In the debate between Democratic Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam (pictured) and Ed Gillespie, neither man deployed his most potent attacks against the other, and both ducked and dodged on some hot-button issues. | Larry French/Getty Images for SiriusXM Few fireworks in gentlemanly Virginia gubernatorial debate

McLEAN, Va. — With pressure building in a tight race, Virginia’s leading gubernatorial candidates eschewed face-to-face political combat in their debate Tuesday night. Instead, their gentlemanly exchange contained few personal attacks and plenty of policy contrast on economic development, health care and immigration.

Democratic Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam and Ed Gillespie, former chairman of the Republican National Committee, debated with few fireworks. Neither man deployed his most potent attacks against the other, and both ducked and dodged on some hot-button issues. There was no defining moment to be found.


The race, likely to be the most important election of 2017, is seen as an important signpost ahead of the congressional midterm elections a year later, attracting major national investment.

At one point during the debate, Gillespie appeared to announce his opposition to a legislative proposal from Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) to repeal Obamacare and replace it with state block grants. But post-debate, he said he hadn’t read the legislation and wasn’t able to take a position for or against it.

“Virginia cannot be and should not be punished for being a fiscally responsible state … and we should not be punished for not taking the Medicaid expansion,” Gillespie said. “I’m not endorsing or opposing any specific legislation.”

Northam said the Republican attempts to repeal and replace the health care law were harmful to the state, and would put at risk health insurance for 500,000 Virginians.

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The two men also clashed over immigration, with Gillespie invoking an undocumented immigrant charged with the murder of a 17-year-old Muslim girl to criticize Northam for voting against a ban on sanctuary cities in the state. Northam responded by noting that Virginia had no sanctuary cities and saying the vote was a “political ploy” by Republicans.

Much of the debate featured a standard-issue divide between Democrats and Republicans on the role of the economy. Gillespie said only an across-the-board tax cut could jump-start an economy he portrayed as anemic.

“We have a lack of opportunity here,” he said, adding later: “We can’t keep doing what we’ve been doing and expect different results.”

Northam said the state should invest in education to grow the economy, and warned that Gillespie’s tax cut would accrue benefits to the rich while leading to teacher layoffs and other cuts in public services.

While the Northam campaign had promised, during a conference call on Monday, to level attacks on Gillespie’s long history as a lobbyist in Washington, the candidate didn’t follow through during the hour-long debate. And while Gillespie and fellow Republicans are bombarding Northam with ads attacking him over his stewardship of a state economic development agency, he didn’t bring up mismanagement while onstage.

Both men leveled harsher attacks in post-debate news conferences. Gillespie said Northam had a history of not showing up at important state board meetings, while Northam labeled the Republican “a K-street lobbyist.”

“The only time he’s ever showed up for anyone in Virginia is when he’s paid,” Northam said.

Northam did attack a slew of President Donald Trump’s policies, including the plan to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program and the president’s ban on travelers from several Muslim-majority countries. Gillespie largely avoided commenting on Trump, but did say he would campaign with him.

“I’ll take help from anybody anywhere,” he said. Pressed after the debate on whether he would invite Trump to the state, he sidestepped: “I’m comfortable with the answer I gave.”

The Gillespie campaign used the debate’s lone commercial break to air a television spot criticizing Northam for agreeing to only three debates.

“Ed’s ready to debate Ralph Northam anywhere and anyplace, accepting 10 debate invitations. But Northam only accepted three,” a narrator said in the 30-second ad . “Ralph Northam’s ducking and dodging because he can’t defend his voting record and risky policies.”

The Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce sponsored the debate, which was held at Capital One’s headquarters in McLean and aired statewide. NBC’s Chuck Todd served as moderator.

Polls have shown a close contest, although no recent survey has given Gillespie a lead. In the past two days, universities and media organizations have released five polls —Ӎthree have shown leads for Northam, and two have shown a tied race.

The political wind in the contest is at Northam’s back. The party out of power in Washington has won nine of the last 10 Virginia gubernatorial elections, and Trump’s approval rating in the state is hovering around 40 percent. Campaign finance records released this past weekend showed Northam with a 2-to-1 advantage in cash on hand.

