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April 28, 2008
By Brendan O'Shaughnessy
brendan.oshaughnessy@indystar.com
The four leading Democratic candidates in the 7th Congressional District primary attempted to distinguish their messages for voters in a debate Sunday night.
Incumbent U.S. Rep. Andre Carson stressed his leadership and endorsement from presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama.
State Rep. David Orentlicher highlighted his refusal to take special interest donations as the only way to break the status quo in Washington.
State Rep. Carolene Mays said she was the candidate with a proven track record in representing her constituents and performing community service.
And Woody Myers, a former state health commissioner, said he had the right experience in business and politics to effect change.
Jim Shella of WISH (Channel 8) moderated the televised, one-hour event at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. He peppered the candidates with questions on health care, immigration, trade agreements and faith.
Given only a minute to answer, the candidates had to rush through their responses. A crowd of more than 100 attended, mostly avid supporters wearing campaign buttons or T-shirts.
The four prominent Democrats in the fight for the 7th District seat, which covers most of Marion County, spent a combined $2.3 million through April 16, the most ever to contest the congressional seat that Carson's grandmother Julia Carson held until her death in December.
Andre Carson won the seat by beating Republican Jon Elrod in a special election in March, and the Democratic winner in the May 6 primary is likely to face Elrod in November.
Orentlicher proved the most aggressive in the debate, challenging the others to match his refusal of campaign donations from lobbyists and political action committees. He also criticized Myers for taking the side of insurance companies rather than citizens and Carson for taking money from groups that undermine his promises to voters.
"I will represent your interests, not special interests," Orentlicher said. "With my opponents, it will be business as usual."
Carson offered the most direct responses to Orentlicher. He said he will listen to his constituents and not always be the teacher -- a reference to Orentlicher's job as a law and medical ethics professor at IUPUI. He also said he won't talk about a pledge against special interests while taking money from corporate executives, which he implied Orentlicher did.
Ironically, Orentlicher's stance on donations is the same as Obama's, and Carson's response echoed the criticism Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton has leveled against her rival.
Carson said he offers the same bold leadership as his grandmother, whom he commended for voting against authorizing the Iraq war.
"I want to be your advocate," he said. "Vote Carson and Obama."
Mays, the publisher of the Indianapolis Recorder, the nation's fourth-oldest black newspaper, said the others talk about change but she has a proven record of leadership. Though she has raised the least money of the four, she said she has dedicated volunteers because of her extensive work in the community.
"Vote for the proven leader who has the experience to make change happen," Mays said.
Myers, a doctor who owns a consulting business, has largely funded his own campaign with $1.2 million of his own money. He stressed the challenges in cleaning up what he called the failed policies of President Bush.
"I have the experience necessary," he said. "I've spent the last 30 years in the junction between business, medicine and politics."
Watching the debate, Rickie Clark, a Northwestside small-business owner, kept his own scorecard on the candidates' responses. He said he came as an independent and still couldn't decide.
"I'm going to have to go home and add up the totals," Clark said. "It's going to be a hard decision."
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