(Source: MIRS News, published 07/06/2022) – Four of the five GOP candidates met in Grand Rapids Wednesday at a debate put on by WOOD TV 8 and went after the current administration.

Rick Albin moderated as Tudor Dixon, Kevin Rinke, Garrett Soldano and Ryan Kelley faced off at the downtown Grand Valley State University campus.  Ralph Rebandt did not have high enough polling numbers to participate.

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All the candidates came out hard against Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, attacking her on COVID-19 lockdowns and school closures. However, they also went after each other a bit more than in previous debates.

On the topic of guns, all of them said they thought there wasn’t a gun problem, but a mental health problem that needed to be addressed.

“Outcast kids and people need help.  It’s very sad,” Rinke said.

They also each looked to nuclear power and natural gas to provide clean energy.

Abortion was another topic brought up, as it has in the previous debates, nearly resulting in the agreement that exceptions should be limited to saving the life of the mother. Meanwhile Rinke opted to sidestep the question, describing it as a legislative issue.

Rinke’s response prompted an interruption from Kelley, who attempted pressing him on the issue. Kelley – still fresh off his revamped clout in the MAGA grassroots community after his home was raided by the FBI last month in connection to the Jan. 6, 2021 riots at the U.S. Capitol – said Rinke has “never answered the question” when it comes to abortion.

There were areas the candidates also seemed to start to separate themselves on more than in previous debates:

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Tudor Dixon – A War Chest Full Of Endorsements, A GOP-Legislature Full Of Friends 

Dixon showed off her shiny new endorsements during the debate.

“I’m the only one here endorsed by Right to Life,” she said.

There were several times when Soldano or Kelley asked her about the backing from the DeVos family.

Dixon also leveled attacks at Jocelyn Benson during a question regarding the 2020 election, stating that anything wrong fell at her feet.

During a question regarding what to do about relief for inflation, she took the chance to go after Whitmer for vetoing tax cuts.  When it comes to tax cuts, she said she would reduce income taxes over time until they were eliminated.

She also took a swipe at Rinke over his idea that income taxes should be eliminated in one fell swoop.

She called herself a “manufacturing girl” and said the state should push to return to skilled trades.

She said she would use one-time spending to “harden” schools and help mental health.

Kevin Rinke – Bold Tax Elimination To Step Up Michigan’s Game

Rinke stood on his business acumen.

“I would get on to running the business of this state,” he said.

He said he represents employees in a business, and because of that he knows how to talk with people from all walks of life.

He brought up a statistic of 40% illiteracy in the state, which according to the FDIC is only about 18%.  Later in the night he pointed to a Beyond Basics, a literacy nonprofit, about proficiency in reading.

“They’ve lived up to their commitment of making kids age-appropriate literate and by implementing their program, we can do it, if we have the belly to do it, and I have the belly because the kids are the customer,” he said.

He said he would use the surplus funds from the state and give it back to the people of Michigan.

When it came to the 2020 election, he said there were things that were wrong about the election like the voter rolls, underscoring that voter ID needs to be implemented and enforced.

He really broke from the pack when it came to Jan. 6 and said, “those who broke the law should be punished.”  However, he did say that the FBI has acted inappropriately.

Garrett Soldano – Calling Out Candidates’ Absence During Unlock Michigan Movement

Soldano touted his outsider status.

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“If you would have told me a year ago that I would be running for governor, I would have laughed in your face,” he said. “It’s time for ordinary people to do extraordinary things.”

He said he believed he has won every debate afterward.

To deal with inflation he said people need to come back to the state and that would help increase income taxes, which, somehow, would help inflation.

He said he would go through the budget, line-by-line, and cut out what was unnecessary and then give the rest back to the taxpayers.

He had a short tit-for-tat with Dixon over her DeVos backing.

When it came to what they would have done about COVID, he said he would have done the same as he did.

“I stood up and spoke out,” Soldano said.

He brought up competition with Tennessee and Texas several times, saying that they were states that were taking the various policy stances, whether it be concerning COVID-19 or business development, that Michigan should have harnessed.

He said he would work with Democrats by having a conversation with them.  He said he is open to all ideas but isn’t a fan of politics.

“People are sick and tired of the establishment and politicians.  They want something different,” he said.

Ryan Kelley – Still Fresh Off New Name ID From FBI Arrest

Kelley fully embraced the conspiratorial side of the grassroots and America First platform.

“Government is not the solution.  Government is the problem,” Kelley said.

He said people should be relying on faith-based communities to solve their problems

Kelley tried to attack Dixon regarding references to diversity, equity and inclusion among her academic proposals and putting “experimental vaccines” in children.  He also made a quip about being the only one who wasn’t invited to talk with the DeVos family.

He said he was the only one who said unequivocally that the 2020 election was stolen from former President Donald Trump.  He and Soldano cited “2000 Mules” as evidence that the election was stolen.

When Albin brought up the fact that Kelley was arrested he responded, “Good times,” especially with how much cheaper gas was.

He has a hearing in Washington D.C. Thursday morning.

He compared Dixon’s new wave of endorsements to the establishment love acquired by attorney general candidate Tom Leonard before the Michigan GOP’s spring endorsement convention. However, Matt DePerno, who attended the debate, Kelley said was able to gather massive delegate support without lawmakers coming to his aid.

During a question about what to cut from the state budget, he brought up COVID-19 vaccines and said promoting them needs to stop.  He then said schools need academics, “not woke content.”

He brought up his First 100 Days plan from his website several times during the debate.

He said the budget needs an audit and that property taxes should be eventually eliminated.

“I will not compromise conservative values, no matter what,” he said in the final moments of the debate.