Congressional candidates spar over COVID-19
Disagree on solutions for virus, health care, taxes
The two major party candidates in Ohio's 12th Congressional District agree on the country's biggest problem, but they have different ideas about how to solve it.
U.S. Rep. Troy Balderson, a Zanesville Republican, and Democrat Alaina
Shearer, a Delaware marketing firm founder, said during a livestreamed debate hosted by the Columbus Metropolitan Club on Friday that their first priority in Congress would be combating the COVID-19 pandemic.
But while Balderson emphasized “individual responsibility” as the solution to the virus, Shearer criticized the firstterm congressman for having events without masks.
Balderson spoke at a mostly unmasked rally headlined by Vice President Mike Pence earlier this month. But he said he has never organized an unmasked event with large numbers of people.
“I can't emphasize enough the importance of individual responsibility,” Balderson said. “It's wearing a mask, it's washing your hands and it's social distancing.”
The federal government's role, he said, has been in propping up the economy and helping businesses through stimulus packages passed in the spring.
Shearer said that there should be a national mask mandate, but she added it would be impossible to enforce. Without widespread mask use, though, she said the economy can't fully recover because some people remain fearful of going out among the unmasked.
“If moms were handling this, it would have been handled months and months ago,” said Shearer, a mother of four.
Libertarian candidate John Stewart of Gahanna said the coronavirus is an issue of “individual liberty” and questioned the science behind the effectiveness of masks. He dismissed mandates and said mask wearing should be voluntary.
“Certainly we should respect people who are concerned. We should be polite to those people who are concerned with it,” said Stewart, who worked in the trucking industry.
The three candidates are vying to represent a congressional district that stretches from portions of suburban Franklin County into red, rural counties to the north and east. Balderson has represented the district since his election – twice – in 2018.
He first won an August special election to finish the term of former U.S. Rep. Pat Tiberi, a Republican, before winning his own term in the 2018 general election.
Ohio's gerrymandered congressional districts are drawn mostly to favor Republicans, but Balderson said during the debate, moderated by WOSU'S Michael Thompson, that he would support new boundaries that would make his district more competitive.
The candidates also disagreed about health care and taxes.
Shearer said she supports the Affordable Care Act, with its protections for coverage of pre-existing conditions and allowing children to remain on their parents insurance until age 26, but believes it needs amending. She said politicians should not be making choices about Americans' health care.
“Their plan is there is no plan,” she said of Republicans who have attacked Obamacare. “There is no replacement.”
Balderson called the notion that preexisting conditions would no longer be covered a “scare tactic,” and said he cosponsored legislation to assure that they remain covered.
“I will not take away coverage for preexisting conditions. It just won't happen. That's not a thing I'm going to do,” he said.
He said he supports a House resolution that would limit the expenses senior citizens pay for prescription drugs, but generally Balderson said government “needs to get out of the way.”
Stewart said Obamacare is precisely the meddling in Americans' health care that Shearer wants to avoid, though. He said he supports the elimination of health care as a pre-tax benefit, saying that would push more people to personal insurance.
American politicians are under great pressure to spend more, Stewart said, but Americans have to understand “all of this gets paid for eventually.”
Instead of paying for more government programs to support citizens, Stewart said government should remove itself to help drive down cost of living.
For example, he blamed government intervention in the housing crisis for higher housing costs today.
Shearer said she would support raising taxes “only on people making $400,000 a year or more,” as former Vice President Joe Biden has said his proposed tax plan would. Corporations that are receiving large tax breaks should be required to pay more, she said.
Balderson said he is still committed to cutting the national debt, which has skyrocketed during Trump's presidency, but only after the pandemic has been solved.
“Once we get through this global pandemic, once we get everyone back to work who was working, our taxes are going to change,” he said.
Thompson also asked the candidates how they would make a decision to cast a decisive vote for president if the Electoral College is tied between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden and the decision is left to Congress.
Balderson initially said “it would be the national vote,” indicating the national popular vote, but said later he was confused by the question.
Reached by a Dispatch reporter, campaign spokeswoman Erin Collins said after the debate, “He would vote the way Ohio votes, regardless of party.”
Shearer said she too “would go with the majority of Ohioans.” Stewart said his first choice would be the Libertarian Party candidate Jo Jorgensen, but Trump would be his second choice.
To watch the entire debate, visit the Columbus Metropolitan Club Youtube channel. For more information about the candidates, check out the Dispatch Voters Guide. rrouan@dispatch.com @Rickrouan