of trust.

And as governor, I certainly will make sure that everything I do is with integrity.

And trust.

And when I look, we'll look across the state and I see the challenges that our Kansans face.

What they need and they are asking for is a leader who they certainly can wake up every day and trust.

Mr Harrington, 30 seconds, you know, as candidates that are running in political parties.

And we're still talking about this issue of credibility here.

There's a lot of, you know, you don't want to throw anybody under the bus.

But sometimes when it comes to the truth, when it comes to things that matter the most, there comes a point in each and every one of our lives where we have to stand up and we have to do the right thing.

And you all know what I'm talking about right now, especially dealing with the former president and his credibility.

We have to find a way to get back to these basics in our government of trust one another.

Because if we do.

Mr Harry time, Mr Harrington.

Miss Sanders, credibility, 30 seconds.

I think one of the most important qualifications is integrity and trust.

As a parent, as a mom of three young kids, Scarlet, Huck and George, 10-9 and seven, I know that every single decision that I will make as governor will have a direct impact on the life of my own kids, as well as every child growing up in the state of Arkansas.

It's not something I take lightly, but it is something I know I'm ready to take on.

And I know that the.

People of Arkansas can trust me to do the best for my kids and theirs.

New question, Miss Terrell.

And it goes first to Mr. Jones, OK. Or Sanders.

Excuse me.

I'm sorry.

Miss Sanders starts this.

One, we hear from many of our voters saying they long for a day when we can have less divisive politics.

So I challenge you to think about your opponents and where you could find common ground.

And if you can find common ground, how would you craft that even further?

We'll start, Miss Sanders, with you.

I don't want to sound repetitive, but I certainly think that one of the most empowering message is going back to what my biggest priority will be as governor, and that's education.

I think that it is such a unifying thing because it impacts every single one of us.

It's a long plan.

And so I've only gotten the chance to get through one bullet, which was literacy.

The next piece is empowerment because I think focusing and making sure that we are empowering parents to make the best decisions for their kids.

And making sure that they have transparency in the curriculum and making sure that they understand that no child should be trapped in a failing school because of where they live is something that is the role that the state can take on.

We also might have to make sure that we have accountability and education like we're rewarding our hard working teachers with smart incentives like higher pay and also helping provide better resources and training so they have the tools to do their job successfully.

We also have to focus on things like.

Workforce readiness, something that not only has been ignored in the state of Arkansas, but frankly across the country got a call time as senator.

I'm sorry.

Don't worry, I'll, I'll come back to it.

I promise.

Mr. Jones, you know, I think there are several areas where we can find common ground on what matters.

The question is how we implement that and who we do it for.

You know, I look, I look at Mr Harrington, and I applaud you for your focus and your service on criminal justice.

You've done a lot of great work.

And Miss Sanders, you are absolutely right.

Education matters.

We've been talking about it from day one, and I know personally how education transformed my life, and I I I appreciate you focusing on that for your children.

Look, I have three girls.

I want them to grow up in Arkansas, where they can choose whatever path they want, whether it's higher Ed or the trades or entrepreneurship.

We do that by providing a foundation that really focuses on education, by making sure that we have the infrastructure we need to truly grow, and by providing economic development.

All across this state, particularly in the areas that have been left out.

Now again, I do think that on the issues we can find common ground where Matt, where it changes is how we implement that and who we implement that for Mr Harrington.

All three candidates on this stage have some form of tie to Pine Bluff.

I'm from Pine Bluff, Doctor Jones from Pine Bluff, and I believe Miss Huckabee Sanders has spent a lot of time in Pine Bluff as well.

People like to talk bad about Pine Bluff, but I love it.

I love Pine Bluff.

It's rough, but the people there are great.

Whenever you get to know the folks, Doctor Jones is minister.

Miss Huckabee Sanders is a Christian as well.

And my whole hope.

Running here is for these three Christian people on this stage to be good examples for those.

And I understand that some people do not believe that that is your absolute constitutional right.

But for just saying right now, I just hope that the people who had watched this see a good example of three people on stage holding to their faith and respecting one another.

Miss Sanders, 30 seconds certainly agree with you on that.

And I did.

I lived in Pine Bluff until I was about five years old.

Right.

I think that common link is pretty interesting among the three of us all standing on stage.

Going back and I I promised you that I would come back to it and I'm in it.

I'm gonna finish out getting through all those letters if it if it takes us the whole debate.

But one of the other things that I think is so vitally important is the workforce readiness competence.

I think focusing on these types of policies that actually empower our Kansas and make everyone's life better.

It doesn't matter what part of the state I've traveled to or what type of business I have met with.

There has yet to be a single person that tells me that they can hire the skilled qualified.

Workers that they need.

So that has to be a priority for our next administration.

Back to Mr. Jones now for 30, you know, I'll just pick up on workforce readiness and and I'll reflect back on my time running the Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub where we developed a program called the Skills to launch program.

And we trained 18 to 24 year olds on roofing, welding, HVAC and carpentry because we knew that with that foundation they were able to be able to launch themselves into the trades and launch themselves into entrepreneurship.

So it is vitally important and it's also important to make sure.

That we provide a foundation of of solid infrastructure across the state and that's what's gonna really up allow us to realize the promise of Arkansas.

And to Mr Harrington, I want to piggyback a little bit off what Doctor Jones said, talking about apprenticeships and education.

And removing some of the roadblocks that keep people from upward mobility.

Now there's an opportunity for people to start businesses even though they have low capital.

But there are a lot of things that are in their way and our hope as governor to institute a program for people to demonstrate their competency through apprenticeships and other programs like that.

Thank you, Sir.

Our next question or Mr Yeah, our next question comes from Miss Munoz and it goes first to Mr. Jones.

Yes, and let's talk about the media and press access.

Many members of the media are here today.

How much access will Arkansas media have to you as governor and will it change based on how they cover your time in office?

And Mr. Jones, we start with you.

Again, I go back to it's important to check the record.

It's it's important to inspect the fruit from the beginning.

We have shown up everywhere and spoken to all our Kansans and taking the tough questions from the beginning.

We've had conversations with media, with the media, and we are always open.

And I will always be open to having conversations with the media because here's the deal.

The media plays a critical and important role in our society.

They allow us to get at the tough questions.

They allow us to see behind the veil and to know what's going on because I can say things on this stage.

But the real question is what's in the details, what's behind what I'm saying and who is it going to be beneficial for?

And that's the role of the media.

Look, we've been down to South Arkansas and I've heard stories of folks who are frustrated because they can't hear from my opponents, Sarah Sanders, and they want to know what how she is going to implement the things she's talking about and they want to ask the tough questions.

So as governor, I certainly will continue to do what I've done from the very beginning, which is be transparent and accountable and open.

Mr Harrington, I'm sorry.

Can you please repeat the question again when it comes to local media, how much access will they have to you as governor?

Well, I've, I've definitely joked at one of the first debates that we had in April that I would live stream my days as Governor of Arkansas.

You know, we've we've got to be forthright with one another.

If we want to have.

A free and safe society.

We have to be forthright.

We have to be truthful one another.

We have to tell it like it is, but also be gentle with one another whenever we are telling it like it is.

And I again back going back to this issue of integrity.

We've got to continue to demonstrate to the people that they can.

44 libertarians say this trust the government.

But have some type of good faith that those that are in office, those that are serving the people of the of the state of Arkansas, are doing the right thing, Miss Sanders.

Freedom of the press is incredibly important, but with freedom of the press also comes a great deal of responsibility.

And when they don't live up to their end of the bargain, it forces some of us to go outside of the box, which I have done every single day for the last two years.

I have traveled all over the state of Arkansas.

In fact, I would be willing to venture that I've actually met with more Arkansans directly face to face than all of the other candidates running for this office, both in the primary and general combined.

I've been to all 75 counties taking my message directly to the people of Arkansas because I know more than anybody that sometimes you have to go directly to the people and cut out the middleman and the bias in which they are going to present your message.

And it's clearly working and resonating.

People are hungry for a leader who is going to build Arkansas up, who is going to focus on things like education, like public safety, like phasing out our state income tax and doing things that.

Benefit every Arkansas.

And that's exactly the message that I've been talking about for the last two years and I'm going to continue talking about as we finish strong.

Yes, Sir, Mr Herring or Mr. Jones.

I mean it sounded like a crowd size comment to me.

Look, the Second Amendment is something that we talk about often and when we talk about as our support of the Second Amendment and I certainly support the Second Amendment, there's one that comes forward which is the 1st amendment and I strongly support the 1st amendment as well because they foundation of openness is critical to the functioning of our democracy.

And the more we have leaders who are unwilling to show up and answer the tough questions in front of crowds that don't agree with them and with media that don't agree with them.

The further we'll get away from the strength of our democracy.

Mr Harrington.

Again, I'd like to thank Arkansas PBS for holding this debate and allowing me to be on this stage because it's very difficult for third parties to even get in this type of situation.

Thank you all again for this getting back to.

Some of the things that are important, the 1st amendment.

Our press is supposed to keep our government in check and make sure that things that they say is the truth.

The press is fundamental to our constitutional Democratic Republic, and hopefully the corporate press will get away from doing the things that they do in fomenting the hate that is so prevalent in America today.

Time, Sir.

Time, miss Sanders.

30 seconds.

I've engaged with the press and I'll continue to do so, but more importantly, I will never stop.

Engaging directly with the people of Arkansas.

I've traveled all over this state taking question after questioning, looking people directly in the eye, and laying out my plan, my vision, and my message for the state.

I don't apologize for that.

I think that's exactly what this process is supposed to be about, is letting people have the opportunity to get to know you and invest in who you are before they cast their vote for you.

I'm going to continue doing that and finish strong over these last few weeks leading up to November 8th time.

Again to all three of you.

Of course.

All three of you have tax proposals that you have discussed, and all three of you have been criticized for them.

You've all got proposals on education, on economic development, criminal justice.

Other elements of of governance, all of them require money.

How can miss Sanders, how can you accomplish, how can you accomplish your goals and cut taxes.

Mr. Jones, how can you accomplish your goals without raising taxes?

And Mr Harrington, which taxes would you raise, cut or even retain?

And we'll begin with Mr Harrington.

Well, I've been talking a lot about cutting the remainder of the grocery tax that is on the Arkansas books.

I can't even believe that Arkansas.

Ever had a tax on the food that goes into people's mouth?

That is an immoral tax.

I just cannot believe it happened.

And I'm just dumbfounded by it.

Another thing, people want the sales.

Well some people don't want sales tax that, but I I would like to fight for getting the sales tax cut.

That's what I would like to do because it it also is a double tax on people's income.

First we have the income tax.

Now whenever I go try to spend money on goods for food and for my family, I have to deal with that tax.

So we have to find a way to cut the things down.

Now I want to say about this, especially being the executive of the government and proposing budgets to the legislative branch.

Being poor, you learn how to make it with a not a whole lot, and I hope to bring that to the executive branch.

Miss Sanders.

In this stretch, one minute Miss Sanders.

Thank you.

Right now, 54% of Arkansas's budget is spent on education.

Yet the results we are getting are simply unacceptable.

We have to do more with the money that we are already investing in our state.

We have a number of programs that are not meeting the most basic standard.

If we are putting this much money into the system and our results are actually getting worse as we put more money in, that is not a standard by which I think we can operate.

We have to do more.

With the money that we have been entrusted with, but we also have to look for modernization and efficiencies within government.

We've seen other states take this on and pass the technology savings of the tune of 40 to $50 million a year onto the taxpayer.

That's something that Arkansas is capable of and it's something that we should be doing.

Focusing on things like phasing out the state income tax, allow us to be competitive with the states around us like Texas and Tennessee and Mississippi who's just passed legislation to do so, we have to do it responsibly.

But we do that by growing our own economy and cutting out the waste and the fraud and the abuse that exist in our government spending as it is now.

Mr. Jones, one minute.

So I hear talk about results not matching up.

I hear talk about waste, fraud and abuse.

Well, it's been miss Sanders party that's been in power for the last eight years.

So I think we have to look there to see.

And Einstein said you can't do the same thing over and over again and expect different results.

So we have to do something different.

Here's the deal.

I am for cutting taxes and we have an opportunity to do so.

But the math has to add up.

You cannot eliminate 55% of the state revenue and then not cut something unless as Texas was brought up, you end up like Texas where property taxes go through the roof.

So what are we saying to our farmers?

Or you end up like Florida where sales taxes go through the roof.

So what are we saying to the one and four kids who go to bed hungry and they're trying to figure out how to pay for their food?

Or you end up like Kansas where the educational system collapses, we can cut taxes and we can spread PB and J across the state, which is preschool broadband and.

Jobs.

There are resources there that we can leverage, but we have to do it in a measured, responsible way.

Mr Harrington, 30 seconds.

I agree with Doctor Jones.

We have to be smart about our spending.

We have to be smart about where we cut our taxes.

And we have to be smart about how we spend the money of the people of Arkansas.

We've got to do that.

We cannot continue the paradigm that we have in our government right now.

And I know people say that taxes are what we pay for the living in a civilized society.

That might be right, but we still have an opportunity as a people to discuss whether or not we're going to continue those taxes.

Miss Sanders 30.

Like I said, we have to focus on phasing out the state income tax responsibly.

That doesn't mean rushing out and doing it.

One of the best ways we can do this is through growing our own economy.

We have an incredible abundance of natural resources and we have a reason that we are called the natural state.

We have a untapped outdoor economy that we have barely even scratched the surface of.

There is so much that can be done to grow our own economy here at home and then pass that.

Savings onto the taxpayer?

Mr. Jones, look, we're hindered from unleashing our full potential when we have areas across our state, 30% that don't have access to broad high speed Internet, which allows them to tap into the broader economy.

And what we have to focus on is how are we going to provide that level of infrastructure so that our Kansans can truly thrive and it and not keep saying it.

And I'll say it again, the math has to add up.

I've met with all 15 department agencies and their their senior leadership under Governor Hutchinson's.

Administration and the DFA has said you just can't eliminate 55% of the state budget.

Next question from Donald Terrell first to Mr. Jones.

A transgender lawsuit trial that's going on in Little Rock right now, our incumbent governor vetoed legislation that is now being tried in federal court, he said.

The bill went too far.

Had you been governor at that time, would you have sided with him or do you think?

The bill should have actually passed.

Was that?

Mr. Jones, yes.

We use.

Issues like transgender care and health care as divisive political punching bags.

There's a child at the end of that conversation.

There's a family at the end of that conversation.

I don't question either one of my opponents love for their family.

I don't question their desire to make their the decisions for their children.

And I wouldn't question any other Arkansans.

What we have to do is make sure we're loving each other.

So as a scientist.

And as a minister and as an engineer, I would listen to what the science says and make sure that we are allowing parents and families to make the key decisions that they.

Mr Herrington, First off, it shouldn't even made it out of committee in my opinion.

I would have vetoed it, just like Governor Hutchinson did to answer the question directly.

We live in a free society.

People have the right to self-determination.

People have the right to live their life the way that they want to as long as it is not doing harm to anybody else.

Our government, especially our legislature, has continued to pass laws that are getting struck down as unconstitutional regulating people's personal choices and their behaviors.

Now, going back to this child gender affirming care, some people say that it might be abuse.

That's that might be their opinion.

We have physicians, we have doctors, we have imams, psychologists, rabbis, priests that can help those families to make that decision and it is their decision to make, not a politicians.

Miss Sanders one minute.

One of the most important and frankly one of the most basic roles of government is to protect the citizens, particularly those who can't protect themselves like kids.

I would have supported this legislation and I would have signed it because we have to do a better job of protecting the kids in this state and frankly across the country.

Kids are not capable of making life altering decisions like that.

There's a reason we have laws in place that protect kids from driving before the age of 16, voting before the age of 18, before we allow them to make decisions about smoking and drinking and wearing a seat belt.

Because they are not capable of making adult decisions at that age.

And we need to do a better job of making sure we not only protect them in this instance, but across the board we can and must do a better job.

And is the most basic fundamental role of government.

Mr. Jones 30 seconds.

Kids are not able to make that decision.

But parents are.

And I trust parents and I trust parents to listen to their physician and make the best decision that they can for their children.

It is not an easy straightforward issue.

It's complex and complicated and we have to trust parents.

You know, when we talk about the we talk about the issues as if there's some fly by night thing.

You know I I agree with Mr Mr Harrington I would certainly have done.

What Governor Hutchinson did and sign it and make sure that we don't strip away those powers and rights from parents, Mr Harrington.

Well, you took the words right out of my mouth, Doctor Jones.

Or my children?

My children?

Or do they belong to the government?

Who knows best on how to raise a child?

Your child.

That you spent countless nights whenever they were sick.

You are the one who've taken care of those children.

Who has a better idea of how to take care of your children, the government.

Or do you?

We need to filter this.

This idea right here, through all the things that we do in our state and in this government, who has the better idea?

Time.

Mr Miss Sanders, back to you for 30.

As I stated, one of the most important jobs that we have is to protect people, protecting our kids, not just in this instant, but across the board.

We have to do a better job of dealing with the out of control crime that is absolutely ravaging our cities right now.

Little Rock, AR is considered one of the most dangerous cities in all of America.

I want my kids to be safe.

I want every kid in Arkansas to be safe.

And this means taking big steps to do exactly that.

And that's the type of focus that I'll have when I'm governor wants to take a break just for a moment from our questioning, to remind the audience that the candidates may participate in a press conference directly following our debate.

So to watch that and watch it live, you may scan the QR code on your screen with your mobile device.

And we will repeat, we'll punch that QR code up periodically through the balance of our broadcast.

When you Miss Munoz has the next question and it goes first to Mr Harrington.

Yes, thank you.

We have already talked about the downturn of the economy, inflation issues.

Let's get into the details.

What can you do, what will you do as governor to actually help Arkansans with high gas prices, high food prices, regardless of who or which party is in the White House?

Mr Harrington, you first.

Well, I would definitely like to.

Work on occupational licensing to give people more opportunities to start businesses and from right from where they are, to be able to provide for their families, to remove some of these extra burdensome things that get in the way.

You know, sometimes people have the ability but they don't have the money.

Sometimes people might have the money but they don't have the ability.

You don't think work life works out like that?

What I want to do is to bring liberty and freedom here to Arkansas for people to pave away for themselves.

However they see fit, as long as they are not doing any harm to another human being.

Now this economy that we're dealing with right now, people saying ohh it's so fine, it's OK, it's everything's gonna be alright.

I'm just going to tell you the truth right here.

We might have some rough time ahead and we all need to prepare for it, but centers.

One of the most important things we can do is let people keep more of their money if we want to actually help them at a time when they really need it, and fight back against the high inflation and the record gas prices that our people have experienced over the last couple of years.

We need to allow them to keep more money in their pocket.

And we're going to do that by continuing to responsibly phase out the state income tax, rewarding people's hard work instead of penalizing it at the hands of the government.

This has to be a priority, not just because it.

It helps our citizens, but frankly, we can't afford not to.

Arkansas cannot continue to compete with the states around us, much less in a global economy, if we aren't more competitive on this front.

And it's one of the reasons I have made that such a big priority in my campaign and will make it a huge priority in my administration.

Mr. Jones, one minute.

Inflation is hurting the economy, is putting pressure on our Kansans.

And I've heard it as I've traveled the state and talked to Arkansans and all 75 counties, from Cove to Camden, from Harrison to Hamburg.

Also, no, personally what it feels like because I'm a kid who didn't grow up with a silver spoon in his mouth.

I grew up and I remember the shutoff notices, and that's part of what Arkansas are facing now.

67% of our state are what's called Alice Asset Limited.

Income constrained but employed, they are working hard but having a really tough time making ends meet.

And as governor, we have to think about the short term and the long term solutions and PB and J is a long term solution, preschool broadband and jobs providing education at the outset because we know that kids that go to pre-K are more likely to read about third grade and they're more likely to have a living wage job and they're less likely to go to prison.

We also know that businesses need infrastructure in order for them to thrive and we certainly need to make investments in our rural areas for economic development and jobs that will keep a roof over your head and allow you to take a vacation.

We go now back to Mr Harrington.

30 seconds.

You know we're coming off the end of a pandemic.

Where we did pass the Carers Act and some of the, you know, COVID relief, where people had a lot of money, our state received a record.

A surplus in my opinion, because of the extra money that people had taken in those those taxes.

So again, I'm I'm saying that we have to prepare ourselves for what is coming.

And we have to be wise.

Gotta cut it there, Miss Sanders, back to you.

Our focus has to be on things that actually empower our Kansans to live their best life right here in Arkansas.

That's why my focus on education, making sure every child in the state has access to a quality education is so imperative to the success of our state.

Making sure that our streets are safe, making sure that the communities that our kids are growing up in aren't the most dangerous in America, and making sure that we are rewarding hard work.

These are the priorities that are going to allow our Kansans to live their best life right here at home.

Mr. Jones, I encourage all our Kansans to take a look at our websites and see what our plans are and how we will implement and focus on things that benefit all our Kansans.

Take a look, take an exhaustive look at them, and here's the deal.

When we make decisions, as Mr Mr Harrington said, we have to think about the consequences of those decisions, intended and unintended.

And we also have to make sure that we're leading with compassion because you can have a plan, but the question is who is that plan benefiting?

And a a new question first to Miss Sanders.

Miss Sanders somewhat over 50% rather more than 50% of your campaign.

By one recent accounting, more than 50% of your contributions have come from out of state.

Mr. Jones almost half of your contributions have come from out of state.

And Mr Harrington, if that has not been a problem for you, out of state contributions, I would nonetheless ask all three of you, beginning with Miss Sanders and it sort of follows up on on the Mr Wells question.

Is there too much out-of-state influence in Arkansas politics?

I think it's very clear that my message of defending freedom and helping empower every Arkansan is resonating not just here at home, but frankly across the country.

I don't apologize for people supporting me.

I certainly don't apologize for them supporting me from all over the country.

I have traveled to all 75 counties, and I have seen the enthusiasm and the excitement for our message.

It is clearly resonating, and we're going to continue taking it to every corner of the state as we finish this campaign strong.

Our Kansans are ready and hungry for both a fighter and a leader.

And I know I and I'm confident that I'm the person that they're looking forward to lead our state.

Next out-of-state contributions.

Mr. Jones, look.

Agree with Miss Sanders.

You know, it shouldn't matter where the money comes from.

What what it says is that people are interested in investing in Arkansas.

What should matter is what strings are attached to the money.

And that's the question that people have to ask.

So look, when when I think about what Arkansas is and how amazing it is, I go out all across the state and all across the country from the time I left Watson Chapel High School and went to Morehouse College where I got a physics and math degree and then worked at NASA and then went on to MIT where I got 3 degrees, one in nuclear engineering.

Under technology and policy and a PhD in in urban planning.

All the while I was always promoting Arkansas and talking about how amazing it is and I would introduce myself as saying, hey, I'm Chris Jones and I'm from Pine Bluff, AR.

So when you promote Arkansas like that, of course people will be invested in.

But the question is, are there strings attached to that and what will you do with that money?

Will it go to benefit and uplift all Arkansas regardless of who you are, how many zeros are in your bank account or what your last name is Mr Harrington out of state money the issue?

I'm not going to sit up here and.

Be a hypocrite and say I haven't taken any out-of-state money at all.

That would be absolutely ridiculous.

This is a symptom of the machinations of established party power receiving those incomes, receiving contributions from out of state.

That's just a fact.

They have parties and parties try to help strong candidates and so they dump monies into candidates they think that will win.

It's just a that's just a fact of the matter.

And our politics is very national.

It's always focused from a national perspective rather than from a state perspective.

And and hopefully it is true, as as Doctor Jones might have said, that the strings attached is the real issue now for me as a libertarian, there's definitely no strings attached for me if elected.

Governor, you won't have to worry about the machinations of Libertarian Party power.

Miss Sanders, back to you for 31 of the best jobs.

And one of the best parts about being governor will be that you get to be the chief salesperson for the state of Arkansas.

We have one of the most beautiful states in the country.

We have an abundance of natural resources.

We have some of the best duck hunting and fly fishing and outdoor recreation of any place in the country.

We have businesses that started off as nothing.

Have become the biggest entities in the country, frankly, in the world.

We have an incredible story to tell and I'm not afraid to go out and tell it to every corner of the country.

And it's one of the reasons that I'll be a successful governor is bringing some of those relationships and people back into our state, investing into our businesses, growing our economy.

That's a great thing, not a negative.

Got to go to Mr Doctor Jones.

Now.

People are interested in Arkansas.

They're interested in Arkansas to see.

What will happen with democracy?

They're interested in Arkansas because we are an amazing place.

We could be leaders in the film industry.

We could be leaders in agricultural technology.

We could be leaders in the 21st century economy.

But it's going to require the right investment, and it's going to require a governor who's been there and who's run organizations and who's had conversations with folks in agriculture and with folks in the tech industry and with folks in the medical industry because it is something that we have to do together.

Harrington, back to you for 30.

Well.

I would like to work on giving nurse practitioners more autonomy.

To be able to help our rural communities, especially with the the lack of healthcare that is in our rural areas.

Whenever we are trying to fix some of the rule issues that we are dealing with.

I I don't see him as problems.

I see him as opportunities.

There are plenty of opportunities to reinvigorate rural Arkansas.

And now a fresh question.

Miss Terrell goes first to Mr Harrington.

During the Black Lives Matter protests in Little Rock, Republican Governor ASA Hutchinson sat down in a private meeting with representatives from the protest groups to try to find common ground.

If a similar protest happened on your watch, how would you handle it, Mr Harrington?

Well, if you wanna know something about me, I like people.

I love people.

I love working with them, and I've worked with people that happen to be hostile quite frequently, and the skill is is turning that hostile environment into a conducive environment for resolution or reconciliation.

I've done this all my life and all it is is a matter of scale and magnitude.

If you're faithful in little things, be faithful in the big things, is what I hear.

So if we if we are dealing with crises in Arkansas, I'll be ready to sit down at the table and talk with anybody.

Because we we have to have those good faith conversations.

We have to stretch out that hand to our fellow human being.

We need to start working toward reconciliation in our country right now and back away from this hyper partisanship that we've been dealing with.

We have to start valuing the humanity of other human beings to miss Sanders for one minute.

I wanna be the governor for all of Arkansas, whether people vote for me or not.

That's why I've spent the last two years on the campaign trail talking about things that actually empower every Arkansan.

Things that bring our state together, brings that build our state up.

Things that transform our state for the better and help Arkansas be the best place to live, work and raise a family, focusing on things like education that impact every single child in this state.

Focusing on things like public safety, which make a determination of whether or not a child has the ability to grow up and be safe, whether they're at school, on the street or long after when they're grandparents and nursing homes.

Making sure that we are doing things and implementing policy that helps every single Arkansan has been the focus of my entire campaign.

Focusing on the positivity and the things that build us up instead of focusing on things that tear us down.

That's the type of governor I'm going to be because it's the type of candidate I've been, Doctor Jones.

I think Governor Hutchinson did the right thing.

It is absolutely critical that we have inclusive conversations where we're bringing people to the table and getting at the root of issues.

You can't get at the root of issues if you're unwilling to speak and and stand on the truth.

And so I applaud what he did.

And as governor, I would certainly do that.

I've done it in the organizations that I've run where people will disagree.

But that disagreement doesn't mean that we have to have a barrier and stop.

It's through that disagreement if we keep pushing through.

That we can find out what's really going on.

What are the root causes?

Is it mental health and need to provide mental health services?

Is it economic development and need to buy economic development services?

Or is it a real deep issue like race or sexism or or or any other thing that we don't often want to talk about?

But you have to be willing to have those tough conversations and it's through those tough conversations that we get to a better Arkansas.

Mr Harrington, we go back to you for another 30 seconds yesterday.

Had a chance to speak to some of the students in.

Russellville, AR at Arkansas Tech and we had a very serious discussion about race.

And we have yet, as a people in America, to have a serious discussion about race.

And it's not about making someone feel less of a human being, whatever color you may be.

But we are going to have to have a sit down with one another and hash it out.

Let it all out so we can move forward as a people together.

Miss Sanders, you have another 30 focusing on policy that brings our state together and makes life better for everybody.

There's nothing more inclusive and empowering for our Kansans than that.

Making sure that each of our kids have access to that quality education and making sure that the streets they grow up on are safe.

There's nothing that can help our state and transform it more than providing opportunity for every person who lives here.

Doctor Jones, you have another 30 seconds.

Arkansas are asking for a governor.

Who is calm?

Measured and pragmatic.

And who will look everyone in the eye and say you matter?

You're valued.

And I want your voice to have a seat at the table as governor.

I will do that every day because it's something that I've done every day of my life.

And I do it because of my deep foundation and faith.

I believe that God created all of us for purpose and we only get to a better future if we're fulfilling those purposes together.

Doctor Jones, thank you.

We have reached that point in our broadcast for closing statements.

Once again, the order of closing statements determined by.

Toss of a coin, so to speak, prior to the broadcast.

Doctor Jones, you have one minute to close.

Arkansas.

I'm a kid from Pine Bluff who went from patches in my hammy down clothes to a rocket scientist with a PhD from MIT.

But this is about you.

Jim, I heard your pleas for better roads in Lewisville.

And we will fix them together.

Larry, I see your hard work at Diamond State Roofing and vocational training.

We will build together.

Chief Foley, I admire.

I admire your life of service to the Wrightsville Fire Department.

We will support first responders together.

The Bible commands that believers.

The Bible commands that believers love each other.

So I want you all to know that I love you.

I love you.

I love you.

And it's love that's going to break the back, the exhaustive grip of chaos and usher us into a better community.

A community where our Kansans are living, working as neighbors together.

I'm Chris Jones, and I'm humbly asking for your vote.

It's a vote for the future.

It's a vote for Arkansas and our Kansans.

It's about time, Doctor Jones.

Thank you, miss Sanders.

One minute.

I'm running for governor because I love Arkansas.

I care about our state and I care about our people.

This is home for me.

This is where I grew up.

This is where I was born and raised, and this is where my husband and I have chosen to raise our own family and where I hope that one day my own kids will raise theirs.

But the Arkansas that I love, the Arkansas that most of us grew up in, is not going to be the one that they inherit if we don't start doing something about it if we don't start.

Fighting back against the bad policies that are coming out of Washington that are bringing us high inflation and crisis at the border and unsafe neighborhoods.

I'm tired of watching Arkansas compete at the bottom.

Tired of us being 46 and 47th in all of the places I know that we can be first and 2nd.

Arkansas needs both a fighter and a leader, someone who pushes back against the bad policy but has heart and vision and the ability to move us forward.

I'm running for governor because I know that every single decision I'll make as governor will have a direct impact on the life of my kids.

Got it?

As well as the life of every kid growing up in this state.

Gotta call.

I know.

I'm ready to take that challenge on Mr Herring.

People of Arkansas, here I am again speaking to you.

Not saying that it's about me, but it's about you.

It's about your family.

And it's about something special that you have.

I've told you before, I've traveled the world.

I've seen a lot of things learn things from other cultures and countries.

But the people of America and the people of Arkansas have something that not many people have.

They have a birthright to participate in the governance.

Of this nation.

We need to take hold of that birthright.

We need to exercise it.

Because if we continue to abdicate our authority as a people to the machinations of party power, we will continue to see what we have been seeing for the past decades.

We can't blame libertarians for these problems.

Vote different.

Free your mind.

Mr Harrington, thank you very much.

Our thanks again to all three party nominees.

Now you can watch this and all of the Arkansas PBS debates on demand at the Arkansas PBS YouTube channel.

On the PBS video app and on our website again, the candidates have the option to participate in a press conference directly following this broadcast, which will air live on YouTube.

As part of our live stream, you can scan the QR code on your screen and begin watching on YouTube.

Now again, thanks to our candidates, to our panelists, and to our audience here and at home Election Day, November 8th.

Thanks for that.

Major funding for election 2022 Arkansas PBS debates is provided by AARP Arkansas, with additional funding provided by the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce.