GRAND RAPIDS, MI (MPRN)-- For the first time this election season, the two major party candidates for governor squared off in a debate.
On Friday night Democratic candidate Gretchen Whitmer and Republican candidate Bill Schuette traded barbs and promoted their plans for Michigan.
Schuette repeatedly jabbed Whitmer for passing three bills during her time in the state Legislature, but Whitmer says she got a lot done while in the minority.
“680,000 people in our state got healthcare coverage because of the work that I did,” she said.
The candidates sharply disagreed on their support of a ballot proposal to legalize marijuana and regulate it like alcohol.
Schuette says he is against all the ballot measures.
“Because of the situation we have with opioids and the grave concern I have about it, I’m opposed to Proposal one because I don’t think we should put more drugs in the hands of children.”
Whitmer says she supports the legalization proposal and as governor would help with rules to make sure marijuana stays out of the hands of kids and make sure the state collects the taxes.
There are four other candidates for governor on the ballot in November, but they are not from a major party and were not invited to the debate.