Keller @ Large: Republican Candidate For Governor Chris Doughty Looking For COVID 'Off-Ramp'

>>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE, THANK YOU, FOR JOINING US. WE INTRODUCE YOU TO THE CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR. THIS SUNDAY, WE ARE TURNING TO THE REPUBLICANS. JEFF DIEHL, HAS AN OPEN DISCUSSION. THIS WEEK, WE ARE TALKING WITH THE ONLY DECLARED OPPONENT IN THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY. BUSINESSMAN AND FIRST- TIME CANDIDATE. WELCOME. GOOD TO SEE. >> THANK YOU. THINK YOU FOR HAVING ME BACK. >> YOU'VE GOT FOUR GRANDCHILDREN? WHAT AGE? >> NINE-ONE. >> A COUPLE OF THEM ARE IN SCHOOL? >> YES. >> LAST WEEK THE GOVERNOR ANNOUNCED THE STATE SCHOOL MASKING MANDATE WOULD BE DROPPED AT THE END OF THIS MONTH. CRITICS OF THAT MOMENT SAY WITH ONLY 51% OF KIDS AGE 5-11 HAVING RECEIVED THE VACCINE AND THE FUTURE COURSE OF THE PANDEMIC STILL UNCERTAIN. THAT'S ROLLING THE DICE WITH THE HELP OF KIDS AND SCHOOL EMPLOYEES. ARE YOU COMFORTABLE HAVING YOUR GRANDKIDS IN AN UNMASKED SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT? >> MY CHILDREN ARE IN UTAH. THEY DON'T LIVE OUT HERE. >> DO THEY MASK THEIR? >>'S THEY ARE ON THE OFF RAMP. IT'S GRADUAL. WE GOT INTO IT. WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IT AS A GRADUAL EVOLUTION. CERTAINLY THERE ARE SOME COMMUNITIES WITH LOWER DENSITY. THEY COULD HAVE A DIFFERENT SPEED AT WHICH THEY COME OFF IN THE COMMUNITIES. I THINK WATCHING THE STATISTICS AS THE INFECTIONS ARE AND HOSPITAL RATES. WE JUST WATCH THE DATA. IT'S NICE TO BE ON THE OFFRAMP TO COME TO THE END OF THIS PHASE. >> YOU ARE NOT ONE OF THOSE WHO SAYS CAMINO, MASKS DAMAGED KIDS. THEY'VE BEEN UNNECESSARY ET CETERA? >> I THINK ALL OF US ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS BEING IN OUR REARVIEW MIRROR. I THINK WE HAVE TO BE UNDERSTANDING, AND COMPASSIONATE . WATCH THE DATA. I WAS IN A HIGH SCHOOL THE OTHER DAY AND THERE WAS KIDS RUSTLING. THEY WERE WEARING A MASK. IT LOOKED UNREASONABLE TO ME. I WAS AT ANOTHER GYM AND THEY WERE PLAYING BASKETBALL. THEY WERE UP ON TOP OF EACH OTHER. IT DOES FEEL LIKE UM OKAY, WE ARE HOPEFULLY COMING TO THE END OF THIS PHASE. >> YOUR OPPONENT HAS BEEN AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT IN DEMONSTRATIONS OPPOSING MANDATES LIKE THE ONE BOSTON HAS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. ARE YOU OPPOSED TO THAT MANDATE? >> IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY ARE COMING TO THE END. FROM WHAT I'M READING. FROM WHAT THE GOVERNOR AND THE MAYOR SAID. WE ARE COMING TO THE END. >> THE EXACT DAY WE ENDED IN TIMELY AND HOPEFULLY ALL POLICYMAKERS ARE THOUGHTFUL IN THINKING THROUGH THE RIGHT TIMING AND WE GET IT RIGHT. YOU WANT CITIZENS TO FEEL SAFE, NOT CONTROLLED. FINDING THE BALANCE SO WE CAN GET TO THE OFFRAMP AND GET THIS BEHIND US. >> I AGREE. THAT'S TRICKY BUSINESS. WHERE DO YOU STAND? ARE YOU OPPOSED TO MANDATES THAT COULD CAUSE YOUR JOB? >> WE DON'T WANT TO BE AN UNFRIENDLY STATE. THE STATE THAT SENDS PEOPLE AWAY TO OTHER STATES. WE'VE HAD TOO MANY CITIZENS MOVE OUT. WE SHOULD SAY, HEY, WE ARE OPEN FOR BUSINESS. WE WANT CITIZENS. WE WANT TO GROW. WE DON'T WANT TO BE UNFRIENDLY TO THOSE THAT HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO GET THE VACCINE. >> TO BE CLEAR, YOU DON'T LIKE VACCINE MANDATES WITH