SAN FRANCISCO (AP) 鈥� California Gov. Gavin 撸奶社区om on Sunday vowed he would serve a full four-year term if reelected in November, trying again to knock down speculation that he wants to replace Democrat Joe Biden on the ballot should he not seek a second term.
撸奶社区om made the promise during an with his Republican challenger, state Sen. Brian Dahle 鈥� the only time the two candidates will meet face to face before voting ends on Nov. 8.
撸奶社区om is expected to easily win reelection in November more than one year after beating back a recall attempt fueled by anger at his pandemic policies 鈥� which included the nation's first statewide stay-at-home order. He has barely campaigned in California this year, instead spending money on ads in challenging Republican leaders Florida and Texas 鈥� potential opponents in a presidential election.
鈥淓veryday Californians understand what is happening here in California and the governor is focused on running for president,鈥� Dahle said during a debate that was broadcast live on the radio by KQED 撸奶社区. The debate will air again Sunday night on KQED Public Television.
Asked directly by co-moderator Marisa Lagos if he would commit to serving all four years if he鈥檚 reelected, 撸奶社区om said 鈥測es.鈥� 撸奶社区om defended his national campaigning, saying he 鈥渂arely鈥� left the state to take on national Republican leaders, who he says are and 鈥渄emeaning鈥� the LGBT community.
鈥淭his is a serious moment in American history,鈥� 撸奶社区om said. 鈥淚've had enough. So I'll proudly and happily stand up.鈥�
The debate mostly followed the flow of political messaging from the country's two major political parties, with 撸奶社区om focusing on climate change and abortion rights while Dahle focused on the economy, particularly California's high cost of living that includes gas prices soaring as much as $2.60 higher than the national average.
Dahle, a farmer from the northwest corner of California who also owns a trucking business, said it cost $200 a day to put diesel fuel in his trucks 鈥� a cost he says has increased the price of food. He said California should have used its record budget surplus to suspend the state's gas tax, which he says would amount to a $1,700 rebate for taxpayers.
鈥淗e's out of touch with everyday, hard working, middle class Californians,鈥� Dahle said. 鈥淵es, he and his friends can afford Teslas at $70,000, but Californians on the whole have no opportunity but to just suffer from the policies Gavin 撸奶社区om has put forward.鈥�
撸奶社区om pushed back, noting he has signed laws sending billions of dollars back to taxpayers since the start of the pandemic, with the latest round of cash hitting taxpayers' bank accounts this month. That's far better than suspending the state's gas tax, 撸奶社区om said, because there would be no way to guarantee oil companies would pass the savings along to drivers.
He accused Dahle of voting against those rebates in the state Legislature. Records show Dahle voted for a bill that would implement the tax rebates, but he voted against a broader budget bill that included the money to pay for them.
On abortion, Dahle said he would remove $20 million in the state's budget that would help pay for women from other states to come to California for the procedure. But he said he would leave money for 鈥渞eproductive care鈥� in the budget, without detailing what that meant.
He criticized 撸奶社区om for supporting Proposition 1, a measure on the ballot this year that would enshrine the right to an abortion in California's Constitution. Dahle said the amendment, if it passed, would make abortion legal up 鈥渢o the minute before birth.鈥�
撸奶社区om said he wouldn't 鈥渁pologize for having the back of women and girls all across this country."
鈥淲hat my opponent believes is some 10-year-old gets raped by her father should be forced to bear her brother or sister,鈥� 撸奶社区om said. 鈥淗is position is extreme.鈥�
There were no surprises, as both men stuck to the positions they've held throughout their lengthy careers in politics. 撸奶社区om defended his and his wife's decision to send their children to a private school, saying the school is focused on 鈥渃reativity and critical thinking and the kinds of things we're advancing in our public education system."
Dahle said his two sons went to public schools, but says his daughter attends a private school 鈥渂ecause you and I both know that the better education is private education because our schools are failing.鈥�
That sparked a heated exchange about education policy, with Dahle saying 撸奶社区om can't blame Republicans because they 鈥渉aven't been in control in California for the last 10 years.鈥�
鈥淚 blame you for not having one imaginative idea except those that were promoted by people like Betsy DeVos,鈥� 撸奶社区om said, a reference to former President Donald Trump's education secretary.
The debate will likely be the high point of Dahle鈥檚 campaign. He鈥檚 raised less than $1 million, which isn鈥檛 enough to run statewide TV ads in the nation鈥檚 most populous state, home to some of the country鈥檚 most expensive media markets.
鈥淓very day we are trying to get people to know who I am,鈥� Dahle said, adding he plans to drive a truck across the state, holding rallies up until Election Day.
Adam Beam, The Associated Press
