Election 2022 debates: Republican candidates for Governor

Republican candidates, Kari Lake, Scott Neely, Karrin Taylor Robson, and Paola Tulliani Zen, vying to be the next Governor of Arizona, debate the issues affecting our state and our communities.

The debate began with the candidates each giving their opening statements which moved to them talking about the COVID-19 pandemic and how it was handled.

“I would never shut your business down. You don’t have to be a business owner or a CEO to know that you don’t take away somebody’s livelihood away,” Kari Lake said.

The debate then shifted to the questions about what Republican voters want from their candidates and from the leadership in Arizona. The candidates spoke about what they can do for their voters and what is needed.

“What we need is a middle-classed candidate for governor. Who has a street view of what’s going on,” Scott Neely said.

“What Arizona wants is opportunity. That means a low tax, a low regulatory environment,” Karrin Taylor Robson said.

The candidates spoke about the changes they believe need to be made in the future which brought Ted to shift the debate to their thoughts on the 2020 elections as well as how it would impact the current election.

“We gotta protect this election. And what precautions have we taken? We should have worked to take precautions on this new election,” Paola Tulliani Zen said.

“I didn’t have the evidence in front of me…I am going to do everything I can to win this election so that Arizona is in Republican hands in the 2024 election,” Karrin Taylor Robson said.

“(Joe Biden) lost the election, he shouldn’t be in the White House. We had a corrupt election,” Kari Lake said.

“I am the only gubernatorial candidate who supports election integrity in the state of Arizona,” Scott Neely said.

Ted then moved forward with the candidates talking about what needed to be done for schools in Arizona and how the changes should be made. Along with that, the candidates spoke about their thoughts on the $1 billion water efforts in Arizona

“We’re not going to abandon the public schools…but just like business, competition is going to create better schools, better education,” Paola Tulliani Zen said.

The debate came to a close with the final talking points about a full or 15-week abortion ban in Arizona. The candidates said that they were all “Pro-Life” and spoke about how they would act with a full or 15-week abortion plan in place.

“Life won…If we found life on Mars, wouldn’t we do everything in our power to protect that life? Why can’t we treat human life the same way we would treat alien life,” Scott Neely said.

Ted ended the debate by providing each candidate time for their closing statements.