Democrat Kate Marshall was on the attack early and often in her first faceoff against Republican Mark Amodei Wednesday night, pressing the issues of taxes and Medicare repeatedly in their first debate ahead of the September 13 special election in Nevada's 2nd District.
Amodei repeatedly jabbed back at Marshall's charges, but turned to his own credentials for the job as the answer to her attacks.
Amodei repeatedly jabbed back at Marshall's charges, but turned to his own credentials for the job as the answer to her attacks.
Independent candidate Helmuth Lehmann and Independent American Tim Fasano also participated in the hourlong debate, sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, but the real fireworks were between the two frontrunners to succeed now-Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev.
Marshall began the debate touting her own work as state treasurer -- the same points national Republicans have repeatedly hit her for and tried to put the state's stagnant economy on her shoulders.
"As state treasurer I've invested your money. I've made money on your investments every single quarter," said Marshall, who also boasted of a jobs bill she pushed through the state legislature, getting the Reno Chamber of Commerce and the teachers' unions to work together.
Amodei continued to press his opposition to more taxes as part of a debt solution.
"I hope that you will seriously consider someone who doesn't think the government is too small," said Amodei, "who thinks we have enough taxing and spending."
Marshall pressed Amodei over a payroll tax increase he sponsored when he was in the state Senate -- another familiar refrain from her campaign. Amodei quickly shot back that he had done so as an alternative to a business income tax, and pointed out that Marshall was a registered lobbyist during that time and worked in favor of some of those same proposals.
Amodei also explained his opposition to House Speaker John Boehner's debt ceiling compromise earlier this month, saying it wasn't a "holistic approach" and the 10-year window it allowed to balance the budget was too big. "Don't tell him this because he's coming Saturday to Reno," Amodei joked. The speaker is headlining a fundraiser for him this weekend. In her closing statement, Marshall went directly after Amodei, hammering him over Medicare and again on the tax increase in the state legislature. "I stand firm in protecting Medicare," said Marshall. "It's not fair to balance the budget on the backs of our seniors." "Amodei has shown he is reckless and he would never raise the debt ceiling, and claims the Chinese will goosestep on our Capitol," said Marshall, referring to Amodei's first ad. But Amodei declined to take on Marshall by name in his own final remarks, pointing to his "experience and integrity in the legislative process." "The most important thing is someone who tells you the truth and doesn't engage in things necessary to just get them through the election," said Amodei, in a not-so-veiled jab at his Democratic opponent. There are two debates next week - August 23 and 25 -- with early voting beginning on August 27.
http://www.nationaljournal.com/blogs/hotlineoncall/2011/08/marshall-on-the-attack-in-first-nv-02-debate-18
Marshall began the debate touting her own work as state treasurer -- the same points national Republicans have repeatedly hit her for and tried to put the state's stagnant economy on her shoulders.
"As state treasurer I've invested your money. I've made money on your investments every single quarter," said Marshall, who also boasted of a jobs bill she pushed through the state legislature, getting the Reno Chamber of Commerce and the teachers' unions to work together.
Amodei continued to press his opposition to more taxes as part of a debt solution.
"I hope that you will seriously consider someone who doesn't think the government is too small," said Amodei, "who thinks we have enough taxing and spending."
Marshall pressed Amodei over a payroll tax increase he sponsored when he was in the state Senate -- another familiar refrain from her campaign. Amodei quickly shot back that he had done so as an alternative to a business income tax, and pointed out that Marshall was a registered lobbyist during that time and worked in favor of some of those same proposals.
Amodei also explained his opposition to House Speaker John Boehner's debt ceiling compromise earlier this month, saying it wasn't a "holistic approach" and the 10-year window it allowed to balance the budget was too big. "Don't tell him this because he's coming Saturday to Reno," Amodei joked. The speaker is headlining a fundraiser for him this weekend. In her closing statement, Marshall went directly after Amodei, hammering him over Medicare and again on the tax increase in the state legislature. "I stand firm in protecting Medicare," said Marshall. "It's not fair to balance the budget on the backs of our seniors." "Amodei has shown he is reckless and he would never raise the debt ceiling, and claims the Chinese will goosestep on our Capitol," said Marshall, referring to Amodei's first ad. But Amodei declined to take on Marshall by name in his own final remarks, pointing to his "experience and integrity in the legislative process." "The most important thing is someone who tells you the truth and doesn't engage in things necessary to just get them through the election," said Amodei, in a not-so-veiled jab at his Democratic opponent. There are two debates next week - August 23 and 25 -- with early voting beginning on August 27.
http://www.nationaljournal.com/blogs/hotlineoncall/2011/08/marshall-on-the-attack-in-first-nv-02-debate-18