PostBulletin.com - Walz, Hagedorn define differences in debate

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By Rachel Leingang

Rep. Tim Walz and challenger Jim Hagedorn showed starkly different views on the role of government in the first debate between the candidates for Minnesota's First District U.S. House of Representatives seat Tuesday in Rochester.

Walz, DFL-Mankato, said he's continually worked to find solutions to issues, like those plaguing the Veterans Administration and the tax code, regardless of party affiliation.

"When I disagree with them, I don't disagree because they're Republican or Democrat, I disagree when they're wrong," Walz said.

Hagedorn, a Republican from Blue Earth, said he wants to change how Washington operates, putting control back into the hands of the states.

"We're either going to take a path that we've been going on, big government … Or we're going to go another direction, and that is to take the power from Washington," Hagedorn said.

On nearly every issue, with the exception of the federal government's role in providing infrastructure funding (both agreed it's an important function), the candidates diverged. Hagedorn repeatedly said Walz was part of the problem of overgrown government in D.C.; Walz said he's proud of the work he's done. Walz cited diplomats like Winston Churchill, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison in his responses; Hagedorn cited Ronald Reagan.

The debate, sponsored by the League of Women Voters, KAAL-TV, the Post-Bulletin and the Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce, involved questions from audience members and was moderated by the League's Enid Weichselbaum.

Obamacare

Though no specific question was asked about the Affordable Care Act, Hagedorn, a businessman who worked for years on Capitol Hill, said that's the main reason he got involved in the race.

"One of the reasons I want to go to Washington is to repeal and replace Obamacare," Hagedorn said. After that, he wants to "continue that job and take us on another path to less government," he said. He wants to make the government friendlier to business by reducing fees and regulations, he said.

Walz said he believes in fair markets, but free markets haven't always been great for the middle class, and the federal government has a role in maintaining that fairness.

"The wealth is there, it's simply moved in a direction that doesn't value the worker," Walz said, stressing that CEOs continue to get wage increases while workers aren't seeing more money in their paychecks.

Hagedorn was critical of Walz's record on VA issues, calling it "unacceptable." Walz serves on the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs and spent 24 years in the Minnesota National Guard.

"Washington, D.C., has let us down," Hagedorn said. "We need some outside-the-box thinking as it applies to veterans and their care. … Every veteran deserves the same quality, timely access to medical care as the U.S. Congress, and that's what I stand for."

Walz said he refuses to let VA reform become a partisan issue, and he's hopeful that naming Robert A. McDonald, former CEO of Procter & Gamble, as VA secretary will help.

"One veteran not receiving care is a failure, just like leaving one soldier on the battlefield," Walz said.

Immigration

Walz also said he wanted to see comprehensive immigration reform, an issue Congress hasn't been able to agree upon. He supports keeping out drugs and potential terrorists, but thinks it's unfair to ask people to get in line for citizenship when no real line exists.

"When we ask people to get in a line, there is no line. … We need to have an honest discussion on what we need in the workforce," Walz said.

For Hagedorn, border security is paramount, and so is keeping a check on President Obama's policies of deportation.

"What's going on in this country is a disgrace. We don't even know who's in this country, and now we're not deporting people that we apprehend," Hagedorn said.

Walz repeatedly called on his record as a former teacher and coach at Minnesota schools, saying he knows what's important to folks because he understands them and works for them.

"Helping your neighbor is not socialism, it's neighborliness," Walz said.

On the other hand, Hagedorn called for a sea change, an entire reworking of the system that Walz has worked within.

"The reason I'm running for Congress is, I believe our country's in trouble … Take the power from Washington and bring it back to the states and the people," Hagedorn said.

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