Bevin, Beshear go back and forth in candidate forum

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin and his Democratic challenger Attorney General Andy Beshear traded jabs Wednesday at a forum held by Kentucky Farm Bureau.

Topics discussed included the state budget, tax reform, infrastructure and rural development, but the two occasionally strayed away to talk about what they believe is wrong with the other candidate.

One of the few things the two candidates seemingly agreed on was the binary nature of the election. You'll vote for one or the other.

Both candidates asked candidates to look back at the last four years, but they have very different takes on how the last few years were.

"During the last 3 and a half years, we've seen more than $20 billion in private capital investment in this state," Bevin said. "Those seeds are on the ground. Those are things germinating. That is investment the likes of which we've never seen."

Beshear said it's also about the next four years.

"At the end of the day it all comes down to vision," Beshear said. "Who's serving in the next four years is going to create that foundation. You've had four years to see what hasn't happened in our rural communities."

Beshear promised change while Bevin questioned whether or not Beshear had any plan to make sure those promises are kept.

"People want to promise the moon, but it has to be paid for," Bevin said. "These are decisions you're going to have to make as you move forward. The reality is, [Beshear] blows a lot of smoke. [He makes] a lot of promises, [he files] a lot of lawsuits, and [he fights] this administration."

Beshear said Bevin should not be the person in charge of the state's financial crisis, asking what it would take to be the ideal candidate.

"Would it be someone who couldn't get along with the COO, which is the Lieutenant Governor here in Kentucky?" he asked. "Would it be someone who wouldn't even show you the financials of your company is doing, like hiding a pension analysis like we all deserve?"

Beshear and Bevin both agree that a modern tax reform is needed. Both also have a primary focus on the state budget.

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