Tennessee gubernatorial candidate, Democrat Karl Dean speaks during his debate with Republican Bill Lee, Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2018, in Kingsport, Tenn. (David Crigger/The Bristol Herald-Courier via AP)NASHVILLE - Republican Bill Lee and Democrat Karl Dean squared off Friday night in their third and final governor's debate, disagreeing over issues like legalizing medical cannabis and decriminalizing pot, as well as allowing legal sports betting in Tennessee.
But Lee, a Williamson County businessman, and Dean, a former Nashville mayor, as well as a public defender, did agree in response to moderators' questions that as governor they would be willing to carry out executions in death penalty cases and even witness at least one first hand.
Both men also said they don't think the General Assembly should interfere with public universities' contracts with Nike in the wake of the footwear giant's ad featuring former NFL player Colin Kaepernick. Kaepernick, who is black, initiated kneeling protests against police shootings of blacks as the national anthem is played at games.
In their final appearance before the Nov. 6 election and with early voting starting next week, Lee and Dean discussed their differences on issues like Medicaid expansion, which was covered heavily during their two previous debates, as well as new subjects.
The debate was held at Belmont University in Nashville and carried live by the NexStar network of Tennessee-based television stations.
Tennessee gubernatorial candidate, Republican Bill Lee speaks during his debate with Democrat Karl Dean, Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2018, in Kingsport, Tenn. (David Crigger/The Bristol Herald-Courier via AP)Asked about legalizing medical cannabis to relieve chronic pain and other ailments, Lee said he has "a great deal of concern" about it but noted "I think we have to do everything we can for those individuals I think we need to search everywhere we can."
Lee said he believes the "non-addictive" cannabidiol has yet to be fully explored and also added with regard to medical marijuana that "I just want to follow the data, and for me the data is not substantive enough to show that medical marijuana is the right approach right now."
But he didn't say that he would veto such a bill, noting if Tennesseans "brought that and the data proved it, I would consider signing that bill."
Said Dean: "I would sign the bill," later adding "if this helps alleviate their suffering, we shouldn't stand in the way." But he also said he doesn't intend to make that his top priority. That, he said, would be working to persuade the GOP-controlled General Assembly to expand Medicaid using mainly federal dollars to an estimated 300,000 mostly working low-income men and women.
Dean also said that while he doesn't favor legalizing marijuana for recreational use, "I would like to look at decriminalizing" it, although he noted he would need to work with lawmakers on that.
Lee said he was opposed to legalizing marijuana and added "there's a way to be tough on crime and smart on crime at the same time," suggesting "alternative sentencing for low level offenses" along with drug courts.
Dean said he "wouldn't walk into the governor's office in January" and push that, but he added that "if the legislature passed it and it was appropriate, I would sign it" into law.
But both men appeared open to having local options on sports betting being made available to individual counties with special legislation.
Regarding the NFL kneeling controversy, state Senate Finance Committee Chairman Bo Watson, R-Hixson, recently announced he was compiling information on contracts various universities have with Nike and questioning whether the state should allow tax dollars to go to the company.
Some universities like the University of Tennessee-Knoxville have lucrative contracts with Nike in which the university makes money.
"I don't think the state or the legislature should meddle to that degree in state policy" impacting higher education, said Dean.
Dean said the state should allow universities to "do their jobs and not respond to every news story. They should be allowed to run the universities and run them to the best of their abilities."
Lee agreed, saying, "I don't think the state should step in either. I think that's a private company decision that they have made. I think the leadership of the universities should make decisions about what contracts they have and the state doesn't need to intervene at that level. The less government is engaged in that, the better from our perspective."
Both men are vying for the post now held by retiring Republican Gov. Bill Haslam. Lee is leading in a number of recent polls.
Contact Andy Sher at asher@timesfreepress.com or 615-255-0550. Follow him on Twitter @AndySher1.