2018 Oklahoma Gubernatorial race: debates and news coverage

OnTheIssues.org excerpts:  (click on issues for details)

Abortion     Drew Edmondson: No state in women's decisions regarding reproduction.     Kevin Stitt: Ban abortions except rape, incest or to save life of mother.     Mary Fallin: Signed two pro-life bills later struck down by Supreme Court.     Mick Cornett: Ban abortions except rape, incest or to save life of mother.     Chris Powell: Leave decision to states or the people themselves.     Joe Maldonado: You own your body; not the Government.     Connie Johnson: Advocate for women's reproductive freedom in State Senate.     Gary Richardson: Life is a beautiful gift from our Father who created us.     Drew Edmondson: Supports abortion rights for women, part of his platform.

Budget & Economy     Kevin Stitt: Cut waste, rather than new taxes, for growth.     Kevin Stitt: Create a level playing field for competition.     Mick Cornett: History of developing budget based on needs of the community.     Chris Powell: Market-led recovery better than stimulus.     Joe Maldonado: Market-led recovery better than stimulus.     Gary Jones: Cut budget without losing core services.     Gary Richardson: Curb wasteful spending in our state government.

Civil Rights     Chris Powell: Strongly supports same-sex marriage.     Joe Maldonado: Strongly supports same-sex marriage.     Mick Cornett: Wants local government to have diversity; represent everyone.

Corporations     Gary Richardson: End special tax breaks encouraged by lobbyists.     Mick Cornett: Accepts donations from corporations doing city business.

Crime     Chris Powell: Stricter punishment doesn't reduce crime.     Joe Maldonado: Stricter punishment doesn't reduce crime.     Mary Fallin: No life sentences for juveniles.     Gary Richardson: Alternatives cost less than imprisonment.     Kevin Stitt: Keep violent offenders behind bars, with fair sentencing.     Mick Cornett: If prison recidivism rates get reduced so will incarceration.     Drew Edmondson: Remove profit motive from the prison system.     Gary Richardson: Opposed to private prisons; focus on justice, not jail.

Drugs     Chris Powell: Marijuana isn't a gateway drug.     Joe Maldonado: Marijuana isn't a gateway drug.     Drew Edmondson: Backs new drug law making possession of drugs a misdeameanor.     Connie Johnson: Strong proponent of legalizing medical marijuana.     Gary Richardson: If people vote to legalize medical marijuana, I'll honor it.     Kevin Stitt: Supports legalizing medical marijuana if strictly medicinal.     Connie Johnson: Ending the war on drugs would improve criminal justice.     Connie Johnson: Advocate for decriminalized and medical marijuana.

Education     Drew Edmondson: $300M more for education and healthcare systems.     Kevin Stitt: Schools are bloated with administration & too many districts.     Mick Cornett: Says teachers deserve raises that equal the regional average.     Tom Coburn: Schools are bloated with administration & too many districts.     Chris Powell: Strongly oppose vouchers for school choice.     Joe Maldonado: No vouchers for school choice.     Gary Richardson: A child's zip code shouldn't determine quality of education.

Energy & Oil     Mick Cornett: Move away from the oil and gas industry.     Chris Powell: All energy production should treated equally before the law.     Joe Maldonado: Freer market will allow energy that is greener.     Mick Cornett: Recognizes energy's role in workforce, sees future in wind.

Environment     Chris Powell: Fight EPA regulatory over-reach.     Joe Maldonado: Fight EPA regulatory over-reach.     Mick Cornett: Great value in the EPA's "brownfields" cleaning up program.     Drew Edmondson: As AG, created the Environmental Protection Unit.

Families & Children     Kevin Stitt: Vaccination should be between a parent & their pediatrician.     Mary Fallin: Disallow adoptions in LGBT homes.

Foreign Policy     Chris Powell: Neutral on American Exceptionalism.     Joe Maldonado: Libertarian way instead of American Exceptionalism.

Free Trade     Chris Powell: Support free trade.     Joe Maldonado: Support and expand free trade.

Government Reform     Chris Powell: No opinion on making voter registration easier.     Joe Maldonado: Make elections and voting fair.     Drew Edmondson: Blames revenue shortfall on corporate donors and lobbyists.     Kevin Stitt: Step Up Oklahoma: Fix broken government; level playing field.

Gun Control     Chris Powell: Absolute right to gun ownership.     Joe Maldonado: Absolute right to gun ownership.     Mary Fallin: Veto constitutional carry: No handguns without a permit.     Mick Cornett: Supports 2nd Amendment; enforce laws already on the books.     Gary Richardson: Completely supportive of the Second Amendment.     Drew Edmondson: Long history of being an advocate of the Second Amendment.

Health Care     Drew Edmondson: Expand Medicaid to address the state's high uninsured rate.     Mick Cornett: Wants personal responsibility part of a healthcare approach.     Chris Powell: Oppose ObamaCare.     Joe Maldonado: Expand ObamaCare.     Connie Johnson: Get mental health department up to speed by 2020.     Gary Richardson: Government has a role to play in mental health care.

Homeland Security     Drew Edmondson: Services for veterans instead of for corporate donors.     Chris Powell: Don't expand the military.     Joe Maldonado: Don't expand the military.     Mick Cornett: Praises nonprofits efforts finding housing for homeless vets.

Immigration     Kevin Stitt: Supports border protection; opposes sanctuary cities.     Chris Powell: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens.     Joe Maldonado: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens.     Drew Edmondson: Don't back federal government deporting DREAMers.     Mick Cornett: Says the term "sanctuary cities" is a manipulative label.

Jobs     Kevin Stitt: Reduce barriers on occupations; increase worker freedom.     Mick Cornett: History of creating jobs and bringing in new industry.     Chris Powell: Strongly oppose affirmative action.     Joe Maldonado: Oppose affirmative action.

Principles & Values     Drew Edmondson: Condemned with IFFY award for running "Issue-Free" campaign.     Mick Cornett: God and church are main components of his value system.     Chris Powell: Protect freedom to not have religiosity forced upon.     Joe Maldonado: Keep God in the public sphere.     Gary Richardson: Got 14% of the vote as Independent in 2002 Governor's race.     Gary Richardson: Freedom to work & worship free of government interference.

Social Security     Chris Powell: Privatize Social Security but accommodate those in system.     Joe Maldonado: Opportunity to opt out of Social Security.

Tax Reform     Kevin Stitt: Signed Oklahoma Taxpayer Platform.     Kevin Stitt: Shift Oklahoma's tax structure to focus on consumption.     Tom Coburn: Shift Oklahoma's tax structure to focus on consumption.     Chris Powell: Oppose higher taxes on the wealthy.     Joe Maldonado: Higher taxes on the wealthy.     Scott Inman: Don't balance the budget on the backs of the middle class.     Gary Jones: Taxes must go up but with budget cuts.     Gary Richardson: Smaller government, less taxes, and eliminate waste.

Technology     Mick Cornett: Rebuilding roads and bridges creates jobs & grows economy.     Drew Edmondson: Use tobacco settlement to fund school technology.     Gary Richardson: Eliminate the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority.     Gary Richardson: Dismantle the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority.

War & Peace     Chris Powell: Avoid foreign entanglements.     Joe Maldonado: Avoid foreign entanglements.

Click for quotations from other sources by: Chris Powell Oklahoma Libertarian candidate for governor Connie Johnson Oklahoma Democratic candidate for Oklahoma Governor Drew Edmondson Oklahoma Democratic candidate for governor of Oklahoma Gary Jones Gary Richardson Oklahoma Republican candidate for Governor Joe Maldonado Oklahoma Libertarian candidate for governor Kevin Stitt Oklahoma Republican candidate for governor of Oklahoma Mary Fallin Oklahoma Republican Governor Mick Cornett Oklahoma Republican candidate for governor of Oklahoma Scott Inman Oklahoma Democratic candidate for Governor Tom Coburn Republican Jr Senator; previously Representative Oklahoma