Candidates for governor Whitmer, Schuette pitch their plans at discussion

(WJBK) - It was not a debate but the top two candidates for governor got a chance to lay out their agendas at an event today. 

On Friday Charlie Langton hosted a sit down discussion with the gubernatorial candidates Bill Schuette (R) and Gretchen Whitmer (D). This discussion was organized by The Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce which hosted the candidates at its yearly Business Luncheon.

Both had plenty to say on many topics. First up - the roads.

"We are all paying today for bad roads," Whitmer said. "Whether you are paying because you are fixing your tires, or replacing windshields, or you are getting your car aligned."

"I'll call Elaine Chow, the secretary of transportation on the phone and be advocate for more money coming back to Michigan," said Schuette. 

The candidates also tackled the $15-dollar hourly wage debate. 

"I believe in private enterprise, I believe in the private sector," Schuette said. "I am going to maximize wages and Gretchen Whitmer wants to set and have mandated wages."

"I support $15 minimum wage," Whitmer said. "Regardless, I want to work with the business community."

Another topic was the thousands in the state who were falsely accused in the unemployment benefit fraud case.

"All those citizens got, it was wrong and I was going to say screwed," Schuette said. "That was just wrong."

"There are 40,000 hard-working in this state who didn't do a darn thing wrong," Whitmer said. "Because of a computer malfunction our attorney general started pursuing charges against people that didn't do anything wrong."

The candidates addressed President Trump's immigration crackdown which left some Chaldeans in the state facing deportation 

"What we are not going to do is send people back to a foreign country where they will be persecuted for their religious beliefs," Schuette said.

"The governor needs to use the bully pulpit to protect the people who call this state home," Whitmer said. "And keep our families together."

And with nearly three weeks to the November election, how do these candidates grade Governor Rick Snyder - the man they want to replace?

"I'm not going to that," said Whitmer. "You have heard me say a lot of good things about Gov. Snyder, we did not agree on everything."  

"I think Gov. Snyder has done a great job," Schuette said.

Now it's up to the voters to make their voices heard and decide if it will be Whitmer or Schuette to be Michigan's next governor.