Partisan organizations worked together to bring a bipartisan event to Ball State’s campus.
Democrat Brad Bookout, Republican Luke Messer and Libertarian Rex Bell came together to debate in Pruis Hall Tuesday.
The League of Women Voters, University Democrats and College Republicans cooperated to bring the 6th congressional candidates to campus.
Phil Bremen, assistant professor of telecommunications, moderated the debate. The panelists were Ray Scheele, co-director of the Bowen Center for Public Affairs, and Charles Taylor, Assistant Professor of Political Science.
Kayleigh Mohler, chairmen of College Republicans, said she thought the event was a success. Working with the University Democrats has benefitted the students with two debates and voter registration on campus. Mohler said they have registered hundreds of students so far.
“It’s something we all believe that what we’re doing is for the greater good of the Ball State community, Indiana and the country, and we can respect that,” the senior political science and economics major said. “We want people informed, we want them involved in the process and we want people to have their voices heard.”
The debate started with candidates explaining why they want to run for office.
Messer said he is proud of Indiana for being a great example of how well conservative government can work, and he wants to bring the same ideologies to the federal government.
“I believe we are spending this country into disaster,” Messer said.
Bell would like to decrease the size of the government.
“I’m running for office because the federal government has grown both in debt and in the reach of our private lives,” Bell said.
Bookout stressed his desire to be accessible as a member of Congress with his pledge to put his cell phone number on his business cards so he can always be reached.
“I want to be the guy who takes care of Hoosiers,” Bookout said.
Bell also wants to maintain communication between Indiana and Washington, D.C.
“My phone’s always on. Except right now, they asked me to turn it off,” Bell joked.
As was mentioned in the first question, the 6th congressional district in Indiana is comprised of 19 counties, one of the larger districts in the state. There was contention on the size of the area.
Bookout believes the district is too large, created by gerrymandering, or redistricting to one party’s advantage.
Messer said despite the district’s size, the people have a common background. He said these are rural counties that primarily rely on agriculture and manufacturing.
The candidates were asked what their priorities were and what committees they would hope to be on.
Messer said he would like to be on ways and means or a committee dealing with the budget in order to bring more fiscal conservatism to the federal government.
“We’re going to get this nation back on track,” Messer said.
Bookout would like to be a part of a transportation committee. He would like to see rail services built in the 6th district as well as bigger highways. He would do so with earmarks putting money aside for our district. Bookout could see this helping Ball State because he says the McKinley Avenue beautification project was built with earmarks.
Rex Bell would like to help small businesses, since he is a small business owner himself. He started a contracting business in 1974 that he still owns today. He also stressed the need to lower the federal deficit.
“When you find yourself in a hole they always say to stop digging. That’s what we need to do,” Bell said.
Con Sullivan, a senior political science major, is getting firsthand political experience as Bookout’s campaign manager.
He learned how to run a campaign from a class Scheele teaches.
“I’m just doing it how they teach us in class. Hopefully it will work out,” he said. “I’m sure we will find out in November.”
