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Oct 9, 2008 4:02 pm US/Central
Walz, Davis Spar In Minn.'s 1st District
ROCHESTER, Minn. (AP) ―
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The debate focused mainly on the economy.
CBS
Democratic Rep. Tim Walz and Republican challenger Dr. Brian Davis used their first one-on-one debate on Thursday in southern Minnesota's 1st District to show how different they are.
They're both opposed the $700 billion financial services industry bailout. Walz, a high school teacher serving his first term in Congress, voted against it twice. Davis, a Mayo Clinic doctor, said he would have, too.
But that's where the agreement ended.
On the economy, Davis wants to end subprime mortgage lending; Walz wants more government oversight. On health care, Walz talks up Medicare; Davis calls for more competition. On energy, Davis is a "drill here, drill now" candidate; Walz stresses alternative energy and the environment.
Davis questioned whether Walz was everything he promised to be when he upset six-term Republican incumbent Gil Gutknecht two years ago. Davis said he would fit the conservative district better.
"Has this district been represented by the independent voice you thought you were getting?" he said.
Walz said he has delivered on his promises, drawing endorsements from veterans' groups, the National Rifle Association and others.
"Give me two more years at this," he said. "I'm just getting warmed up."
They clashed when Davis said putting some Social Security funds into the market should be considered to keep the system solvent. Walz bristled.
"Vegas might have been a better bet than Wall Street," he said, calling Social Security "an antipoverty program that is actually growing the economy."
Davis called partial privatization of Social Security "one possible solution" and said he noticed the heat that comes up around the issue.
"I will make sure that the promise of Social Security is kept," he said. About 100 people paid to watch the two go head-to-head at a Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce forum in Rochester.
Davis attacked Walz for voting against bills that would have expanded domestic oil drilling. He linked the rise in energy costs to the economic turmoil unsettling the nation.
Walz said he opposed bills giving tax breaks to the oil industry but worked on a bipartisan plan to expand offshore drilling and voted to lift a moratorium on offshore drilling.
The 1st District stretches across the state's southern border from South Dakota to Wisconsin.
(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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