PORTLAND, Ore. -- Oregon Republican candidates for governor agree: Jobs and the economy are the main issue of this election.
Chris Dudley, Allen Alley and Senator John Lim took part in the televised debate at KGW Studios Wednesday night.
For the first time in Oregon, perception meters were also used diring a live telecast debate.
The perception meteres were provided by Portland-based Momentum Market Intelligence and initial results of undecided Republicans in the survey group showed that 66 percent thought Alley won, 22 percent favored Dudley and 13 percent favored Lim.
SLIDESHOW: Perception meter results
"Green jobs are nice - but when you're out of work I don't think you care what color it is," Allen Alley said.
Dudley said Oregon was known as a green state and needed to tap into that, and that the issue of this campaign is getting people back to work.
The three candidates agreed on limiting the size and growth of state government.
"Getting out of businesses government shouldn't be in "like the liquor business," Dudley said
Lim said "We don't have a money problem, we have a management problem in the state government."
Alley cited a state budget growth of 49 percent in the last four years alone. "Is anything 49 percent better than it was four years ago?"
WATCH the debate Pt.1: Jobs | Pt 2: Health care, taxes | Pt.3: Voting records | Pt. 4: Education, kicker
Illegal immigration and health care also were topics as questions came in via Facebook, video and email.
"We've accepted too many unfunded mandates (in state) health care," Alley said.
Lim went on to say that "Obama care is wrong."
On the question of the Tea Party, the candidates mostly agreed Republicans will benefit, calling it a wake up call" that government is getting bigger and bigger, while people are asking for smaller, more efficient government.
"Least government is the best in our society," Lim said.
Dudley answered a question about missing some votes in his time as an Oregonian. "I got to a place where I felt 'your vote doesn't matter' and I think that's wrong now," said Dudley.
In response to questions about the state retirement fund PERS, Alley mentioned his plan to slow down government hiring, offering buyouts to PERS pensions.
Dudley cited a statistic that $.25 of every education $1 will soon go to retirement benefits alone.
Dudley spent 16 years in the NBA, including six seasons with the Trail Blazers. During that time, he served the players association as executive treasurer and formed the Dudley Foundation, dedicated to kids with diabetes.
Allen Alley is a co-founder of Pixelworks, the Portland-based high-tech firm. Alley spent ten years as president and CEO of the company. He was the deputy chief of staff for the governor for a year before resigning to run for state treasurer in 2008.
John Lim was born in South Korea and moved to the U.S. at the age of 31 to study for a divinity degree. Lim founded several businesses before getting into politics. He spent 12 years in Salem, eight in the Oregon Senate and four in the House.
During the debate, candidates also field questions from KGW.com users, video questions and questions posted live to KGW's Facebook Fan page.
