The Republican candidates for Mississippi”s First Congressional District attempted to differentiate themselves to the students of the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science Tuesday on the Mississippi University for Women campus.
State Sen. Alan Nunnelee of Tupelo, Eupora lawyer Henry Ross and former Fox News political commentator Angela McGlowan, of Oxford, participated in the first debate involving all three candidates in Rent Auditorium in front of a crowd mainly consisting of MSMS students. About 100 students, and 100 non-students, many wearing stickers supporting their chosen candidate, also sat in on the debate.
Although much of the evening would be spent attempting to differentiate themselves, the candidates were unified on one theme: Current Democratic Congressman Travis Childers has to go.
“He wants to spend $780 billion on government programs that we don”t need,” said Ross.
“We have a congressman who says he”s conservative but votes with Nancy Pelosi 80 percent of the time,” echoed Nunnelee.
“What you need in Washington is someone who will represent you and be able to say ”no” to the liberal leadership,” added McGlowan.
With their political bull”s eye set squarely on Childers, the Republican candidates were subtle in their criticism of one another. Nunnelee, a 16-year senator, touted himself as the only candidate with the necessary political experience.
“The biggest issue for Republicans is who can effectively wage a campaign against everything Nancy Pelosi is going to throw at us in November (in the general election),” he said.
Ross and McGlowan both warned against electing another “career politician,” painting themselves as altruistic public servants.
“I”m the only Republican in the race that”s for term limits because I don”t come from the political establishment background,” said Ross.
“I”m not going to Washington to be a career politician,” said McGlowan. “I”ll make some changes, put things in place and go back home.”
Over the course of the debate”s seven questions, conceived by MSMS”s Young Republicans, the candidates charted a similar course. While uniformly denouncing Childers” choices, they occasionally touched on differences in their own politics.
Health care
For instance, all three candidates criticized President Barack Obama”s federal stimulus package, but only McGlowan, a frequent Tea Party speaker, also pointed a finger at former President George W. Bush”s 2008 stimulus plan.
The candidates stuck to the party line on questions about immigration and free trade, calling for deportation of illegal aliens and easing trade restrictions for farmers. Regarding Mississippi agriculture, Nunnelee referred again to his work in the senate where the Mississippi Legislature cut sales taxes to make supplies and repairs to equipment more affordable for farmers.
Speaking on federal bailouts of failing corporations, McGlowan claimed the money loaned to General Motors was a “payoff to the unions that help Democrats win elections.” Ross blamed bank failures on liberal federal housing policies from the 1970s that “lent money to people they knew couldn”t afford to pay it back.”
“You cannot suspend the rules of economics to carry out some liberal social policy,” said Ross.
Foreign oil and voting
Each candidate tied dependence on foreign oil to national security, claiming the U.S. buys oil from enemies in the Middle East or South America, before calling for domestic drilling.
Shifting to health care, Ross predicted private insurance companies would be forced out of business if recent legislation is allowed to stand. McGlowan called the bill unconstitutional while Nunnelee vowed to vote to repeal it. All candidates said the current health care system needs overhauls in the shape of tort reform.
During their closing statements, Nunnelee summed up the situation facing MSMS students who are or will be old enough to vote in the June primary elections.
“I think that maybe the toughest job in the auditorium belongs to you. Because you have to decide, ”Which candidate do I support?” We”re all for a lot of the same things. How do you make your decision?” he said.
Fighting tax hikes
His answer was to again point to his experience, his work with Gov. Haley Barbour and his record of fighting tax increases.
McGlowan took issue with Nunnelee”s voting record on tax increases, saying he voted for increases on gambling and tobacco taxes despite signing a pledge not to raise taxes, just as she has.
“It”s great to vote against tax increases 150 times, but it”s also not great to sign the tax pledge then break that pledge,” she said.
Ross closed the debate with a spirited call for the strengthening of family values and honoring the Constitution.
Who won?
Alex Monie, a senior at MSMS, from Biloxi, thought Ross” closing statement was strong enough to steal the debate. Monie, the Student Government Association president at MSMS, said his classmates didn”t attend the debate out of obligation simply because their school hosted the event.
“I think MSMS kids are genuinely interested,” he said. “We want to take initiative in the future. We know we”re going to have to make big decisions this year and we want to stay involved.”
Frank McDonald, a junior from Columbus, also felt Ross won the debate.
“I felt Mr. Ross really carried the debate. He carried the crowd better and made better points in his issues. I felt like the other two either lingered a little bit or inserted certain things to disrupt their train of thought,” he said.
Focus on the issues
McDonald said the candidates did well to stay away from rhetoric and focus on policy.
“I thought they got around really nicely to their points and brought up what needed to be brought up and nothing more.”
Chandler Craig, also a junior from Columbus, gave McGlowan the nod.
“I thought she did a magnificent job. She stands up, and she”s not afraid to tell people what she thinks. I want somebody to go up there who”s not afraid to fight,” he said.
Craig was actually expecting a smaller crowd than what turned out for Tuesday”s debate from both local citizens and MSMS students.
“At our age, we need to be involved. As (Nunnelee) said, we”re not the leaders of tomorrow. We”re the leaders of today.”
Jason Browne was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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