SPOKANE, Wash. — Voters are looking to get their last-minute questions answered by the two candidates running for Congress in Washington’s 5th District.
Over the last few weeks, KREM has been gathering all of your questions. We took the top questions straight to incumbent Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and her challenger, Democrat Lisa Brown.
1. Negative ads
There have been a lot of questions about negative ads. One man asked, “Why don't they just do ads telling us about themselves, rather than attacking the other person?"
Lisa Brown: “I think that's a very valid point and that personal attacks, name calling, character assassination is really out of control. And my campaign will not do that. I do believe that a contrast in our voting records and our statements on our issues that are important to people in Eastern Washington is important for the voters to understand. But the personal attacks and the name calling, I'm pretty fed up with that, and I think most people in Eastern Washington are.”
McMorris Rodgers: “I think in the course of a campaign, this is about a choice. And right now, in Eastern Washington, this is a very clear choice. It's important that people know what the record is, what the votes are. My opponent has served in the state senate for 20 years. There's a record there, and it's important, in the course of the campaign, that people know what the record is and what the votes are. That's part of deciding who they're going to vote for.”
2. Social Security
Just a few weeks ago, KREM did a story showing a list of the top five industries donating to each campaign. McMorris Rodgers and Brown had very different supporters, except for one category. For Lisa Brown, retirees came in as the number one top industry contributor, and for McMorris Rodgers, it's number two.
Across the board, the most important question for these candidates is about preserving Social Security. A lot of retirees care about that right now, but people in every age bracket want to know how lawmakers plan to keep it going.
McMorris Rodgers: “For those that are retired, I would want them to know that they can have confidence that Social Security and Medicare will only be strengthened. That those programs are very important for people who have paid into those programs. That Congress must keep the commitment that was made and continues to be made. And that is what I would want to impress upon them more than anything.”
Lisa Brown: “The difference is, Republicans have continued to suggest, and put in budget resolutions, that resolutions, including Social Security, and they refer to it as an ‘entitlement,’ need to be addressed. There is a large national deficit right now, and frankly, it's exploding under this Congress, and they have had a target on Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, for a long time. There are various schemes to privatize or allow private contributions, or Social Security contributions go to private plans. I don't support any of that. I think we need to keep it a universal, public system.”
Both said they do not support cuts to Social Security and Medicare and they want to work to lower prescription drug costs. There are still plenty of differences between these two and that extends all the way to their campaign finances as well.
3. Campaign contributions
Both candidates have accused the other of accepting "dark money." Those are contributions through Super PACs that are not legally required to be reported, so they can't be traced. KREM asked them both if voters have a right to know where campaign money comes from?
McMorris Rodgers: “I am somebody who has long advocated for more transparency of campaign contributions. When you take a look at my FEC files, I report everyone who contributes to my campaign. I always have. Even those who donate less than $200, which isn't required under law. I think we should do that more often. Right now, the only, well, the dark money in this race, is coming from outside groups that are based in New York City. And they're against me. We don't know who contributed to those Super PACs. That's where we need transparency.”
Lisa Brown: “The reality is, I'm not taking any corporate PAC funds and my opponent is relying very heavily on corporate PAC funds, and has increasingly throughout her career. I'm not going to take it, and I'm going to change the system because I think what voters in Eastern Washington want is independence, putting the interests of the district over drug companies, insurance companies or other special interest dollars.”
4. Growing the local economy
Last, but definitely not least, is growing our local economy. Both candidates agree they want this area to prosper, but they have very different ideas on how to do that.
When KREM asked Lisa Brown about growing the local economy, she said had two ideas: Infrastructure and investing in education. She said both of those not only help create jobs and opportunities for individuals, but they improve the quality of life for everyone here in our local communities.
Cathy McMorris Rodgers said it all starts with tax relief. She said small businesses, especially, are overly burdened by high taxes and too many regulations. She said small businesses create 52 percent of the new jobs out there, so her focus is on empowering them and giving them access to capital, to create new opportunities here in Eastern Washington.