DETROIT (Michigan News Source) – Although a formal one-on-one sit down isn’t equal to a debate, Friday’s event in front of the Detroit Economic Club gave voters another chance to see the Michigan gubernatorial candidates in action, and showed the stark contrast between GOP gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s campaigns.

The event, hosted by the Detroit Economic Club and moderated by WDIV anchor and reporter Christy McDonald, featured two, 30-minute sessions with each candidate on stage.

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Gov. Whitmer, who walked out to the song “Good as Hell” by Lizzo earned the first 30-minute slot with a backstage coin toss. The governor and Dixon answered the same questions about Michigan’s economy, education, infrastructure, business growth, and their plans for Michigan’s future.

“Are we going to put our foot on the gas or go backward?” Whitmer said in reference to the state’s future after the November 8 election results.

Whitmer offered generic responses to what her administration has done and will do to move Michigan forward.

“We made the biggest investment so we can improve outcomes for our students,” Whitmer said referencing the latest budget for Michigan education.

“I’ve delivered four bipartisan budgets on time,” Whitmer said in the same breath that she boasted about spending money to bring a Chinese company to the state.

“We’ve paid down state debt and amassed record rainy day fund,” Whitmer said. “We’ve paused sales tax on gas and lowered the retirement tax. We were written off but now one of first states businesses look to.”

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Tudor Dixon walked on stage to the Lee Greenwood song “God Bless the U.S.A.” She immediately called attention to what she’s referred to as the hostile business environment in Michigan.

“I spent much of career in manufacturing and that is my passion for the state,” Dixon said. “We’ve been disappointed in the last 4 years.”

Dixon pushed back on Gov. Whitmer’s record with the business community, saying there are projects in the state that can’t get approved to move forward. “[Gov. Whitmer] chose to take $715 million and give to a corporation who has ties to a Chinese communist company instead of investors here in state of Michigan, Dixon said.

While Whitmer has continuously boasted about her “historic” investment in education, Dixon said the money doesn’t matter if the results are lacking.

“We’ve had investment in education, but the numbers still very low,” Dixon said. “The state of Michigan is lacking in [tutoring hours].”

In addition, Dixon said people are moving out of blue states and into red states, so pay for teachers should be equal to surrounding states.

“Teachers aren’t being paid well enough,” Dixon said.

Dixon and Whitmer will be back on the stage together for the second gubernatorial debate on Tuesday, October 25.