The back-and-forth that has been waged for months via E-mail ands and press released finally hit the airwaves as both Senate candidates, Congressman Todd Tiahrt, R-Goddard, and Congressman Jerry Moran, R-Hays, sat down for the first of three scheduled televised debates.
Both candidates are seeking the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Senator Sam Brownback. The race will be decided during the Aug. 3 primary, with the winner facing the Democrat primary winner in the November general election. The campaign has already already become messy and personal, which attacks flying last week that questioned Tiahrt’s time in Washington and Moran’s choice to return to Kansas each weekend.
The debate, which was aired live on KSNT Ch. 27 in Topeka, illustrated each candidate’s established campaign style and rehashed many of their beliefs, voting records and views of one another.
Debate moderators asked each candidate eight questions, which covered a variety of topics from earmarks to illegal immigration to health care. Both candidates came out swinging and held no punches throughout, opting to point out the other’s weaknesses whenever possible and diverting from the topic of the question to throw in other attacks or propaganda for their own campaign.
Tiahrt used the first question, which asked what being a true conservative means, to remind viewers of his endorsement from former presidential candidate Sarah Palin and the Tea Party Express.
“My record is what speaks,” said Tiahrt, who added that he knows he won’t be loved by everyone.
Moran talked about his continued trips home to Hays where it is “church on Sunday, the grocery store and the post office” and his “very conservative approach to government.”
During a question on earmarks, Moran accused Tiahrt of leading the charge to keep earmarks while he was working to stop the allocation of funds.
“Todd is a longtime member of the appropriations committee, which is leading the charge in earmarks,” Moran said.
Tiahrt replied that projects, such as the McPherson Opera House, can benefit communities and pointed out that Moran has also allocated earmarks for in-district projects.
“Earmarks, I think, have been misunderstood,” said Tiahrt, who added that he supports earmark reform.
On the question of the bailout and the economy, both candidates said they opposed the bailout. Tiahrt said he supports lower taxes, energy independence and the privatization of health care. He also accused Moran of trying to increase taxes, saying he voted against the Bush tax cuts and the elimination of the death tax.
“It’s important that farmers know that Moran voted against the elimination of the death tax,” Tiahrt said.
"Those are very disingenuous statements," said Moran, who added that he has voted for lower taxes more than 200 times. He clarified that he did vote against an earlier budget resolution that included the tax cuts but voted in favor of the final version of the tax cuts, which were approved.
During a question on the federal deficit, Moran defended his support for a fair tax and added that the country needs long-term, incremental changes in the tax code.
The surprise response of the night came during the question on illegal immigration. Tiahrt, who responded with a simple statement of “build the wall “admitted past support for amnesty for children of illegal immigrants. He explained that in the past, he thought it was compassionate to not punish children of illegal immigrants. He said he has since changed his views and believes all people need to be in the country legally.
He pushed back by accusing Moran of enticing people to come through votes for bilingual ballots and child health care legislation. He also accused Moran of twice voting for sanctuary cities, which Moran denied.
Moran countered saying he believes the country needs to enforce its existing laws and supports the Arizona governor and the state’s new immigration laws.
“Nothing will work until we enforce our borders,” he said. “We have a terrible immigration system that needs fixed.”
During a question focusing on health care, both candidates called Obama’s recently approved health care legislation “a disaster” saying it would hurt the economy and medical community. Moran chose to focus on its effects on rural Kansas and emphasizing his past support for incremental health care change. Tiahrt slammed Moran for not taking part in the repeal process, arguing that he was instead at home shooting a campaign commercial. Moran fired back that he in fact authored the first peace of repeal legislation.
The other major discrepancy in views came during a question on legislation that would open trade and travel with Cuba. Moran, who co-sponsored the bill, said the trade would mean millions for Kansas farmers and would allow Americans the freedom to travel to Cuba. Tiahrt said he believed trade with Cuba would only benefit the Castro brothers and supports enhanced trade with Colombia instead.
During closing statments, Moran noted that he “firmly believes this is the most important election this country has faced” and vowed to take “common sense principals and fight for them in our nation’s capital.”
Tiahrt, on the other hand, used his final minutes of airtime to summarize his attacks on Moran and urge voters to send him to Washington.
“Kansas faces a decision on what type of leader we want. Will we send a leader that will fight?”
The debate rhetoric was, for the most part, the same each side has been using with few surprise points and attacks.
The debate will be re-aired on KSN Wichita Sunday July, 11, from 10:35 p.m. to 11:35 p.m.
Both will meet again for two more debates. On July 13, the Wichita Chamber of Commerce will host a debate from noon to 1 p.m. Redbud Ballroom at the Hyatt Regency Wichita.
The event is open to the public. Cost is $40 for chamber members and $50 for non-members.
The debate will be televised later that day, at 7 p.m. on Channel 22.
The only debate open to all candidates will be from 6:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on July 12 from the studios of KWCH, Channel 12, in Wichita.
