Gubernatorial debate archive
The three major party candidates for governor have participated in over a dozen debates throughout Minnesota since the August 10 primary. Use the dropdown menu to jump to a specific debate to listen to audio and find related stories.
Oct 24, 2010

• Location: Metro State University, St. Paul, Minn.
• Sponsor: KSTP-TV and the League of Women Voters
• Summary: In a live televised debate, the candidates focused on state's budget, education policy and job creation.
Read the story | Listen
Oct 22, 2010
• Location: Rochester, Minn.
• Sponsor: Rochester Chamber of Commerce
• Summary: Health care issues too center state as each candidate showcased their plans for reacting to changes in health care reform recently passed in Congress.
Part 1, Part 2
Oct 15, 2010

• Location: University of Minnesota campus, Minneapolis
• Sponsor: Minnesota Broadcasters Association and U of M partners
• Summary: Among other issues, the candidates talked about higher education and the need to cut costs to students and faculty on the University of Minnesota campus. After the debate, the cadidates also took questions from the crowd.
Listen
Oct 12, 2010

• Location: MPR studios, St. Paul, Minn.
• Sponsor: Minnesota Public Radio
• Summary: The candidates addressed issues with ads, their budget plans and education. MPR also live-blogged the debate and candidate comments were fact checked live by MPR's political team.
Read the story | Replay the live blog | Hour 1, Hour 2
Oct 11, 2010
• Location: St. Paul, Minn.
• Sponsor: MinnPost
• Summary:The three candidates discussed children's issues and outlined their vision for early childhood education and children's health care.
Read the story | Listen
Oct 9, 2010
• Location: Hamline University, St. Paul, Minn.
• Sponsor: Fox 9 News
• Summary: The three candidates battled over the budget, huffed over higher education and argued over anti-bullying legislation.
Read the story | Listen
Oct 3, 2010

• Location: St. Paul, Minn.
• Sponsor: Jewish Community Relations Council and other organizations
• Summary: The three candidates discussed immigration and an array of other issues.
Read the story | Listen
September 24, 2010

• Location: Brainerd, Minn.
• Sponsor: Minnesota Hospital Association and Aging Services of Minnesota
• Summary: The three candidates talked about health care issues and how to cope with a projected $3 billion increase in health and human service spending.
Read the story | Midday broadcast | Listen
September 23, 2010

• Location: St. Paul, Minn.
• Sponsor: Twin Cities Public Television
• Summary: In the televised debate the candidates talked again about education issues and all renewed their pledge to increase funding for early childhood education.
Read the story | Listen
September 21, 2010
• Location: St. Cloud, Minn.
• Sponsor: St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce
• Summary: The candidates continued to debate budget issues and plans to fix Minnesota's fiscal issues.
Read the story | Midday broadcast | Audio: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
September 17, 2010
• Location: St. Paul, Minn.; Twin Cities Public Television
• Sponsor: AARPt
• Summary: In a live television debate, the cadidates discussed taxes, education, jobs and health care with a senior perspective.
Listen
September 15, 2010

• Location: Minneapolis (Pantages Theater)
• Sponsor: Bring Me The News, the Citizens League and the LEAD project
• Summary: Spending cuts, income tax increases and sales tax expansion were again the main points of contention at the Pantages Theater.
Read the story | Midday broadcast | Listen
September 10, 2010

• Location: Minneapolis
• Sponsor: Association of Metropolitan School Districts
• Summary: The candidates debated education and school issues.
Read the story | Midday broadcast | Listen
September 7, 2010

• Location: Duluth, Minn.
• Sponsor: Duluth News Tribune and Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce
• Summary: This was the first debate by all three candidates outside of the metro area since the August 10 primary. They talked more about budget issues and taxes.
Read the story | Midday broadcast | Listen
September 3, 2010

• Location: St. Paul, Minn.
• Sponsor: Minnesota Public Radio
• Summary: At the Minnesota State Fair the candidates focused on the state's budget problems and their plans to solve the expected deficit.
Read the story | Midday broadcast | Listen | Video 1, Video 2, Video 3, Video 4
August 26, 2010
• Location: Golden Valley, Minn.
• Sponsor: TwinWest Chamber of Commerce
• Summary: The three candidates for governor debated compensation for public sector employees.
Read the story | Listen
August, 25, 2010
• Location: Brooklyn Park, Minn.
• Sponsor: Various tranportation entities
• Summary: The candidates debated transportation issues and infrastructure.
Read the story | Blog post | Listen
August 24, 2010

• Location: Minneapolis (University of St. Thomas)
• Sponsor: Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal
• Summary: The candidates for governor debated tax policy, the expansion of nuclear power in Minnesota and the state budget at St. Thomas University's Opus College of Business.
Read the story | Midday broadcast | Listen
August, 17, 2010

• Location: Nisswa, Minn.
• Sponsor: Minnesota Chamber of Commerce
• Summary: The three candidates for governor debated jobs, the economy and education issues, stressing their executive credentials to an audience that cares about business.
Read the story | Midday broadcast | Listen
August 14, 2010

• Location: Anoka, Minn.
• Sponsor: Minnesota Game Fair
• Summary: The three major party candidates for governor voiced their support for hunting, fishing, land and gun rights.
Read the story | Listen
August 13, 2010
• Location: St. Paul, Minn.
• Sponsor: Almanac; Twin Cities Public Television
• Summary: In the first post-primary debate the candidates sparred over tax policy and the best way to solve the state's nearly $6 billion projected budget deficit.
Read the story | Audio: Part 1, Part 2
Candidate forums
The three candidates have also participated in individual forums hosted by the University of Minnesota's Humphrey Institute. The candidates gave speeches and then participated in question and answer sessions with host Larry Jacobs, director of the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance.