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Debate keeps Congress race tight
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U.S. Congressman Phil English (R-3rd)
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Kathy Dahlkemper
The debate was the second of three before the election.
SHARON, Pa. — He’s a 14-year Republican incumbent who distanced himself from his party a few times, stressing his independence and experience.
She’s a first-time political-office candidate who acknowledged to their audience that, yes, he’s been in Congress for 14 years. But, she insisted, there isn’t much good to show for it.
U.S. Rep. Phil English, R-3rd, and Democrat challenger Kathy Dahlkemper, who owns a landscaping business in Erie, did their verbal sparring Monday evening in the second of three scheduled debates before the Nov. 4 election.
They met at the Sharon municipal building before an overflow crowd — which wasn’t always on its best behavior.
Dahlkemper supporters let their displeasure be known when they thought English landed a low blow on their candidate — for example, when he insinuated she dodged the question on how to fix the country’s health care crisis and again when he accused her of running negative ads against him.
The candidates, who are running a tight race for English’s congressional seat, didn’t seem that far apart on some issues.
Dahlkemper said she strongly supports creating incentives for green technology and bringing jobs in that upcoming industry to the seven counties of the district.
“This is good for our environment but great for the Third District economy, because green technology is where the job growth is,” said Dahlkemper, who also said she believes “we need to drill. She said she invites the oil and gas companies who have leased 68 million acres in this country to “step up to the plate and drill.”
Tax giveaways to Big Oil, though, should give way to tax incentives for those working in renewable energy, she said.
English, however, went on to state that Dahlkemper has “consistently opposed drilling.”
He said he too backs green technology, giving his support of wind energy credits as one example.
He also said he supports drilling in the Arctic wildlife reserve and on the outer continental shelf, and said he supports nuclear energy.
He said Dahlkemper’s proposals would increase energy prices, and said he favors a “balanced, pro-growth environmental strategy” that includes all energy sources.
Both said they opposed the $700 billion bailout of failing financial firms, with English saying he voted against it and that it was “appalling that the people overseeing the system didn’t see this coming, and people in the large financial firms were asleep at the switch.”
Dahlkemper also said she opposed the bailout and believed that the financial industry shouldn’t have been deregulated.
“Through pushing of Republicans and through deregulation, we’re in this today,” she said. She said she favors “sensible re-regulation” of the financial industry.
Both candidates agreed that the economy is the big issue for the next legislative session, with English saying that he will work with “whoever wins the presidency” to make that happen.”
Dahlkemper said that the bad economy is not a new issue, and that she has seen economic suffering in the district throughout her campaign.
Dahlkemper said in her closing statement that in 14 years, she thinks English had a chance to make a difference but did not. “Gas prices have tripled, tens of thousands are without health care, and we see our country at war,” she said.
English said he has been an independent voice in Congress who has stood up to his party on tough issues. “During tough times, we need experienced leadership,” he said.