Ganahl and Polis face off in first gubernatorial debate
PUEBLO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) --
Colorado Governor Jared Polis and his Republican challenger Heidi Ganahl squared off Wednesday in their first debate of the election cycle.
While most will have their own opinion about who won the debate Wednesday, the strategies that both candidates engaged in were clear.
Republican nominee for governor Heidi Ganahl came out swinging Wednesday.
Ganahl attacked Governor Jared Polis' record on crime, energy, and his handling of the covid shutdown.
The sitting governor was a little less aggressive.
For the most part, he touted his own accomplishments, such as free preschool and all-day kindergarten programs, as well as cutting fees on drug costs and creating jobs.
The debate topics were water, the economy, education, and public safety.
On energy and water, Ganahl said she'd start by appointing more rural Coloradans to boards and commissions.
To that, Polis responded with his harshest swipe of the night, pointing out that the only appointee Ganahl has gotten to make thus far was her lieutenant governor candidate, Danny Moore. Polis pointed out that Moore is an election denier, who has posted online about the 'Democrat steal,' in reference to the 2020 Presidential Election. Ganahl responded, saying that Moore is not an election denier and told Polis not to "believe everything" that is on the news.
On energy, Ganahl said she believes the state is shutting down too many coal-fired plants, leading to rising energy costs with no long-term plan.
Crime and fentanyl were two of the more significant issues the governor is trying to defend. The state is dealing with increased crime rates under Polis' watch. Ganahl says Polis is responsible for increasing fentanyl deaths after signing a 2019 bill that de-felonized possession at lower amounts.
Polis did not directly acknowledge that, saying he wants to deal with crime by supporting police officers, while also addressing the role of mental health.
