Dayton, Johnson make final arguments, take final shots in their last debate before Tuesday's election

Gov. Mark Dayton and his Republican challenger, Jeff Johnson, sparred for the last time Friday, with Dayton arguing that successes of his first term should earn him a second, while Johnson vowed to be the kind of hands-on governor that he said the state is lacking.

"Minnesota is moving forward," said Dayton, who's asking for four more years leading the state. "We've overcome a lot of problems that I inherited when I came in four years ago. We're on the right track, moving ahead."

Johnson, a Hennepin County commissioner promising a state government that spends less, pointed to missteps during Dayton's tenure that he said showed a chief executive not tuned into the state he leads.

"After 37 years in politics, I don't think he's up to the job," Johnson said. "I don't think he's been an engaged governor."

It's been a frequent criticism from Johnson, and one he has ratcheted up in recent weeks, including in several TV commercials. He has returned to several high-profile initiatives under Dayton's watch that generated controversy, with the Vikings stadium and the MNsure health insurance exchange chief among them.

In response, Dayton called Johnson a "desperate candidate" who, trailing in the polls, has only offered criticism.

"He's not offering any ideas, he's just trashing me," Dayton said. He then mentioned Johnson's first campaign commercial, which showed the Republican measuring blades of grass in his yard in a lighthearted attempt to portray him as detail-oriented.

"You were on your stomach looking at every blade of grass, and you found one or two out of line," Dayton said. "My job as governor is to look at the whole lawn."

The debate was broadcast live on the Twin Cities Public Television public affairs program "Almanac." It was the fifth debate between Dayton and Johnson, and the third in a row that excluded Hannah Nicollet, the Independence Party's candidate for governor. The show's producers said Nicollet did not show enough support in polls to deserve inclusion.

The debate touched on many of the same issues as previous ones, as the candidates jousted over transportation spending, education, jobs and the economy, taxes and spending.

Dayton's final pitch to voters was much the same as throughout the campaign, as he stressed long experience in politics and four years leading the state during which the unemployment rate dropped considerably and a state budget deficit became a surplus.

"There's 172,000 more jobs in Minnesota than when I took office," Dayton said.

Johnson has broadly argued for reductions in state spending but has not gone into great detail about where he'd cut. A centerpiece of his campaign has been a proposal to comprehensively audit state spending in order to identify programs that aren't showing sufficient return on investment.

"This happens to be a fundamental difference," Johnson said. "I believe we are not adequately measuring programs."

Johnson was quick to frame most of the issues raised through criticisms of Dayton, who responded by repeatedly needling Johnson to provide more details about how he'd reduce state spending.

"We're going to quote, reprioritize, unquote, and come back with $6 billion?" Dayton asked. "Tell us specifically which human services programs you're going to eliminate to raise anywhere near that amount of money."

Johnson suggested as a starting point state programs that encourage healthy eating and exercise habits. He also said he would try to shift state Department of Transportation spending away from anything but roads and bridges: "That means bike paths, light rail, trolleys, streetcars," Johnson said.

Johnson also said he'd look at the possibility of combining some state agencies, but he did not point out which ones.

Dayton also tried to corner Johnson for conflicting remarks he's made on partial state funding for a huge overhaul of downtown Rochester sought by the Mayo Clinic. Johnson said Friday night he supported the project, but Dayton noted that Johnson as a Republican primary candidate in 2013 said at a public forum that he would have voted against it in the Legislature.

The candidates did find several areas of agreement. Both said they would support allowing Sunday liquor sales and for wine to be sold at grocery stores. They both said they would not support a taxpayer subsidy to build a professional soccer stadium in downtown Minneapolis.

Both said they opposed legalization of marijuana for recreational use, and both opposed the idea of eliminating the office of lieutenant governor.

They also agreed Minnesota should have a medical facility solely dedicated to treating infectious diseases, like Ebola.

Patrick Condon • 651-925-5049