It look's like you don't have Adobe Flash Player installed. Get it now.
Republican candidates for Governor Sarah Steelman and Kenny Hulshof met in Springfield Wednesday night for one last debate before the August 5th primary. KSMU's Kristian Kriner was at the debate and files this report.
State Treasurer Sarah Steelman and Congressman Kenny Hulshof addressed several issues during the debate including immigration, transportation funding, the ethanol mandate and healthcare.
Hulshof says healthcare is an important issue in Missouri and it has been overlooked.
"What I would like to see in healthcare is really focusing on the patient and making sure that patient choices, making sure the competitions work, making sure we focus on prevention and wellness," Hulshof said.
He says the old Medicaid system in Missouri was not providing enough care for patients.
Steelman says with the rising costs of food and gas, Missourians need affordable healthcare.
"Families need access to affordable and quality healthcare in this state and I want make sure that happens. I want to look at public private partnerships. I want to look at market driven solutions to this problem," Steelman said.
She says she would have a 'safety net' to capture and support Missourians that really need money for healthcare.
Healthcare was also on the minds of several representatives from the local Planned Parenthood, who were standing with signs across the street from the television station where the debate took place.
Kellie Rohrbaugh is the Director of Public Affairs for the Southwest Missouri Planned Parenthood.
She says neither Steelman nor Hulshof have really addressed healthcare issues.
"We want to make sure the governor and the candidates for governor are talking about women's healthcare issues and issues that impact the families of Missouri and the students of Missouri," Rohrbaugh said.
She says they want to see cost of birth control go down for women.
A spokesman from the Missouri Democratic Party responded to the debate by stating both candidates mentioned Democratic candidate Jay Nixon several times.
For KSMU News, I'm Kristian Kriner.
