Congressional Republican Candidates Talk Economy and Warfare

The three remaining Republicans fighting for the newly created 47tth District Congressional seat made their cases to the Long Beach Lincoln Club Thursday, each positioning themselves as the most electable candidate and the one to help steer the country back on track.

Former Congressman Steven Kuykendall, Long Beach City Councilman Gary DeLong, and Long Beach businessman Sanford Kahn each made brief statements and took questions from the crowd of about 25 at the Long Beach Yacht Club. They met no opposition from the Linlcoln Club audience as the three advocated entitlement spending cuts, deficit reduction, and the repeal of “Obamacare.”

At the start of the forum, each signed a unity pledge, promising to rally behind whichever Republican candidate emerges from the primary election. However, each attempted to portray themselves as the only Republican who could beat Democratic challenger State Sen. Alan Lowenthal.

“In the last 20 years, I was the only Republican to hold the seats I held,” said Kuykendall, referring to his tenure as an assemblyman and congressman elected in democratic leaning Long Beach communities and serving until 2001. “I have a demonstrable record of being able to hold and win this kind of seat. No other Republican candidate has.”

However, DeLong countered that he is the most elect able candidate in the current race.

“I am the guy who has won an election in the last 10 years,” he countered.

To make his case, Kahn steered away from election history.

“This campaign is not about endorsements and who has more money,” he said. “It’s all about ideas and vision for the future.”

Kahn, who spent his career in engineering and public utilities, centered his campaign speech on the economy and the will to fight for drastic spending and tax reform. He argued for reductions in Medicare and Social Security spending by possibly raising the retirement age. He called for a flat rate tax of roughly 17 percent and argued for vouchers as a fix for California’s schools.

“I am not for spending more money on education. I am for vouchers,” he said. “There should be more competition.”

Kuykendall based much of his campaign speech on his experience in Congress from 1999-2001, noting the record surplus at the time. Calling the current Congress dysfunctional because of partisan bickering, he called for America to return to a time when elected leaders could work together despite political differences.

“We had a Congress that could function,” he said. “What happened in 10 years? We had partisanship, but at the end of the day we had to come to an agreement with the other people.”

Congressional leaders need to work together to cut the deficit, he added.

“We’re spending more money than we could possibly pay back in our lifetimes,” he said. “It’s an economic issue that is becoming a national safety issue.”

DeLong also focused on the national deficit.

“Our country is heading in the wrong direction. We are deficit spending about 1.5 trillion a year, a debt that will be passed along to our kids and grandkids,” he said. “At a national level, we are making things worse. So clearly we need to make some dramatic changes.”

DeLong also called for business tax cuts and cuts to Social Security and Medicare.

“I think everything needs to be on the table,” he said. “What we really need to do is get government’s feet off the neck of the private sector.”

Audience member Phil Steuber, a former marine and Iraq War veteran steered the forum toward matters of national security.

“I just think that national security is always overlooked until it’s too late,” said Steuber.

It’s really easy for elected officials to overlook the consequences of their decision to go to war when it’s not their sons and daughters doing the fighting, he said.

“As someone who lost friends in Iraq, I want to know what your philosophy on the application of military force is,” he told the candidates.

“When you put our troops in harm’s way, you better be darn sure you are sending them there for,” said Kuykendall, who served two tours of duty in the Vietnam War.

Delong advocated for reduced dependence on foreign oil as a means of insulating the country from turmoil in the Mid East. He also advocated for congressional leaders to be more honest with the public about the economic and personal sacrifices that need to be made to fund a war without burdening the national debt.

He predicted that the nation would become more isolationist when it comes to military force.

“There was a time when we were the world’s policeman,” he said. “We’re probably not going to be the world’s policeman going forward.”

Kahn said he opposes any use of force in Syria because it is a “civil war” that the United States has no business in. However, he said that Iran must be prevented from obtaining atomic weapon and that the Unites States must support Israel if it had to go to war with Iran.