JOHNSTON — Answering questions submitted by readers of The Des Moines Register, Gov. Tom Vilsack and Republican gubernatorial candidate Doug Gross faced each other Saturday for the last time before the November election.

The final debate, sponsored by the Register, took place at the Maytag Auditorium. Other talking points came from the Register’s legislative reporter Lynn Okamoto and political reporter Tom Beaumont. Sparks flew for the third time over the budget crisis, economic development, funding for education and name-calling.

“These have been trying and challenging times, but Iowans have responded during these times as they always do,” Vilsack said. “Throughout it all we’ve maintained our Iowa values. My opponent, he places his faith and trust in corporate tax cuts. I put my faith and trust in you.”

Gross shot back and said Vilsack sat idly by when an economic crisis set in.

“We lost more jobs in the last year than the previous 16,” Gross said. “A governor should fight for good-paying jobs.”

Later on, Gross and Vilsack complained about each candidates’ negative ads.

“Wouldn’t it be great to have a governor who didn’t engage in name-calling?” Gross said.

Vilsack responded and said, “The reality is that you are the king of name-calling and your television advertising proves it.”

Jason Cole, a student at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, attended the debate and said Gross did a good job.

“I thought Gross did a phenomenal job. He outlined a good vision so college students like you and me would want to stay here,” Cole said.

Cole and his friend Nick Ridge, a college student taking the semester off, said Vilsack was on the defensive much of the time.

“That’s not a good sign for an incumbent to be sending the voters,” Cole said.

Although they supported different candidates, both Cole and Ridge agreed this last debate was an improvement over the previous head-to-head meetings.

They also said the debates had gotten better also.

“Doug [Gross] improved here,” Ridge said. “He gave more detail of his specific programs rather than critique of Vilsack’s history.”

Supporters of two other candidates, Libertarian Clyde Cleveland and Green Jay Robinson, attended the event, but were not admitted inside. Both parties were fighting for the debates to be open to their candidates until the last moment, and thereafter.

Bob Ewing, spokesman for the National Coalition of Women, said the best way to get every candidate’s voice heard would be to let everyone participate in the media sponsored event.

“Increasing the competition increases the quality of the product,” he said.

“Letting the two third parties in would give Iowans a clearer view of every one at the same time.”

Ewing said Democratic and Republican parties have established support, but many do not realize the grassroots support the Green and Libertarian parties have gathered.

“They do it by traveling around to directly address each issue to individuals,” he said.

Cleveland and his campaign manager, Aaron Day, said generating equal representation for candidates creates equal explanation for all of the issues. In turn, greater voter participation could be expected.

“It’s why the undecided poll numbers are as high as they are,” Day said. “Many people show up to vote because of a sense of duty. Creating a ‘sense of issue’ creates more interest in voting.”

— The Associated Press contributed to this story.