Did debate change undecideds' minds?

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - Undecided Democrats watched their party's candidates for governor debate Monday at the WOOD TV8 studios.

The actual debate, sponsored by WOOD, was hosted by Grand Valley State and held at the university's downtown Grand Rapids campus.

By the end, two of the undecided voters believed Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero had won the debate. Three sided with House Speaker Andy Dillon and one person left the viewing still unsure.

The panel of six was concerned about several key issues, namely: jobs, small business owner benefits, education and unemployment.

"I heard things that I liked, especially from Dillon addressing what's going to attract businesses to Michigan," said 27-year-old Jessica Lowery, a criminal defense attorney.

Beth Halstead, who is returning to computer trade school, thought Bernero won.

"My main issue was the extended benefits of unemployment, which was answered by only one candidate, so that kind of upset me," said Halstead, who is losing her job at Meridian Manufacturing.

Benjamin Robinson -- who has previously been featured on 24 Hour News 8 -- felt both candidates fell short in addressing small business concerns.

"I really agreed with Dillon in a lot of different ways and aspects he was talking about," said Robinson, who lost his job and then started his own bagel shop.

Bill Thomas, like Bernero, is not in favor of an "all cuts" budget.

"Michigan has been cutting taxes for 12 years and it really hasn't gotten us very much, I think," said Thomas, a former educator and advocate for seniors' issues.

Said Winnie Brinks, a laid-off library paraprofessional: "One thing that Bernero said that I really liked it (was) that he will not raid the school aid fund to fund other things."

"I really didn't hear anything particularly in terms of broadband stimulus or getting capital to small business," small business owner Armondo Diaz said. "More so from Dillon, but not so much from Bernero because he was so busy bickering."

Though they've all voted for Democrats in the past, they all say they're undecided in this election, the first time in eight years there is no incumbent running for the office.