Michigan governor candidates to debate for final time
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum will participate in two debates before voters head to the polls next week.
The first debate, scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Monday in Miami Beach, is for Republican gubernatorial candidates only. That’s because only the candidate from one of the two major parties is allowed to stage a debate on the ballot.
The second debate, scheduled for 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, also will feature the four Democrats vying for governor: Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine; Miami-Dade Commissioner Dave Carra; former state Sen. Anitere Flores; and Joe Garcia, a businessman running for his first statewide office.
The candidates did not agree on the debate topics during a meeting Thursday. Their most recent debate had them arguing about the stimulus package President Obama recently signed into law and the president’s performance on gay marriage.
Among the candidates were both Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum supporters.
At a separate meeting, Levine said he did not support the stimulus and supported President Obama’s decision to deny gay marriage licenses, which he said was “not politically correct.”
“It is very rare for a mayor to challenge his political party,” said Levine, who also is a Democrat. “It is probably the only time that has happened.”
“I’m not against gay marriage,” Levine said. “We need to get to a place where it’s open and acceptable for anyone that is a legal citizen to enter into any relationship they want.”
Santorum spokesman Rick Gorka released a statement saying the campaign would support Levine because he supported “responsible small government.”
“The Romney-Santorum ticket supported the stimulus and believes government can and does help create jobs,” Gorka said. “We will support the mayor of Miami Beach if he supports the president’s leadership and supports traditional marriage.”
For his part,
