2 GOP Minn. gov. candidates get testy in debate

Reflecting their tight battle, Republican gubernatorial candidates Tom Emmer and Marty Seifert scraped Thursday over voting records and policy proposals, as they sought to pull party support their way ahead of a state endorsing convention six weeks away.

Although they hold much in common, their rare one-on-one debate highlighted areas where they differ. It grew more testy as the minutes wore on, with the two legislators colliding on everything from campaign finance to stadium legislation to the boldness of their budget plans. They even disagreed over their ability to admit when they were wrong.

The two legislators lead a pack of seven GOP candidates trying to lay claim to the governor's mansion, which incumbent Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty is leaving.

During Thursday's debate in Plymouth, Seifert said that of the thousands of votes he's cast during 13 years in the Legislature, he wished most he could take back one to impose an aggressive renewable energy requirements on utilities, a standard he tried unsuccessfully this week to repeal.

"An error isn't a mistake until you refuse to correct it," Seifert said.

Emmer declined to list a single vote he would change. "I don't make any decision flippantly or on a split-second notice and say, 'Well maybe, maybe not,'" he said, adding, "I'm willing to answer for any one of them."

Seifert wasn't shy about pointing out his opponent's perceived flaws, hammering Emmer about votes on amendments to health and stadium bills. He portrayed Emmer as the deciding vote against a requirement that a Twins stadium tax be put to a referendum and another that would have changed medical liability laws.

Emmer disputed the notion that he enabled the Twins to get their taxpayer-subsidized stadium. He said he was pushing to sink the entire Twins bill - and he vowed not to give the Vikings access to the public purse either as the team lobbies for stadium aid.

Emmer went on offense, too, ripping a Seifert plan to cut state spending as too timid. The plan released by Seifert just hours before the debate would abolish or merge a handful of state agencies; Emmer said he plans to target as many as a dozen state agencies for outright elimination.

"Not nibbling around and combining agencies," Emmer said. "Saying goodbye to agencies."

Seifert said Emmer was in no position to criticize because he has yet to put a full plan on the table.

"I have a proposal for all of you to look at, for all of you to read. We spent weeks and weeks on it. It's easy to throw shots at it," Seifert said. "But at least I have something."

Seifert is giving up his seat in the Legislature after he finishes his seventh term, regardless of whether he's the Republican nominee. The former House minority leader was first elected at age 24 to a district representing the Marshall area.

Emmer, a third-term legislator from Delano, trailed Seifert in two party straw polls -- one taken at a state convention in October and the other at precinct caucuses in February.

But by most accounts, the race has tightened and the two are running neck-and-neck with the GOP endorsing convention scheduled for later April.

The GOP candidate who's picked should have a smooth path to the November ballot. Democrats also plan an April endorsement, but that candidate is sure to face a stiff primary challenge in August from well-financed opponents within the party.