Congressional candidates debate

Belle Plaine High School played host to a debate for Fourth District Congressional candidates Friday night.
Republican candidates Jean Schodorf, Mike Pompeo, Dick Kelsey, and Jim Anderson were all in attendance for the event. Wink Hartman, who is also running for the seat, was unable to attend due to a previous engagement.
State Rep. Pete DeGraaf started the evening with a brief update on what is going on in Topeka, after which a representative from Hartman’s political campaign spoke about the campaign and what Hartman’s values and stances are.
Each candidate was given two minutes to introduce them selves. They then answered questions and to gave closing statements.
Schodorf started the evening off, introducing herself to the half-full auditorium.
“I am running for Congress because I am very worried about America and that this recession is going on and on and on and people are hurting,” Schodorf said in her opening statement.
Schodorf also said she had fought for education, seniors and jobs for Kansan during her time in the state legislature.
“It is time, ladies and gentlemen, that we stand up and fight for our country the way our founding fathers did,” Anderson said. “We are all registered Republicans but we are all so different. Before I tell you who I am, let me tell you who I’m not. I’m not a career politician. I am not a lawyer, lobbyist or someone who is trying to buy the office. What I am is a common sense, common Regan conservative.”
Dick Kelsey followed Anderson saying problems in Washington need to be fixed by Kansans stepping up to the plate.
“I know the struggles of running a business and I believe we need to get the government off our backs, reduce taxes and allow businesses to start up and grow the economy,” Kelsey said, continuing by saying he is against the debt the country continues to accumulate.
Pompeo, who hosted the event, was last to introduce himself.
“I think we can all agree these are very serious times, hard times for the 4th district of Kansas...and it shows we need someone who had demonstrated they can work hard,” Pompeo said. “We all know this now, very clearly, that if you let the 4th District of Kansas do their thing and get the federal government out of the way...that good things can happen in the 4th district of Kansas.”
Audience members asked about vouchers for schools, outsourcing of jobs to China, auditing of the federal government and issues about energy.
The group agreed federal government needed to be checked and in some cases audited. The candidates also agreed a reduction of the federal government was needed to help build better policies and reduce the strain of taxes and restrictions to help the average citizen.
The debate ended with follow-up from each of the candidates, with one-on-one greetings afterwards.