Eighth Congressional District Challengers Talk Business

(Wednesday) May 19, 2010

By Carla Branch
alexandrianews.org

On May 13, the Northern Virginia Chambers of Commerce and the Mid-Atlantic Hispanic Chamber of Commerce hosted the first 8th Congressional District candidate forum at the Ritz-Carlton in Pentagon City.

Republican candidate Patrick Murray. (Photo: James Cullum)

Republican candidates Patrick Murray and Matthew Berry are vying for their Party’s nomination in a primary on June 8. Ron Fisher is collecting signatures to run as an Independent Green candidate. He has until June 8, to qualify to be on the November ballot. Incumbent Democratic Congressman Jim Moran has no Democratic challenger.

Berry, Fisher and Murray gave two-minute opening statements and then responded to four questions that were determined by the Chambers. After brief closing statements, Moran responded to questions from the audience.

“I think it is unfortuante that Congressman Moran refused to be on the stage with the rest of us,” Berry said in his opening statement.

The two Republican candidates had similar views on transportation. “We need to leave transportation decisions largely in the hands of the States,” Murray said. “The interstate highway system was completed in 1982 and now the various state governments need to maintain those highways.”

Republican candidate Matthew Berry (Photo: James Cullum)

Berry said that Arlington County’s suit to stop high occupancy toll lanes on I-395 is disgraceful. “We need to look at WMATA’s governing structure but we also need to have adequate roads to relieve congestion,” he said.

Fisher wants more bike and pedestrian trails. “We need to have a more comprehensive MetroRail and bus system and many more bicycle and pedestrian paths. We do not need to build more roads for more cars to use,” he said.

On taxes: “Taxes need to be flat, fair and simple,” Berry said.

Both Berry and Murray want to cut corporate taxes. “”If we want businesses to survive, we need to reduce corporate taxes,” Murray said.

The Republicans disagreed with Moran’s vote to bring troops home from Iraq and Afghanistan. “I agreed with President Obama that we needed to increase the number of troops in Afghanistan,” Berry said. “I don’t agree that, if we’re not winning, we should come home at halftime.”

Independent candidate Ron Fisher (Photo: James Cullum)

Fisher said that, “this is not a war on terror, it is a war to get oil and it needs to end.”

Moran responded to questions about financial reform. “I’m not happy with the bill we passed but it is a start and we have to do something,” he said.

On healthcare reform: “I fully supported President Obama’s proposal and believe that it will help us to provide insurance for more Americans than ever before. I also don’t think it will hurt small businesses. If a business has fewer than 50 employees, for example, that business doesn’t have to provide health insurance. The employees can enter into a national exchange, which will make a larger pool of people and reduce the cost of health insurance for all of the participants,” Moran said.

Incumbent Congressman Jim Moran (D) fielded questions after the debate. (Photo: James Cullum)

Moran congratulated his challengers for entering the race. “I applaud the three candidates for running for Congress without any local experience,” he said. “I was a member of the Alexandria City Council and Alexandria’s mayor for six years before I felt qualified to run.”

Moran was first elected to Congress in 1990 and has faced few serious challenges. The Republican primary will be held on June 8, with polls opening at 6:00 a.m. and closing at 7:00 p.m. Absentee voting has begun and, in the first week, seven ballots have been cast in Alexandria.