Walz, Jensen clash in only televised Minnesota governor's race debate

DFL Gov. Tim Walz and GOP challenger Scott Jensen faced off in the first and only televised debate of the general election Tuesday night.

• As expected, the rivals traded barbs — and blame — on issues like abortion, crime, and the stalemate over spending the state surplus.

Zoom in: Jensen attacked Walz on crime, including his handling of the riots that followed George Floyd's murder, and argued the administration should have done more to stop the fraud in the Feeding Our Future pandemic food aid program.

• Walz defended his record and hit Jensen on his past support for abortion bans and his opioid prescribing practices as a physician.

But they were also asked to say "one nice thing about your opponent." Here are their responses:

• Jensen: "I've thought about this question. I think Tim Walz is an affable individual who has a wonderful smile."
• Walz: "I think Scott is showing a great affinity... as he talks about his family, about how important that is to him. I think that's always a pretty good indicator of where someone's heart's at."

Go deeper: Missed the debate? You weren't alone — it didn't air on TV in the metro. Catch up on key moments via The Associated Press and MPR News or watch the full video online.