Alabama gubernatorial hopefuls Dr. Robert Bentley and Ron Sparks squared off Thursday at the University’s Moody Music Hall for the first of two University-sponsored debates.

The major issues of the race continued to be the economy, job creation and a potential lottery, but staying true to the forum, many of the issues were answered to incorporate their relative effects on education.

A lottery system has been a major point of contention between the candidates throughout the debate and continued to be a heated topic at yesterday’s debate.

Bentley said, although he opposes gambling and doesn’t believe it has economic benefits, he is in favor of letting Alabama citizens decide the issue.

“I have said from the beginning that I will let the people vote. I personally am against it. There is not a single state in this country that has benefited from gambling. You cannot take all that all that money and tax it to make up the difference,” Bentley said.

Sparks said he would aggressively fight for gambling because of its clear positive effects, especially in areas of education.

“The state of Georgia gets 1.2 billion dollars in scholarships from gambling. I want to give everyone in this room a scholarship,” Sparks said.

“Not only do I support a lottery, I will fight for it so that every child in Alabama has an opportunity to get a higher education. $20 billion dollars is what education received in the state of Florida,” Sparks said. “Don’t tell me that a lottery doesn’t benefit students. The problem is that Alabama is sending $250 billion dollars to education in other states and not taking care of our children in Alabama.”

Bentley said the best way to rejuvenate the economy and aid education is not a lottery, it is job creation.

“I will fight for children in Alabama also. I will do that by creating jobs in this state – good paying jobs so that people can send their children to college. “

Bentley also said that regardless of his personal beliefs on the issue, he believes it is right to let Alabama citizens decide.

“I believe you need to let the people vote on this issue. They want to vote on this issue, and I trust the people of Alabama, because I believe they will always do what is right.”

In response, Sparks said Bentley is going against past precedent by not opposing a vote on a lottery.

“Dr. Bentley talks about trusting the people to vote.  Why doesn’t he trust the people of Tuscaloosa to vote on Sunday alcohol sales?”

Throughout the debate, Sparks hinted at Bentley being ill-prepared to hold the governor’s office. Over the course of the hour-long debate, Sparks attacked Bentley four times for “not having a plan.”

Bentley and Sparks found themselves in agreement on some issues. Both supported the removal the state’s 4 percent sales tax on groceries as well as favoring a $1 billion road-building program to be voted on Nov. 2.

The debate was simulcast on C-SPAN and AL.com. Questions used in the debate were submitted to al.com and were selected by the League of Women Voters of Alabama. NPR News correspondent and University of Alabama graduate Debbie Elliot served as moderator.

Auburn University will host the next student-sponsored debate on Oct. 19. Both debates are sponsored by each university’s respective student government associations, the League of Women Voters, the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama, the Auburn Chamber of Commerce and the Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program.