and welcome back to our election 2018
special the Democratic candidates for
governor ahead of this primary election
and we are so glad that you're here it's
a forum @ju in Jacksonville when Graham
is gonna speak with us now and our time
together begins with a 30-second opening
statement well thank you Kent
my name is Gwen we don't have another
election to give in Florida there is so
much on the line our public education
system our environment a woman's right
to choose having an economy that works
for all Floridians I'm the only
candidate who has actually defeated a
Republican in a Republican wave year in
a Republican district I'm ready to do it
again in 2018 and lead Florida into a
bright future thank you so let's start
here three people in the race argue that
they have substantial success in
business
maybe is that a disadvantage if you
don't have the business background that
they say is so key as you run for
governor when I bring to this is a
varied background both personally and
professionally I'm a mom former PTA
president public school official and I
represented Florida in Congress my
experiences make me uniquely qualified
and I am looking forward to being in a
governor that wakes up every single day
working for the people of Florida so
some of the comments have been hey when
you mention the PTA mom and what have
you the debate July 18th the many other
times South's since you've characterized
yourself like that they want to know why
is that relevant when it comes to
running a state with a budget of almost
90 billion dollars it's a lot you know
Kent some people think the PTA president
was my toughest job ever any PTA moms in
the audience absolutely so I my
experience is working with people is
what will allow me to be an effective
governor all right
have you ever run or operated an
organization as the chief executive and
maybe explain what's the largest
organization you run well I ran my
household as the chief executive I I
worked as
a congresswoman representing 600,000
North Floridians so I've done a lot that
makes me prepared for this for this
office and I think that what's important
is that we have a governor again that
has everyday experiences that can bring
with her to the governor's office a
commitment to people across the state of
Florida no matter where you live but one
end of this state to the other being
someone that understands what people are
going through in Florida whether it's
not having health care whether it's
needing a public school system that's
supported again whether it's taking care
of our environment or we have this
blue-green algae that is toxic across
the state of Florida
these are all an example of twenty years
can a one-party rule we have got to win
this election and I am ready to do it
and I am ready to lead Florida into a
bright future let's talk a little bit
about leading as the governor last week
in a debate you said if you want to know
the priorities in the state then you
look at the budget so we did that the
number one spending amount is Medicaid
healthcare number two is education so
combined those two items reflect more
than 60 percent of the entire budget so
by your suggestion does that mean
doesn't that mean Medicaid and education
are the two most important things in
Florida I would argue that health care
public education our environment all of
this comes together to just to allow
Florida to have a future that we can all
grow up in and raise our children in and
have a future that our grandchildren
will be able to grow up in that's what's
on the line in this election the future
of the state of Florida so yes health
care and education are the two biggest
components of our budget but we have to
look at the total budget look where
we're spending our resources where can
we redirect resources to make sure for
instance I know we're not spending
enough in our public education system
we've got to spend more so that every
child no matter where he or she lives is
able to have that quality education in
Florida all right so I'd like to follow
up there if we need to spend more in
education and we're already spending
combined with health care 60% of all our
funds where do you find it where do you
get money to put more into education
well let me talk to you about my health
care plan because that's really
important as you
said healthcare 37 point 1 billion
dollars as part of our healthcare budget
in Florida we can reduce our costs by
taking Medicaid expansion we can reduce
our costs by doing what I call a public
option which will allow any Floridian to
buy into the same type of health
insurance that our legislators get we
can reduce our costs by having a
reinsurance market that will allow the
most expensive plans to be reduced in
cost all of those savings we can put
towards education so it appears that
there are sharp differences between
Democrats and Republicans Democrats and
President Trump among the five of you
candidates that are here tonight it
seems like there's broad agreement on
some of the policies that you would
support banning assault weapons
increasing minimum wage repealing Stand
Your Ground law those sorts of things so
what's the singer's greatest policy
difference between you and these other
candidates I think my commitment to the
health care part I've put out
comprehensive plan on health care which
is something what I'm committed to doing
is what can be done as governor of
Florida I'm committed to action I'm
committed to having plans in place that
from day one of my administration are
going to start making a difference in
people's lives is that the most
significant difference between you and
those other candidates I guess well I'm
not a career politician I'm not somebody
who thought I would be doing this my
commitment to this is to being someone
that puts plans into action these aren't
words for me Kent these are my
commitment to the people of Florida
I mean people should know this about me
that my resolve is strong and my resolve
is to make a difference so that five
years from now ten years from now 20
years from now that the state of Florida
is a state that I've been very fortunate
to be born in South Florida when my
father Bob Graham was elected governor
of when I was only 15 years of age moved
to North Florida but we've seen such
changes in the state of Florida and not
in a positive direction it's time we get
back on a positive track so that
Floridians know that their state
government is looking out for them every
day and that's what I'm going to do I'd
like you to address something that
you've been criticized recently about
families association with this Miami
American do
Megamall construction projects so close
to the Everglades and many Floridians
saying they're concerned about it so if
you'd explain your position and
specifically in the context of the
environmental challenges facing Florida
as you mentioned early algae bloom etc
my family is not building a mall period
end of story and as a matter of fact we
have taken great steps to make sure that
any appearance of conflict of interest
is dealt with when I was elected to
Congress I stepped down from the company
I have put all my assets into a trust
not a trust like Rick Scott has but a
transparent trust so anyone can see what
I what assets I have in addition I have
taken the extraordinary step to say that
when I'm governor if this issue or any
other issue where anyone can accuse me
of any conflict of interest that I will
recuse myself from the decision-making
and allow the three independently
elected cabinet members to make those
decisions but I would say two of the the
four other candidates that they should
be asked I put forward my plan on
transparency and ethics I would ask the
other four candidates to say what are
they going to do if they face any
conflict of interest
thank you final question as our time is
running out here some say that your
voting record in Congress as a double
edged sword that you want a district
that was Republican leaning as you
mentioned also considered to have voted
across party lines sometimes could show
that you're more moderate to general
election voters in November but not
always voting with President Obama so
maybe
how would you characterize your policy
positions when it comes to being a
Democratic candidate for governor I've
voted with the Democrats over 80% of the
time but my commitment to everything
that I do is to be factored in
so every vote that I cast I was informed
before I cast that vote I was really
disappointed when I watched some of my
colleagues walk onto the House floor
take the whip sheet from the Republican
side of the Democratic side and vote
straight party ballot you know what we
could elect robots to Congress and save
a lot of money if that's what we want to
do so my commitment in every decision
that I make is to be factor of and be
informed make decisions after weighing
the good and the bad
that this will be in
best interest of the people that I'm
honored to represent yeah Gwen Graham
we're about out of time here so I think
of what I heard was no robots no robot
no robots being we don't need to elect
robots No
thanks so much for your time thank you I
appreciate