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PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — The two males working to be Virginia’s subsequent governor tried their finest to stick to their speaking factors in a roundtable dialogue on Thursday night, even when pressed to give “yes” or “no” solutions.
Both former Gov. Terry McAuliffe, (D) and Glenn Youngkin, (R) sat down for half-hour every to answer questions from 10 On Your Side’s Andy Fox and Anita Blanton in addition to a Norfolk State University pupil. No questions had been off-limits.
The selections touched on all kinds of matters from public training, taxes, abortion, public security, local weather change and even the candidates’ marriage proposals.
While the candidates launched shortly into their rehearsed rhetoric following most questions, a number of occasions that they had to be pressed to even give a non-answer.
Eric Claville, a political analyst with Norfolk State University, stated that was by design.
“Less than 30 days out from the election, you really want to focus on your base,” Claville stated. “That’s what each of the candidates were doing. You don’t want to really answer questions you don’t have to answer if it’s not really part of the platform, or it’s an issue.”
Here are some key takeaways from the roundtable:
Education
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, public colleges have been an ever-growing a part of politics. Specifically, there was an increase in accusations from largely conservative teams that Virginia colleges are educating one thing generally known as Critical Race Theory.
While the precise vital race principle framework just isn’t taught in Virginia colleges, faculty board conferences statewide have turn into heated over what some understand as inappropriate race-centered educating.
“The idea that CRT is not embedded in our school system is wrong,” Youngkin stated, calling it a political agenda placing every thing in the lens of race.
“I don’t think we should bucket children into certain sectors as oppressors,’” Youngkin stated.
When Blanton questioned McAuliffe about CRT, he referred to as it a “dog whistle” that’s dividing folks however wouldn’t outline what he believes it means.
“Anita, it is not taught here in Virginia,” McAuliffe stated.
“But how do you define it?” Blanton pressed.
“Doesn’t matter. It’s not taught here in Virginia. So I’m not going to spend my time. I’m not going to even spend my time because the school board and everyone else says it’s not taught. It’s racist. It’s a dog whistle,” McAuliffe stated.
“But if we don’t have a definition, how can we say it’s racist?” Blanton pressed once more.
McAulliffe by no means did outline it.
McAuliffe additionally doubled down on his feedback that “I don’t think parents should be telling schools what they should teach.”
He stated he stands by these feedback made a few invoice that may have allowed mother and father to veto particular books. He stated selections on training needs to be left up to native faculty boards and the Virginia Department of Education.
“If you have 25 students in a classroom, you don’t want parents vetoing books,” McAuliffe stated.
Abortion Funding
McAuliffe has been working a marketing campaign industrial with Youngkin captured on cellular phone video speaking to voters about his stance on abortion.
“When I’m governor and I have a majority in the House, we can start going on offense. But as a campaign topic, sadly, that in fact won’t win my independent votes that I have to get. So you’ll never hear me support Planned Parenthood,” Youngkin stated on the video.
“As governor would you support the continued funding of Planned Parenthood. Yes or no?” Fox requested him in the course of the roundtable.
“So let me just talk about Planned Parenthood. First, I don’t believe public money should be used to fund abortion. I do believe in women’s health. My mother was a nurse,” Youngkin stated earlier than being interrupted by Fox.
“That was a yes or no,” Fox stated about his query.
“Well, it depends on what it’s used for,” Youngkin stated earlier than finally saying he wouldn’t help funding Planned Parenthood if the cash went towards funding abortions.
McAuliffe was questioned on if he would help laws permitting for an abortion in the lady’s third trimester.
“Outside of a medical condition, no,” McAuliffe answered.
Police concerned capturing investigations
Both candidates had been pressed about their views on whether or not impartial investigations needs to be robotically launched in all situations the place a legislation enforcement officer makes use of lethal power on a citizen.
Pharrell Williams advised the City of Virginia Beach Tuesday that one of many causes he was canceling the Something in the Water pageant in town in 2022 had to do with the “toxic energy” working town.
“The toxic energy that changed the narrative several times around the homicide of my cousin, [Donovon] Lynch, a citizen of Virginia,” Williams wrote.
Lynch was shot and killed by a Virginia Beach police officer on March 26. In the fast aftermath of the capturing, the Virginia Beach Police Department was planning on dealing with the investigation themselves.
Members of Lynch’s household had been angered once they stated Lynch was brandishing a gun on the time of the capturing, after initially solely saying a gun was discovered on the scene. Days later, the Virginia Beach Police chief requested for Virginia State Police to take over the investigation.
So, do the candidates really feel impartial investigations needs to be robotically launched when an officer makes use of lethal power?
“I wouldn’t be against a requirement,” McAuliffe answered.
Youngkin stated the query was “incredibly complicated.”
“I do believe allowing outside law enforcement officials who are well trained to come into circumstance makes an enormous amount of sense,” Youngkin stated. “I don’t think there should be ‘automatic’ much of anything.”
To watch the complete roundtable with each candidates, click on on the video above.
Editor’s observe: WAVY has reached out to the Youngkin marketing campaign for the complete story on his engagement to his spouse, which couldn’t be aired in full due to time constraints. McAuliffe’s engagement story was included in full in the roundtable. This observe shall be up to date if there’s a response from Youngkin’s marketing campaign.
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