Johnston, Iowa — Republican Governor Kim Reynolds and Democratic challenger Deidre DeJear outlined diverging paths on taxes, abortion and carbon pipelines during their debate last night on Iowa PBS.
Reynolds said eminent domain should be a last resort for pipelines that would ship carbon out of Iowa ethanol plants and she supports current rules for how developers may get authority to seize property along the pipeline routes from unwilling landowners.
DeJear said she opposes the use of eminent domain for the pipelines.
DeJear called the individual income tax cuts Reynolds signed into law in March shortsighted.
The two candidates had an extended and sometimes tense discussion about abortion. Reynolds declined to say whether she’d seek new restrictions beyond the 2018 law to ban abortions after about the sixth week of pregnancy, a law that’s in limbo due to a lawsuit.
DeJear said Roe v Wade had provided reasonable restrictions with exceptions and that policy should become Iowa law.
DeJear said politicians shouldn’t inject themselves in conversations women have with doctors about a pregnancy.
The hour-long debate was the only face-to-face meeting between Reynolds and DeJear before the November 8th General Election.
