{"id":63491,"date":"2018-04-19T05:33:30","date_gmt":"2018-04-19T05:33:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/?p=63491"},"modified":"2018-04-19T05:33:30","modified_gmt":"2018-04-19T05:33:30","slug":"top-gop-candidates-for-governor-debate-arming-teachers-state-spending-and-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/news\/top-gop-candidates-for-governor-debate-arming-teachers-state-spending-and-more.html","title":{"rendered":"Top GOP candidates for governor debate arming teachers, state spending and more"},"content":{"rendered":"

Top GOP candidates for governor debate arming teachers, state spending and more<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (NEXSTAR) – Three of the leading Republican candidates for Tennessee governor met for a debate at the Halloran Centre in Memphis Wednesday night.<\/span><\/p>\n

Diane Black, Randy Boyd and Bill Lee were questioned about key issues, including arming teachers with guns, the opioid crisis in Tennessee and Confederate monuments.<\/span><\/p>\n

When asked about arming teachers, all three candidates said they would not oppose the idea.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Our children need to be protected,\u201d Lee said. He also suggested the state needs to find the absolute best way to do that and it may be arming teachers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Black added that every child and teacher \u201cdeserves a safe environment.\u201d She also said teachers need to be well-trained by law enforcement if they are armed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Boyd said if teachers are armed, it needs to be voluntary. He added the country and state need to \u201cdo a better job\u201d at helping those with mental issues.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another issue that candidates addressed was unfair spending on roads and infrastructure across the state. According to TDOT, the state is spending more than 2.1 billion dollars on current projects but Shelby County is fourth in spending despite being the most populous.<\/span><\/p>\n

The candidates were asked what they would do to make this spending more equitable across the state.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI will tell you that my visits here in West Tennessee over the last several months have indicated to me that West Tennessee has been left out,\u201d Black said. \u201cI do think they have been left behind and I call that Nashville neglect.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere is no doubt that the focus has not been put where that needs to be put,\u201d Lee added. \u201cI know how important, especially if we want Tennessee to lead in this nation, we have to have a rapid increase in Memphis and Shelby County.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs the governor, we\u2019re going to make sure that west Tennessee gets the attention it needs and makes the investment to catch up,\u201d Boyd said.<\/span><\/p>\n

When asked if Memphis did the right thing by removing the Confederate monuments, all three candidates shared the same opinion.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think they need to be careful when removing those statues, they\u2019re removing our history. We don\u2019t celebrate those dark moments but we have them there so we don\u2019t repeat them,\u201d said Black.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lee said that he did not agree with the decision made by the city of Memphis and stressed that Confederate monuments are a part of who we are.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think Memphis did the right thing. We have a rich, deep complicated history; it\u2019s part of who we are, and there are parts we deeply regret,\u201d said Lee.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI agree with my colleagues that we need to preserve our history. Our history is our history; sometimes it\u2019s good, sometimes it\u2019s bad, but we need to learn from it,\u201d Boyd said. \u201cI think it will be bad for us to start removing our history.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

All of the candidates agreed that something needs to be done about the opioid crisis in Tennessee.<\/span><\/p>\n

Randy Boyd said opioids are decimating our communities. \u201cWe need to declare a state of emergency and appoint a leader.\u201d He believes the state has to do a \u201cbetter job\u201d of providing people with the right treatment to help fight the opioid crisis.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bill Lee said he had a family member die of an overdose. He said the state \u201cabsolutely\u201d needs to look at mental health to help get a handle on the opioid crisis.<\/span><\/p>\n

Diane Black said her husband lost two siblings to drug overdose.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt is a human cost, both to the families and the communities,\u201d said Black. We have to look at the prevention side, the law enforcement side and the recovery side. There\u2019s not a one size fits all.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The candidates were also asked to describe how Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. has impacted them personally.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI spent the first years of my life in poverty. but I had hope,\u201d said Black, \u201cHe gave our nation hope.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI stood there and realized that someone had given their life unwittingly, but that his dreams were spread in part because of what happened to him,\u201d said Lee.<\/span><\/p>\n

Boyd said King influenced his view of helping people in poverty.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSimply to provide them with a dream, a dream of a better life, and dream of equality.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Beth Harwell, who is also running for governor, was asked to participate, but she declined because \u201cher legislative duties and responsibilities as Speaker of the House prevent her from doing so.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Two more live debates are scheduled in Nashville and Knoxville in June and July.<\/span><\/p>\n

The statewide primary election is August 2, 2018. The general election is November 6.<\/span><\/p>\n

Source:-http:\/\/www.wkrn.com\/news\/politics\/debates\/top-gop-candidates-for-governor-debate-arming-teachers-state-spending-and-more\/1129367576<\/span><\/p>\n

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