Big government took a beating from several of Delaware’s Republican U.S. House and Senate primary candidates who showed their similarities at an Aug. 23 candidates forum in Hockessin.
Glen Urquhart and Michele Rollins, both fighting for the Republican nomination for the U.S. House of Representatives with Rose Izzo, and Christine O’Donnell, battling Mike Castle for the Republican Party’s nomination to the U.S. Senate, agreed that the federal government should play a smaller role in the everyday lives of people and the operations of businesses.
Castle and Rizzo did not attend the forum, which was sponsored by the Community News and Greater Hockessin Area Development Association.
Urquhart, Rollins and O’Donnell each vowed to do everything in their power to overturn President Obama’s healthcare reform bill if Delawareans vote to send them to Washington.
They were also unified in their opposition to cap-and-trade legislation, a controversial bill that would require companies to purchase credits if they exceed emissions standards set by the government.
But all three candidates had different views on immigration reform.
Rollins proposed issuing tamper-proof identification cards to everyone in the country as a way to fight illegal immigration.
“If you’re stopped and you don’t have it, you’re out because you’re trying to scam the system,” she said.
But Urquhart and O’Donnell both said national identification cards would create more problems than solutions.
“National I.D. Cards, Big Brother watching, that chills me,” Urquhart said.
Instead, Urquhart suggested the federal government prohibit anyone living in the United States illegally from sending money to their home country. That would give illegal immigrants no choice but to return home, he said.
Both U.S. borders must be sealed before any other steps are taken to curb illegal immigration, O’Donnell said. Also, the federal government should allow states to enforce immigration laws, she said, instead of going to court with Arizona over its controversial policy.
The winner of the Sept. 14 primary for the U.S. Senate between Castle and O'Donnell will face Democrat Chris Coons in the Nov. 2 General Election, while the winner of the primary for the U.S. House of Representatives between Izzo, Rollins and Urquhart will face Democrat John Carney.
