The two Democrats running for governor are engaged in a tough battle for the nomination to take on Republicans. But during a televised debate this week, both were eager to take the fight to the Republicans.
When asked a question about hate crimes, Lieutenant Governor Ralph Northam was eager to place the blame on President Donald Trump.
“You know I think we have to ask ourselves why we are seeing the increase in hate crimes? And my answer to that is who our president is right now," Northam said. "He ran a campaign in 2016 that was based on hatred, bigotry, discrimination, fear and a lot of misinformation.”
Former Congressman Tom Perriello agrees that Trump may be responsible. But he says the blame doesn’t stop with the president.
“We have not seen Ed Gillespie show one iota of moral courage to distance himself from any of the acts of hate or bigotry or divisiveness that have come from President Trump,” said Perriello, referring to the leading Republican candidate in the race.
But the two Democrats also took the time to accuse each other of siding with Republicans in the past.
Perriello said Northam has the most conservative background.
“This is a difference, and I think this probably goes to the heart of understanding why Doctor Northam voted for George W. Bush twice in 2000 and 2004. The trickle-down economics that he supported in the past does not create growth," said Perriello.
Northam countered that Perriello has the most conservative background.
“He also bragged why he, while on Fox News of all things, that he was proud to have voted with the Republicans over 60 percent of the time," Northam said. "So people who live in glass houses shouldn’t be throwing stones. Because sometimes the glass, when it breaks can get very sharp.”
One point of agreement between the two candidates is that students should receive two free years of community college. However, Tuesday night's debate revealed sharp disagreement over how to pay for it.
Perriello wants to raise taxes on the wealthy, specifically people who make more than half a million dollars a year. He says that money could be paying for free community college or trade school for students across Virginia.
“Not because there’s something wrong with their success," Perriello said. "But because by investing that in everybody is going to see growth, including those at the highest end."
But Lieutenant Governor Ralph Northam says that kind of tax increase would never pass in Richmond.
“And I think we have to be realistic in Virginia. Virginia is a fiscally responsible state, and to raise taxes and some of his other programs go up to close to $1 billion. That’s not realistic in Richmond,” said Northam.
Voters will have the final say when they choose a candidate for governor in June.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from theVirginia Education Association.
