GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Tudor Dixon will face off in the first of two televised debates on Oct. 13 in Grand Rapids. 

 Whitmer’s campaign appears to have a large fiscal advantage over the Dixon campaign as made evident by her half dozen different commercials all of which highlighting her self-declared successes as governor.  

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The incumbent ran on a platform that highlighted her push to “Fix the Damn Roads” and commitment to opposing Republicans like Donald Trump who, according to Whitmer, drove health care costs higher and higher. 

One of her ads has shifted slightly to address other Michigan issues, and her contributions to address them.  The ad highlights how she says she has helped to make childcare more affordable, 98% of Michigan school districts have reopened, and signed the largest education budget – all while not raising taxes on Michiganders. 

Critics, such as Dixon, have highlighted how during the lockdown, there were a record number of businesses that closed permanently due to prolonged closures, and strict operating rules. 

In a recent interview, Dixon stated her priorities. 

“I think the [race] is very close and that’s interesting because they have spent $23 million against me, but people have not forgotten who Gretchen Whitmer is. She came out and she made a lot of promises when she came out and ran in 2018.”  

“We don’t have better roads and we don’t have transparency in government, in fact we have quite the opposite,” she said. 

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While the Democratic ads criticizing Dixon on her overtly and staunch pro-life position, Dixon does not consider the issue to be linked with the governor’s race. 

“In Michigan, abortion is on the ballot.  That seems to be separating that from the governor’s race and it’s really not an issue that will come to the governor’s office.  So this is where we can separate that issue in the state of Michigan and focus on what is really hurting the people,” Dixon said.  

Getting children back on track with tutoring and handling an increase in crime are both central issues according to Dixon.  The biggest issues right now in Michigan are education, crime, and economy.  We just had a report come out that Michigan lost more small businesses than any other state she said. 

Whitmer has not held a public speech this fall, and has not addressed any of the criticisms offered by Dixon during her numerous public rallies. 

The Whitmer campaign has agreed to the first debate on Thursday, as well as a second debate that will take place at Oakland University in Rochester on Oct. 25.  

Those hoping to watch the first debate online may do so on WOOD-TV, but the second debate will be broadcast by WXYZ-TV (Channel 7), WXMI-TV (Fox 17), WSYM-TV (Fox 47), and Oakland University’s Center for Civic Engagement, according to Bridge Michigan. 

Absentee ballots have already been sent to voters, but those hoping to vote in person may do so in 25 days before the primary election on Tuesday, November 8.