Candidates

“My greatest political achievement was being on the ground in Pennsylvania in 2020, knocking on 20,000 Republican doors for the Biden campaign. We were able to flip about 5,000 of those and deliver a win. I’m running in this race because I believe in a future, I believe that our government’s left us behind for far too long and everybody in CD 4 needs to have a voice,” he said.

During a question and answer session, all three agreed Social Security and Medicare need to be protected, they also agreed that the only solution for the Israeli-palestinian conflict is a two-state solution with people on both sides given the right to peacefully coexist. They stopped short of saying the U.S. should stop arms systems to Israel but suggested it should be curtailed with conditions.

Mccorkle was asked about his arrest after allegedly violating a protection order his uncle filed against him, to what extent the GOP might use that against him if he is chosen as the candidate and how successful they would be. He called RO “unsubstantiated, based on completely falsified statements,” claimed that the charge would be dismissed in its entirety and said, “We have a legal system that oftentimes overreaches and abuses the civil rights of our citizens, especially Black and Brown citizens.”

“The GOP is not going to be able to say anything about me they haven’t already said over the last four and a half or five years of my running for office. I’ve been called everything under the sun and I plan to weather it in the exact same manner as I have in the past. I do believe I am 100 percent the best candidate,” he said.

The candidates also address the need for them to reach out to unaffiliated and Republican voters in order to win the election and the need to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act or at the very least pieces of it if the whole thing can’t be passed.

Plus, they addressed the need for better veteran healthcare and rural healthcare in general. Padora suggested some of the money the U.S. spends in its defense budget should be used for veteran healthcare; Mccorkle mentioned re-funding mobile VA clinics; and Calvarese said every area needs to have fast, reliable internet for telehealth services, especially mental health services, and legislation needs to be passed to help small rural hospitals resolve their debt.

Other Democrat candidates seeking the CD 4 seat who were not present include Karen Breslin and Anil Saxena.