Three challenge Derek Kilmer for Congress
By Jordan Schrader, The News Tribune (Tacoma, Wash.) | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
So it's no wonder that a lot of what U.S. Rep.
The
"
Now Kilmer's task at home is to try to keep his seat against three challengers in the
From the left come
From the right comes a familiar foe from Kilmer's hometown: Republican
McClendon, a real-estate agent for Morrison House Sotheby's
"People have lost trust in their government," McClendon said of why he's running for
The reasons?
He also says people can see Obama's signature health care law isn't working because there are still people uninsured.
In the first five months under the Affordable Care Act's expansion of health insurance, the state insurance commissioner's office estimates the number of uninsured people in
In contrast to Kilmer, who criticizes Republicans for partially shutting down the government in an attempt to stop the law from taking effect, McClendon says it should be repealed.
"We had a system that worked for the majority of the people in the nation," McClendon said of the health care system before Obamacare.
McClendon draws on his own family's experience in the health care system. The oldest of his three children, 17-year-old son Logan, is in remission from leukemia after more than four years of treatment and a bone marrow transplant from his sister, Faith. Wife Lyn is undergoing radiation after successful surgery for breast cancer.
Medical bills helped push the family to the brink of bankruptcy, he said. McClendon said the family pulled out of an initial move to seek bankruptcy protection, but probably will eventually have to file again.
McPherson, the independent, said that haul shows Kilmer like the rest of
"I don't see
To rein in campaign spending, he favors a plan that would provide more public money to candidates who collect small contributions locally.
Kilmer, too, says he wants to reform campaign spending. He has co-sponsored proposed legislation to require greater disclosure and to amend the Constitution to undo the
As for his large donors, that's when Kilmer starts citing his meetings with average constituents: 19 appearances at Rotary clubs, 17 at chambers of commerce, more than 100 at festivals, fairs and other community events.
Back in
He hasn't passed a bill into law but says he's responsible for many provisions in a major defense bill passed by the House. One tries to improve
Kilmer's key votes include support for a bipartisan budget deal, opposition to efforts to kill or delay the Affordable Care Act, and support for some of the proposed limits on collection of Americans' communications by the
Milholland, the
Milholland also opposes a couple of proposals Kilmer supported that would loosen or delay post-recession
It's Milholland's second try for
Milholland is running partly because he became alarmed about radioactive munitions in warfare. In a military-heavy district, he stands out.
He wants to gradually get rid of the nuclear submarines stationed in
"I will put forth legislation that says, let's declare peace with the world," Milholland said. "Let's not continue to have our first foot forward the most militaristic one."
His views are similar to McPherson, who spent 13 years in the
Milholland said his goal is to get to the general election, to change a debate that's usually Republican vs. Democrat.
___
(c)2014 The News Tribune (Tacoma, Wash.)
Visit The News Tribune (Tacoma, Wash.) at www.TheNewsTribune.com
Distributed by MCT Information Services
Wordcount: | 1191 |
Advisor News
Annuity News
Health/Employee Benefits News
Life Insurance News