Governor Kathleen Sebelius, (D) and Senator Jim Barnett, (R) are battling for the top position in Kansas government, and over the course of 30 minutes, the candidates covered topics from health care to abortion to education. Some issues got a bit heated. After optimistic opening statements from both, the candidates got down to business. They say, funding state schools is a priority, but that's where agreement on the issue stops. "Unfortunately, we have voted on a bill that drives our state in to debt," says Barnett, "that's all fiscal irresponsibility coming from the Governor's office." "If you elect Jim Barnett, the promises to our children will get broken," Sebelius says, "I have confidence we can fund this bill."

But education funding isn't the only financial issue where the candidates don't see eye to eye. "We have to live within our means as government, that means looking for tax cuts," says Barnett "We started with a $12 million balance and now we're at $733 million, that's good news," Sebelius says. Another big topic: the state's abortion laws. "We have in place a number of laws to provide protection," says Sebelius, "I'm interested in prevention and more can be done in putting support in place for those families." "Do we want to be known as the capital in the nation and the world where late-term births are terminated?" Barnett says, "I do not think that's consistent with Kansas values and I think Kansans need to see the contrast between their values and the governor's."

And with election day just weeks away, candidates had a message to send home with voters. "Kansans want real solutions to education, to health care to the economy, to immigration, and that's what I bring to the ticket," Barnett says. "We will not get these things done if someone is running the state who believes its best years are behind us," says Sebelius, "I believe we can do lots of great things in the future with what's already done." If you missed our debate, there's a link to the full half hour on our homepage.