In the first debate, which wasn’t televised, mayoral candidate David Fox initiated all the attacks. But Wednesday night at Belmont University, Megan Barry landed jabs even in her opening statement. “His vision is one of austerity and mine is one of prosperity,” Barry said.
The two-term, at-large Metro Council member talked about how she’s “progressive and pro-business.” Fox said he’s not advocating for big cuts, just scaling back the growth of spending.
The former school board chairman has been trying to paint himself as a centrist on social issues and his runoff opponent as too far to the left for Nashville, more interested in activism than running the city.
“If you want somebody over here who is somebody who has a great passion for taking on national issues — especially socially divisive issues and being on a national stage to talk about them — well, you have a choice to do that,” Fox said in
his closing statement.
Fox said the distinctions should help voters make a decision. Barry accused Fox of trying to make the race a partisan one.
Fox Faces Questions About Super PAC Spending; Barry Answers For Pinkston
Fox had to take an uncomfortable position on outside spending, and Barry was forced to answer for one of her outspoken supporters.
Fox’s older brother put $500,000 into a Super PAC during the general election and started running ads for Fox and against his opponents. Fox condemned the most negative mailers. He was asked by moderator Demetria Kalodimos of WSMV whether he would speak out again if outside ads fire back up.
“If people want to engage legally and properly, then that’s fine with me,” Fox said.
“So long as the contributions don’t lead to negative messaging?” Kalodimos asked.
“Well,” Fox said after a long pause. “I took exception to some of the specific messaging that I thought was unduly harsh.”
The candidates
interacted more in this debate than during the general election, when seven people were on stage. In an answer about why the city’s superintendent search has floundered, Fox accused lightning-rod school board member Will Pinkston of being a big part of the problem and pointed out that he’s a key supporter of Megan Barry. She stopped short of defending Pinkston.
“Let’s be clear, Will Pinkston speaks for Will Pinkston. And Will Pinkston is not my senior education advisor,” she said.
The area of most agreement came when the two were asked to name a great leader. Both said former mayor Phil Bredesen, and Barry pointed out she just got his endorsement.
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