By Emily Younker

eyounker@joplinglobe.com

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Touting their diverse backgrounds but often agreeing on major issues, seven Republican candidates for the 7th District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives met in Springfield on Saturday morning for a forum put on by the Greene County Republican Party.

Those attending were state Sen. Gary Nodler, of Joplin; state Sen. Jack Goodman, of Mount Vernon; Jeff Wisdom, of Springfield; Mike Moon, of Ash Grove; Greene County Prosecutor Darrell Moore, of Springfield; Michael Wardell, of Nixa; and Billy Long, of Springfield.

Bob Schanz, of Branson, did not attend. Wardell has yet to officially file his candidacy with the secretary of state’s office.

Experience

Candidates played to their strengths, with those currently in public office pointing to their experience and those seeking their first bid at an elective office highlighting their normalcy.

Nodler said he thinks his “breadth of experience” puts him above other candidates. He worked for former U.S. Rep. Gene Taylor for many years in Washington, D.C., and is completing his eighth year in the state Senate.

“You want candidates that are going to work for change, but you also want candidates with substantial public policy experience,” he said.

Goodman talked about his seven years as a legislator, referring to concealed-carry and anti-methamphetamine legislation he has helped pass for the state.

“I believe I come in as a guy, as a neighbor, who gets it,” he said. “I have a track record of fixing what’s broken.”

Other candidates, such as Long, said the fact that they have not held public office before is what makes them qualified for the congressional seat.

“I think experience is going to run us into the ground,” Long said. “I want to be your eyes and ears in Washington.”

Wisdom pointed to his background as an educator as a positive qualification for office; he has taught college-level economics for nearly 15 years.

“I’m proud that I’m not a career politician and I have not run for anything before,” he said.

Wardell, a retired Marine and the owner of a small business, also prides himself on his lack of political experience.

“The people who go to work every day and struggle with the day-to-day life, in my opinion, do not have a very good voice in D.C.,” he said. “I believe I have a very normal background.”

The candidates generally issued the same position on illegal immigration, saying that it’s a problem the federal government needs to work on to improve national security. Many of them said they favored a military presence at the country’s borders.

Candidates also sounded off on President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul bill, which would expand the health care system and regulate insurance companies. They uniformly disliked the proposal, with Nodler calling it a “false promise resulting in less medical care to fewer Americans” and Moon calling it a “ludicrous plan.”

Some outlined even harsher positions on the bill, which could see a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives as early as today.

“If elected to Congress, repealing the (health care) act they’re going to pass would be my first priority,” Long said.

Several questions asked by the panel of media representatives dealt with government spending.

Some candidates said they would cut funding to the energy and education departments, saying that control over such areas is better left to state and local governments. Many also said they would eliminate foreign aid.

Earmarks

Another question asked candidates if they would seek earmarks for projects outside of the federal competitive grant procedure.

Nodler said he might, though he also said the earmark system needs to be reformed to keep legislators from awarding their votes to certain issues based on what earmarked projects are given to their state.

Wardell also said he is not entirely against the earmark system.

“I want to keep that tool available,” he said. “It’s constitutional, and it’s the right thing to do at times.”

Wisdom, Moore and Long all specifically said they are against earmarks.

Values

When asked about the key family-value issues that they would fight for, nearly all the candidates said they are anti-abortion. Moon and Nodler also said they stand against gay marriage.

Wardell, who said his parents helped him develop character, said his most important family value is doing the right thing over whatever might be easy.

“The family value of doing what’s right when it’s going to be hard is the value I hope I can instill in the people around me,” he said. “You do what you have to do even though you may have a target painted on your back.”

Wisdom, Moore and Goodman said that job creation is the biggest priority for families.

“The creation of jobs is the most important family value because families have to be able to provide for themselves,” Wisdom said. “We’re Americans. We need to return to that rugged spirit that made this country.”

So far, only one Democrat, Tim Davis, of Branson, has filed for the post in the traditional Republican stronghold. Kevin Craig, of Powersite, has filed on the Libertarian ticket.



Filing period

Potential candidates have until March 30 to file their candidacy with the secretary of state’s office. The Aug. 3 primary election will select party nominees for the November election.