From KWCH 12 Eyewitness News, This is a campaign 2020 candidate Forum Good evening and welcome to the candidate Forum in the race for the Republican nomination tonight for the Kansas First District, seated US House, the big first we'll see four names on the GOP ballot August fourth. They are Bill Clifford, Tracey man, Jerry Mossad and Michael Stuart Mister Stuart declined our invitation to participate in tonight's forum because we have a third candidate joining us tonight. We're taking some extra precautions and measures there. you may see them in distancing of protection by adding dividers between the candidates. All right, we'll start with a one minute opening statement from each candidate from there we get into the questions tonight at the end, they will have a closing statement. We drew numbers to determine who will go first and we'll start tonight with Tracy Mann. Thank you for tuning in I'm Tracy Mann I live in Salina with my wife Audrey and our four young children and my career has been in the real estate industry. I grew up in Quinton on a farm where I did four H FFA played eight man football Ronald Reagan is the first President I remember and I vividly recall him talking about America as a shining City on a Hill that city right now is under attack from people who are trying to fundamentally change it on the radical left. I'm running for Congress to stand up for our conservative values and to advocate for a. In Washington I support life and I have been endorsed by the Kansas for life I support agriculture and I've been endorsed by the Kansas Farm Bureau. I support our Second Amendment rights and I've been endorsed by the NRA and I support President Trump and will stand with him and making and keeping America great. Thanks again for tuning in I hope to earn your support. Thank you now. Bill Clifford your opening statement. Good evening. I'm Doctor Bill Clifford. I'm an Air Force veteran Infinity County Commissioner and a conservative running for Congress. Like President Trump, I had a full career outside of politics, I was an Air Force pilot and AMT, and now I'm in the eye surgeon when I entered the Air Force, I raised my right hand to support and defend the constitution constitution of the States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and I'm ready to enter the fight in Washington against the Democrats Socialist agenda when I say that I'm pro-life Pro-gun pro a pro Trump, I mean it I plead with my values. I have six children, five of whom are adopted and I'm endorsed by Kansans for life. I'm a lifetime member of the NRA with an a rating I'm pro. I've lived 25 years in the district listening producers and I'll take their concerns to Washington and I'm pro Trump like President Trump. I'm an outsider. I'm a doer, not a and a listener. I'll defend our values in Washington. Thank you and Jerry Mott your opening statement Hi. I'm Jerry Mossad. I'm from lacrosse Kansas born and raised in Colby Kansas lived in at Colby Dodge City, Salina, Hays Lacrosse Monroeville I'. Long resident of Kansas, I'm still in medical practice at this time, first line of defense, both in the ER and urgent care in Plainfield and also at Saint Francis Kansas. I've worked with over 25 communities in clinics and ER since my graduation from Wichita State as a physician assistant, I just recently graduated or retired from the army. I spent 35 years, total and Air Force and army and deployment in 2018 and 19, and to West Iraq, I was out in the back of Iraq running missions for even some of our Kansas Guard members as a flight surgeon I. Just kinda new at this, I ran in 92 and I will try again to take your confidence. I've taken care of you before I'll take care of you Again. gentlemen. Thank you. we'll start with our questions with the issue that is consumed and changed our lives this year and that is the Corona virus pandemic. What do you think of the response so far in both the National and local levels? What needs to change? we go back to Tracy Mann Well, you know we now know what this is and like it not the Corona virus is not going anywhere and we as a nation are going to have to figure out how to move forward and that this would be a difference with the governor with. Clifford and myself I am not for mandated stay-at home' orders. I think that we have stayed at home for too long. I think it's far past time to open up and get our economy going again. We have to figure out how to move forward as a state and as a district and manage your way through this, we now know what this is people need to take precautions. some people need to take extreme precautions, but the notion of needing to shut down in a one size fits all is really a one size fits none and it needs to be put in the. In individuals to make the best decisions for them, thank you Doctor Clifford your response. a very supportive of our President's strong response to China, deceived the world and let this virus get out. but President Trump despite criticism from the media and Democrats closed off flights from Wuhan and check other strong measures. I am disappointed in our approach in Kansas the one size fits all doesn't work We local officials know best since I voted to open Finney County in early June, We flatten the curve. Intact of doing wonderful well, viruses and other places. I am not one for one size fits all I've run interference against the governor's order and we trust our citizens. They know what they're doing, They'll manage their risk. They don't need government officials telling them what to do. Thank you. mister Mott your response. I think the mask and and social decency is essential This corner of virus is a moving bull's eye and everything is gonna be retrospective when we get into this storm that we're currently in right now our government. A best there's other school districts are taking not taking consideration of other people. I have a sister that's in a teacher in Kansas City. I am concerned about her health and elder teachers across the state. we got a bad hand of cards right now and I think we need to go through this and kinda way through and we can make these decisions later on I think China needs to pay for this and somehow in some form. Thank you. Alright our next question. The pandemic continues to have a significant impact on our economy. It's leading to significant. Falls for state and local budgets and continued issues of course, with unemployment would you support a second stimulus package to help local governments or individuals? Why or why not Doctor Mott will go to you First? I think the stimulus package that came out was a tremendous. It did help and I think we'll need an extra boost. I think we're not through the storm yet I think we'll have a tape later this fall, but there's people still struggling out there right now and not making ends meet. I think the banks need to modify some of the loaning habits and a little forgiveness. But I think the stimulus package could be throttle back a little bit and then get people back to work. Alright. Thank you Doctor Clifford your response the initial money from the Cares Act have helped us people off the unemployed roles but government typically spends money before it even knows the impact we Infinity County just this week considered what we're going to do what our Care Act money locally and already the Democrats are talking about trillions of dollars of increased moneys to the. I'm not in favor of the Democrats are just looking to bail out Blue States like California, Illinois and New York that have mismanaged their budgets and they're looking for Kansas taxpayers and others to bail them out. Thank you mister manual response. you know. I'm very excited about the federal debt as a nation. We are approaching 25 trillion dollars in debt that is 20 - 5000 billions, so we've got to be really careful that we don't hamstring our future generations any more than we already have so I Another round of it was very specific very targeted to industries that have been impacted we have got to stop the situation. We're in now where people are making more money to stay at home than they are to return back to work and then no situation where I support legislation where it would be a blue state bailout where we would out mismanaged States and cities across this country, so it would be very surgical very specific, very thoughtful incredibly concerned with our debt. Alright. Thank you our next question today. Board of Education rejected a statewide delay to the start of school here in Kansas, but many parents and teachers say they have concerns and less Corona virus numbers go down over the next week Local school boards will be making some tough decisions about what schools will look like this fall. What would you tell them as they make these decisions? We'll begin this one with Doctor Clifford Well, this decision is very near to my heart because I I watched my own wife with the state Board of Education. But override the governor's executive order again the state has tried to impose a one -size-fits-all solution. I was in Wallace County this week. they've never had a case. Why should they delay our local citizens? know best our parents know best for their children our school boards the best for their district and I'm totally in favor of the local officials making the best decision for their communities. Thank you Mister Mossad your response, I think Doctor Clifford is right on with this. You can't tailor the stuff in Wallace County or Ellis County Even when I woke up in Brooks County, so I think you have to look at the big picture. look what's endemic in that area? What what the trend is and modify or modulate your decisions at that time, but do be aware that the kids can't get this and the adults I'm I'm concerned about the teachers look like I said before with my sister and other teachers, I know and so that is a concern of what threat they have and what is the actions that we can have if they do get sick. Thank you and mister. I response I was very glad to see the school's action today and that schools are not going to be delayed in the you're putting this decision in the hands of the people it should be in which is the local school school boards the local administrators government that's done locally is almost always better than from a top-down approach. A one -size-fits-all is really a one size fits. none we now know what this pandemic is we now know what we need to do and we were leaving in the hand of individuals and school Those decisions you know, I think the other thing we need to be thinking about is it's not just the number of confirmed cases because testings way up we we really need to be looking at as well as what's the hospitalization rate and West of fatality rate As things have researched a little bit. I've been happy to see that so far the hospital hospitality the hospitalization rate and the fatality rate by and large has been down. Thank you. mister man. we'll go right back to you first for this one so they're crucial to the communities they serve many rural hospitals were struggling even before this pandemic hit what. To happen to ensure these hospitals do not continue to reduce services or close altogether. Yep, great question. So I grew up in Go County Medical Center Fantastic facility had four good doctors. I think we forget that at the bottom level health care starts with good doctors and we can't lose sight of that now specifically to policy. we have got to support our hospitals. We've got to support our people that are on the ground and we gotta help them through this pandemic and we've got to make sure that they. Solid footing moving forward so that they can meet the needs in their community. You know to keep our rural communities going there's no silver bullet but certainly good access to quality affordable health care is crucial and you'll see you will see me be a big proponent of that. Thank you. Doctor Clifford your response, Kansas has over 85 critical access hospitals and believe me I know I've visited visited many of them during the campaign as our hospitals go as our schools go. so go our rural communities and these facilities. Important to rural Western Kansas, I'm a physician I speak their language. I will defend the hospitals in Washington, DC. I will work to increase their funding decreased the number of doctors providing care and make care affordable for all cancers. Thank you and mister Mott your response. I think Works County Hospital is like go County. You have some great Docs and we did get throttle back my pick day was February third. We saw 42 in ER and urgent care that was a bunch. When the Corona virus came on, we got that knocked down and that was crickets in the ER and also the clinics so it did take a big financial bust for somebody's clinics and hospitals so even. there in lacrosse so we gotta keep these things funded all the PE is not cheap and I hope it's American made when we do get it and cut China out but we need to keep these hospitals going. We are the pulse of Kansas. Thank you we are going to. Short break right now we are back with more questions next in this campaign 2020 candidate Forum in the first district race for Congress. We'll be right back. Welcome back to our campaign 2020 candidate for the race for the Republican nomination for the first district US House seat Our next question the President has taken a hard line on trade with China but ongoing trade issues have had an impact on agriculture here in Kansas. Do you agree with his position and what would you like to see happen to improve trade relations with China will begin with Doctor Clifford? I'm very supportive of the President's hard-line stance. He's the only President in. Who's taking on China and try to level the playing field on trade, the Chinese have used deceptive practices and they've hurt our cancers producers. I believe that we should continue to support President Trump as he negotiates bilateral trade deals USMCA just started we need to give this time. Chinese need to be brought to the table again and we need to force their hand and make sure they comply with phase one requirements and continue to trade fairly for the sake of our Kansas producers. Thank you mister. You're a response, I think President Trump has done a great job pushing back in China personally I bought Mass the other day they're made in China that just irritates me to no end, we had a chance after 911 to get our stocks build up in the government and we kinda poo this off we're armed up for nuclear bombs, but the biggest threats biological chemical and nuclear warfare again. P is essential, but I think right now we need. Back against China and tell them how we really feel about this and I think President Trump will do this job for us. Thank you Mister Manuel Response I support President Trump and his efforts to stand up to China. as we know our farmers and ranchers have born the brunt and been the tip of the spear in this trade war, it's remarkable to me, you know our farmers are Patriots and they've done a great job of being willing to do this for our country and the President has acknowledged that with help when appropriate moving forward. Got to figure out who do we want our trading partners to be? I think as a nation we need to be much more proactive about who do we want our trading partners to be in three years, five years and 10 years and be building those relationships now because right now we are way too dependent on China, I would delightfully sit on the House AG Committee if elected and that'll be one thing I would be leading the charge on is returning to normal trade relations around the world reopen our economy to increase demand to raise our prices. Thank you mister Mossad in the wake of the death of George. We've seen a new push to address systematic racism. how would you reach across the aisle to address concerns about police brutality and racism in America? Mister Floyd's death was brutal that's traumatic as fixation when he died of you. You can't get worse than that and the cops are responsible. They need to be punished. I think the momentum is build up, but I think we've spilled over now we have people doing bad things that I really don't like her favorite is an American, but I think this has made an impact and I think if they lose the rest of it now, I think this is a great opportunity for all parties to get together and get joined up. And get this problem resolved. Thank you Mister man what happened to George Floyd was murdered and those police officers need to be held accountable for that the riots and the protests that occurred. I'm all for peaceful protest but now many times they have been taken over by people that are trying to fundamentally change the country I do support efforts to reform our police Department on for fully funding. I think the defund the police movement is a total. Misdirection We should not do that but I do think there's some common sense things we can do for example, I'm requiring police officers and units to trade information about cops that aren't good but by and large 99 percent of our law enforcement officers are good people and we need to be supporting them and encourage them to keep us all safe. Thank you. Doctor Clifford your response what we all witnessed in Minnesota was a big tragedy indeed, but our community policing in Kansas is excellent and our men and women who are out there protecting us need to be supported and trained and equipped anyone who wants. The police is an absolute idiot. I was a first responder and I know how dangerous it is out on the Street I don't want our men and women out there protecting us who are dealing with dangerous criminals thinking what would Nancy Pelosi do when they're counting that criminal? I will have the backs of the police I will ensure from Congress that they're well funded. Thank you mister man as we often see in GOP primaries candidates try to win over Republican voters by pushing who most conservative credentials. So what makes you different than your opponents? I think there's there's a. I have not ever voted or supported a tax increase because we gotta keep taxes low for our farmers, our ranchers our businesses, I think that's a big difference. I have more of background in agriculture also in business being in commercial real estate, I served as our lieutenant governor of the state as well, which gives me a broad perspective of this sprawling district called the big first and the needs in Elkhart are different than the needs and emporia in a different than the needs in Marysville and Saint Francis. So I think that experience helps to. Me for this role and I look forward to trying to fill those shoes. Doctor Clifford your response. I'm a true conservative. I've lived my conservative values I have adopted children. I'm a lifetime member of the NRA I've supported President Trump from the beginning one of my opponents ran as a Democrat and another has supported Democrats and up and down the ballot. I've always supported Republicans of any type of office, local state or federal. I'm the true conservative in this race and I will maintain that in Washington, DC. Thank you mister Mos. Being new to this occupation or going forward to it, I have been in the military a long Doctor Clifford. I have a lot of experience on troops how to financially fun things I think taxation goes so far we need to throttle back on our spending habits. We don't need to send money to foreign countries that do nothing for the United States, not as a subtle gesture. So I think taxation is not my League and I think At other countries is gonna be my forte. Thank you. Doctor Clifford this next question to all of you will have 30 seconds before we go to break most voters expressed they do not like negative campaigning, but we have seen a lot in this primary cycle. What do you think about negative campaigns? It's unfortunate that negative campaigning actually works you know before this campaign started mister man and I actually met and we decided we would keep it about the issues and certainly through two debates. We've done that, but a Super PAC funded by people friendly to mister man, have come out very. Against me and unfortunately, I have to show what he has done to not deserve this office. I've tried to maintain a very positive image as a military veteran, and that's how I'll serve in Congress. Thank you Mister Mossad. I think you have three great candidates up here you really do and some of these negative ads and I'm talking about US. Senate. It's it's disgusting. It's pitiful and I think we need to keep on the high road of this for the Republican Party, The Democrats will be shooting at us so taking a low road is not the way to do it Using a better strategy is. way to do it and I think everybody in this whole platform should be on the high road at this in mister manual response. yeah, you know when I look at ads, I ask myself is it truthful and is it relevant if something's not truthful, it shouldn't be being said there are outside groups that get involved that can have no control on. I was really disappointed when Bill's campaign decided to go negative against us and we have to respond when we're being lied about and when voters are being lied to thank you. With the candidates closing statements right after this, you're watching a form in the Republican race for the first district US House seat. Welcome back to our campaign 2020 candidate for we are wrapping up with the candidates buying the Republican nomination in the race for the US House First District seat will begin our closing statements with Jerry Mossad. as I've said before I'm a lifetime member or a resident of Kansas, I still roll out on the ambulance. I've done that for 43 years, I still am a Fire Department Member for 30 - five years. In fact, I'm Mia and my meetings tonight my $15 a lot of you have known As friends, relatives all in this district, I'll be more than proud to represent you people back in the United States in Washington, DC and have the values that I was raised with and Colby Kansas and right now in lacrosse Kansas, I can't express how much I would like to do this for you. please tell your friends and neighbors to vote for me. We still have great candidates up here so again I'm Jerry Mossad. I'd like your vote for US Congress. Thank you. thank you doctor. Clifford is broken Democrats are promoting lawlessness, expanding big government and undermining our values the only way to change Washington's change the people we send there as a first responder is at 15 Pilot. I'm the guy to change things. It's the big first district deserves an experience background conservative with the background to get things done as a veteran as a physician as a conservative small businessman. That's me I guarantee. I won't be at work out or have fought in Washington. I'll stand with the President. I'll help him build the Wall restore our economy defend life and protect our Kansas values. I am the pro-life Pro-gun pro a pro Trump conservative in the race. I'm ready to enter the cockpit and join the President to protect our state's our values and our President. I'm asking for your vote. God bless you. God bless Kansas and God bless the United States of America. Thank you and tra. Your closing there are two primary candidates in this race, the other main candidate Bill Clifford is a good man, he said. He's a political outsider, but he's been in office for the last 10 years during that time, he's voted to raise property taxes and sales taxes. Five times he also this summer voted to extend mandatory Stay-at home orders two times That's to the left of Laura Kelly to the left of other members of this County Commissioner who fortunately overturn those votes I disagree with all of those votes. I'm running for Congress. Because I want to stand up for agriculture and our conservative values I'm running for Congress to stand with President Trump against socialism to make sure that our kids and grandkids live in a state and a country that is capitalist and I'm running for Congress to support agriculture every way we possibly can I've been endorsed the only candidate in this race has been endorsed by the Kansas Farm Bureau, Kansans for Life and the NRA and I'd appreciate your vote in this election. Thank you. thank you and. To all the candidates for joining us tonight, Bill Clifford Tracey Mann, Mossad also on the Republican ballot, You will see candidate Michael Stuart the primary election just under two weeks away, Believe it or not Tuesday, August fourth. Some early voting is already underway. Expect eyewitness News to give you all the results from across the state on election night. Thank you for joining us tonight. This is been a campaign 2020 candidate Forum.