MILWAUKEE – Wisconsin’s two candidates for U.S. Senate met on the talk stage for the primary time Friday, Oct. 7 – the election just a little multiple month away.

Republican incumbent U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson and Democrat challenger Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes answered 20 questions over roughly an hour’s time. Listed below are among the highlights:

On bail reform

Now that the trial of Darrell Brooks is underway, one of many first questions for the candidates was targeted on bail reform. The candidates had been requested in the event that they agree that situations of 1’s bail ought to rely on their risk to security and never their potential to pay bail.

Barnes: “Beneath my plan, harmful individuals do not get to purchase their manner out of jail. Now, Sen. Johnson might not have encountered an issue he cannot purchase his manner out of, however that is not actuality for almost all of individuals on this state.”

Johnson: “If you wish to scale back crime, to start with, you must totally fund the police, and naturally my opponent is opposed to completely funding police budgets. However we have to maintain criminals in jail.”

READ MORE: FOX6 protection of the Darrell Brooks trial

On crime

Johnson additionally spoke of Barnes and Gov. Tony Evers plan to cut back the state’s jail inhabitants, noting the discharge of inmates convicted of violent crimes. A later query regarded on the rise of crime. For a 3rd 12 months in a row, Milwaukee is on tempo to set a brand new document for homicides.

Each candidates had been requested for 3 particular actions they suppose the federal authorities might take to assist communities cope with rising crime. Barnes’ reply targeted on nourishing the group as an entire, whereas Johnson targeted first on assist regulation enforcement.

SIGN UP TODAY: Get day by day headlines, breaking information emails from FOX6 Information

Barnes: “What we have to do is ensure that communities have the assets that they should forestall that crime from occurring within the first place. Which means totally funding our faculties. It additionally means ensuring that there are good-paying jobs in communities, and we additionally invested $100 million into regulation enforcement, public security and crime prevention initiatives by means of the American Rescue Plan.”

Johnson: “Due to that ‘defund the police’ effort, it is rather troublesome to recruit. We’re 1,000 officers under the place we had been in Wisconsin simply from 2008, and individuals are having a really troublesome time. Sheriffs are having a really troublesome time recruiting new officers, the place they could have had 100 recruits, they could have had a dozen.

On abortion

Noting the Wisconsin’s regulation handed in 1849, the candidates had been requested what, if something, they’d do relating to abortion on the federal degree.

Barnes: “(Johnson) stated that if girls do not just like the legal guidelines of their state, just like the 1849 legal abortion ban now we have right here, he stated they will transfer. I am unable to consider a extra callous, out-of-touch or excessive place to take. If I had been within the U.S. Senate, I might completely vote to codify Roe v. Wade to guard the proper to an abortion.”

Johnson: “It should not be determined by 9 justices, not 535 members of Congress, and fairly actually, not even 132 members of the Wisconsin State Legislature. What we must always do – and by the best way, essentially the most excessive place right here can be no limits on abortion in any way. Permitting abortion proper up to date of beginning, which is what the lieutenant governor helps.”

On gasoline costs

The candidates weren’t particularly requested about inflation, however each referenced it throughout a number of questions – together with one on gasoline costs.

The nationwide common for one gallon of gasoline Friday was $3.89, up 13 cents from a month in the past. In Wisconsin, the common is simply over $4 per gallon, up 50 cents from a month in the past.

This week, OPEC introduced its plan to chop oil manufacturing by two million barrels a day. Each candidates stated it comes right down to vitality dependence, however differ on tips on how to tackle it.

FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking information alerts within the FOX6 Information app for iOS or Android.

Johnson: “We had been vitality impartial underneath the final administration. For those who’re involved about local weather change, you ought to be supporting nuclear energy, however most environmentalists oppose nuclear energy. So, there is a answer right here, it is simply environmentalists like Lt. Gov. Barnes will not embrace the true answer.

Barnes: “We have to be extra vitality impartial. We have to do extra to generate renewable vitality on this nation, particularly proper right here in Wisconsin. Now, the senator’s going to say that the trail ahead is fossil fuels. He will make each excuse for the business. We have to maintain them accountable.”

The controversy

The Wisconsin Broadcasters Affiliation led the talk, which included questions from FOX6’s Kim Murphy.

The race between Johnson and Barnes might resolve which get together takes management of the U.S. Senate.

Learn extra FOX6 Information protection in regards to the candidates:

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 8.