Personal questions and fresh topics enliven latest Dayton, Johnson debate

Gov. Mark Dayton and Republican challenger Jeff Johnson continued hammering at each other on a broad range of topics Sunday, staking out divergent positions on issues including MNsure rate hikes, the role of state government, and a proposed copper-nickel mine in the Iron Range.

Though Dayton and Johnson didn't stray far from expected talking points in their fourth debate, answers to some questions yielded new, personal details about the candidates, particularly when asked whether they had ever smoked marijuana and what their favorite fast-food fix entailed.

Dayton said yes to cannabis experience; Johnson, no. Dayton said chocolate ice cream; Johnson favored a Dairy Queen Blizzard.

Although they once again offered sharply contrasting visions for Minnesota — Johnson favors smaller government with lower and simpler tax rates while Dayton calls for new sources of revenue that would, in part, go toward funding transportation infrastructure upkeep — Sunday's tone was more subdued and cordial than in recent confrontations.

The debate covered new terrain such as gun control and corporal punishment. On gun laws, Johnson said the state needs to enforce its existing laws, while Dayton said there should be more stringent background checks at gun shows.

Reacting to recent child-abuse charges against Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, both admitted to having disciplined their sons but said that generally it can be difficult in some cases to distinguish between appropriate corporal punishment and child abuse.

Moderators also asked the candidates how they would preside over a divided Legislature considering Republicans have an opportunity to reclaim the House majority this fall.

"I think you just have to look at my record in the House," said Johnson, a former state representative. "What you've done is the best way to tell what you're going to do."

Johnson said that during his time as a state lawmaker, the House was controlled by Republicans but the Senate had a DFL majority. He touted his work with DFL lawmakers on eminent domain and identity-theft bills. He blamed Dayton for presiding over the state's government shutdown in 2011.

Dayton defended the clash with Republicans that led to the shutdown, saying he shared responsibility for it with lawmakers but that the outcome — a tax hike on the wealthiest 2 percent of Minnesotans to balance the state budget — was worth it.

"The Republican Legislature would rather raise a billion-and-half through additional borrowing than raise taxes on the richest people of Minnesota. Fortunately, that changed when we had a DFL Legislature," Dayton said.

Asked to define an income level they consider to be middle class, Dayton led off, saying it depended on the size of the family and number of dependents and guessed that income level to be between $50,000 to $60,000.

Questions for Sunday's debate, hosted and broadcast by Fox 9, came from a panel of political reporters from two local newspapers and public radio, as well as through social media and students who were present at the forum.

Dayton touted a tuition-freeze bill he signed last year that affected state colleges and universities as an example of how he has helped keep rising college costs in check. Johnson said he would work to cut administrative costs.

To improve the job market, Dayton said that investing in higher education and early-childhood education programs would be critical. "If we do that, the opportunities are going to be out there," he said.

Johnson responded by criticizing the state's tax and regulatory climate, saying it has hurt the state's competitiveness and "because of that, the good jobs are being created in other states."

Before Sunday's debate, Independence Party candidate Hannah Nicollet and her supporters protested outside of Hamline's Klas Center over her exclusion from the forum. Nicollet, a former software developer, participated in two previous debates in Rochester and Moorhead.

Ricardo Lopez • 651-925-5044