On the campaign trail gubernatorial candidates have touched on the state's biggest issues like prison reform and Medicaid expansion, but Sunday at their 1st debate they went far beyond that.
All 6 republican candidates came together in Broken Bow Sunday for their 1st debate. There they were faced with some difficult questions.
It's been 16 years since Nebraska has carried out an execution. In 2010 the United States stopped producing Nebraska's drug of choice for lethal injection. Prison officials have still not found an alternative. These candidates say that solving this problem is one of their top priorities.
"We should be able to carry out the death penalty to make sure that it serves as that deterrent to the worst of the worst offenders. There's a recent article I believe it was in the Houston chronicle talking about what Texas is doing to change their drug protocol," said Bart McClay.
"When I was in the legislature I actually carried a bill to change the method of execution from electrocution to lethal injection for exactly the reason I thought would happen, it did happen, that the court would find it unconstitutional, electrocution, and so we're gonna have to change the protocols again there is no doubt, but we'll find a way to do it," said Jon Bruning.
The candidates will go head to head again on April 23rd. The debate will be held at the Jonny Carson theater in Norfolk.
Source: KHAS TV news, March 24, 2014
