Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks
Candidates for U.S. Senate and House exchanged views yesterday in Fairbanks at a Chamber of Commerce sponsored forum. Longtime Republican Congressman Don Young said his long record of brining money to Alaska speaks for itself.
Young’s Democratic challenger, Harry Crawford responded by portraying the 77-year-old Young, who recently weathered a corruption investigation, as a politician who’s had his day and is past his prime.
In one exchange Crawford challenged Young on the Congressman’s support of a bill that would have eliminated the income, death and gift taxes, in favor of a national sales tax.
On the Senate side, Democrat Scott McAdams, and Republicans Joe Miller, and Lisa Murkowski offered views on the economy, federal regulation and resource development. Murkowski said she’s built up valuable seniority on several fronts over the last eight years.
Murkowski said Alaska will have the least seniority in the country if either of her rivals win. Joe Miller accused Murkowski of being part of over spending that’s landed the country in financial dire straits; an era he said is coming to an end.
Scott McAdams agreed with Miller that the national debt and unfunded liabilities like social security need to be addressed, but added that regular Americans shouldn’t suffer to fix the situation.
McAdams said he favors eliminating tax breaks for those who make more than $500,000 a year. The former Sitka Mayor and school board president, portrayed himself as an everyman Alaskan, while Miller said he’s been misrepresented by the media, and re-affirmed his support of state’s rights and opposition to government bail outs and national health care reform. The incumbent Murkowski picked up the endorsement of over 30 Fairbanks leaders yesterday. The group that includes, former mayors and the current school board president held a press conference to voice their support for Murkowski prior to the candidate forum.
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