Karl Dean, Craig Fitzhugh clash on education, guns during Democratic debate

Former Nashville Mayor Karl Dean and House Minority Leader Craig Fitzhugh made their case for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination Tuesday, clashing during an hour-long debate over a host of issues facing Tennessee.

The candidates offered sharp differences on charter schools, a 2015 National Rifle Association convention and the use of federal funds for flood recovery in Nashville.

The head-to-head debate between Dean and Fitzhugh held at Belmont University's McAfee Concert Hall in Nashville provided voters the clearest picture yet on the main differences between the two top-tier Democratic candidates in the Aug. 2 primary.

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Throughout Tuesday's debate, the two agreed on the need to expand Medicaid in Tennessee, effectively work with a Republican-dominated state legislature and the negative impact of President Donald Trump's recent tariffs on aluminum and steel.

But Dean and Fitzhugh had plenty of differing views, too, and the differences emerged soon after the debate began at 6 p.m. CT.

Democratic governor race candidates debate about education Democratic governor's race candidates, Karl Dean and Craig Fitzhugh, debate about education at Belmont University.

On education, Fitzhugh seized on Dean's previous support of charter schools in Nashville. Dean has been an advocate for the publicly funded, privately operated schools.

“We have one glaring difference and that’s charter schools," Fitzhugh said, touting his recent endorsement by a state teachers political action committee.

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"The reason they endorsed me is because I was not in favor of taking public and money and giving it to private or nonprofit charter schools that reduces the amount of money that our public schools have."

Each candidate had a chance for a rebuttal during the debate, and Dean said he supports nonprofit charter schools in urban areas but not in rural parts of the state. He said he opposes charter schools run by for-profit companies.

Dean noted that his opponent previously voted in favor of charter schools but Dean did not cite a specific example. In a follow up interview, he said he was referencing the West Tennessee Democrat's vote in favor of a 2009 charter schools bill.

"I get he moves around a little, that's alright," Dean said, reiterating that he's opposed to school vouchers and for-profit charter schools.

In a follow up interview, Fitzhugh said if he did vote for charter schools it was an effort to allow "regular schools" to become a charter school.

Dean noted the charter schools that exist in Nashville and Memphis are in essence public schools.

Democratic governor candidates debate over flood recovery money The Democratic candidates, Karl Dean and Craig Fitzhugh, clashed over how money was spent in Nashville's recovery from the May 2010 flood.

The candidates also clashed over how money was spent in Nashville's recovery from the May 2010 flood.

Fitzhugh brought up the issue during a forum last month.

Fitzhugh said Tuesday the use of $7 million in federal flood recovery money to help fund riverfront redevelopment work in downtown Nashville "just didn't feel right." The money went for work near Ascend Amphitheater.

"My friend the mayor has given four different explanations about what happened to the money," Fitzhugh said, adding the issue is about public trust and transparency.

Dean refused to back down, saying the public record on the issue is clear.

"It was approved by the Metro Council, it was approved by (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development) it was approved by (Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency)," he said.

"I’m proud of the ways we recovered from the flood and the way our city employees and everybody reacted. It was a high point our city’s history," Dean said to applause in the concert hall.

On guns, Dean and Fitzhugh were also at odds over whether it was the right decision to have the National Rifle Association in Nashville for its 2015 annual conference.

"One thing I wouldn’t do is I wouldn’t invite the NRA here to give then-candidate President Trump a platform to espouse those views," Fitzhugh said.

Dean replied that the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp extended the invite. He added that he also supports the First Amendment and the city shouldn’t stop people from coming just because of their views.

Democratic governor candidates debate guns, NRA On guns, Karl Dean and Craig Fitzhugh were at odds over whether it was the right decision to have the National Rifle Association in Nashville for its 2015 annual conference.

If the Nashville did that, the city would have been sued, Dean said.

Fitzhugh countered, saying public funds through the visitors corporation should not have been used to attract the NRA to the city.

Another area in which the two candidates appeared to disagree came in response to a question about capital punishment.

Dean said the state would continue to employ capital punishment as long as it is law.

“In our state our people have decided that that the ultimate punishment is the appropriate punishment in situations where first degree murder occurs,” he said.

Fitzhugh quickly responded, saying, "It bothers me that some want life at the beginning and then don't want life at the end."

Although the comment generated applause from the audience, Fitzhugh said in a follow up interview it wasn't a knock on his opponent.

Fitzhugh also said his remarks did not mean he wanted to end capital punishment in Tennessee but he questioned its effectiveness given that the state is currently having to turn to the "black market" to obtain drugs for executions.

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Tuesday's debate, which was sponsored by the USA TODAY NETWORK-Tennessee, Belmont University and WSMV, was the first of its kind this year with just the two Democratic candidates on stage.

A similar debate is set to be held June 26 with the Republican candidates running for governor.

David Plazas, the opinion and engagement editor for the USA TODAY NETWORK-Tennessee and WSMV anchor Tracy Kornet, developed the questions and moderated the debate.

Democratic governor candidate Karl Dean quotes President Reagan Karl Dean made the unusual move of quoting former President Ronald Reagan when asked about civility at a debate at Belmont.

Despite their clear differences on several issues, the candidates did not view their clashes as personal attacks on one another.

To close out the debate, Dean made the unusual move of quoting former President Ronald Reagan.

"I don't believe I've criticized my opponent," he said, paraphrasing Reagan who famously said members of his party should not speak ill of their fellow Republicans. Although he did not want to adopt all of Reagan's policies, Dean simply wanted to "try to be positive."

Fitzhugh, meanwhile, said his motto throughout the campaign has been that people matter. "All people matter," he said, later adding in an interview that he tried to represent the interests of the entire state and not one region while in office.

Reach Joel Ebert at jebert@tennessean.com or 615-772-1681 and on Twitter @joelebert29. Reach Jordan Buie at jbuie@tennessean.com or 615-726-5970 and on Twitter @jordanbuie.