(Davenport, IA) -- The gloves came off during the first debate between the candidates running for Iowa Governor Tuesday night.
Republican Zach Lahn and Democrat Rob Sand talked over each other several times during the one hour forum held at St. Ambrose College in Davenport.
One of the most heated topics was the time Lahn spends in Kansas visiting his children.
"This about the fact that you're not in Iowa. There are 3.1 million people who live here and they need a full-time Iowan," Sand said.
"It is just not true. It's just not true, you have no evidence of that," Lahn retorted. "And you cite things that are false."
The two also sparred over taxes, with Lahn accusing Sand of wanting to raise taxes and lambasting his criticism of recent tax cuts.
Sand denied he wanted to raise taxes and said he opposed the tax cuts because there was no explanation as to how the money would be made up in the state budget, which has a current, $1.2 billion shortfall.
Education funding in Iowa also drew some fiery responses at Thursday night's gubernatorial debate. Lahn said Sand has failed schools as the state auditor.
"Rob Sand has spent his time holding press conferences, calling out 50 person schools in rural communities while some of the largest school districts in the stated mismanaged tens of millions of dollars and their office stayed silent, " Lahn said.
Sand wants to put income limits for parents who receive school choice vouchers and audit the program to ensure the funding is being spent as intended. He's also vowing to raise general state aid to public schools.
"My first year, I'd like to see a five percent increase. I don't want to make a promise after that. We have real action we need to take with the state's budget deficit." Sand said.
The candidates also offered their policy proposals on tackling the state's growing cancer crisis, property taxes, agriculture and education.
They agreed on giving local governments more control in policy and funding decisions and using the state's I-WILL program to fund water clean-up as a way to address the state's rising cancer rates.
Lahn and Sand will face off during several more debates before the November 3rd election.