What Voters Want

By Bill Zeeble, KERA News

Dallas, TX –

Tonight, for the first time, the leading Democratic candidates for governor face off in a live debate produced by KERA and its partners. KERA's Bill Zeeble talked to voters about what they want to hear from Bill White and Farouk Shami.

Eugene Monroe: Issues that I'm concerned about? Jobs and more jobs.

Eugene Monroe is outside Norma's Caf , on his way to lunch. This minister wants the next governor to tackle unemployment.

Monroe: There are so many people that need jobs I think the governor instead of putting everything on the President, the rest of them ought to try to help create jobs. You need to try bringing something to the table.

Voter Aaron Lehmann says he's looking for an affordable alternative to pricey roads.

Lehmann: One of the things I'm concerned about is the increased presence of toll roads in Texas. It just seems, the taxes we're already paying for roads is not even going for roads. Its like an additional tax that we're getting. So that's real important to me.

Inside Norma's caf , hungry lunch customers say they want to know how these candidates will address education concerns.

McBain: Our drop-out rate is still far too high.

Democrat Andra McBain says it's time Texas accept federal funds for programs Governor Perry has rejected.

McBain: We're missing out on a lot of programs. a lot of education things, I think we can do so much better in this state. The death penalty bothers me treating people with humanity I like what Eddie Bernice Johnson used to say. "Thank God for Mississippi or we'd be dead last," and I don't think we can brag on that anymore.

Wayne Davis, a long-time Democrat, says it's time Texas move into the modern age.

Davis: Certainly things like gay marriage are not on the agenda here in Texas but they should be. 243 Our need to improve pollution, the state pollution levels, all of that just really bothers me. I don't want to see the world of Texas turning into a toll road. It seems like everything being built is a toll road. Things like that.

Back outside the caf , Gloria Bowden says she hopes to hear whether these candidates can effectively lead this huge state.

Bowden: And can make decisions and listen to what the people have to say, or want.

Mostly, she wants to know if they can then deliver what voters say they need.

These voters get a chance to hear for themselves tonight at 7. That's when Democratic gubernatorial hopefuls Bill White and Farouk Shami debate statewide, live on KERA-13 and 90.1 radio. KERA and its media partners are producing the debate televised in 19 media markets.

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