GOP candidates debate abortion, taxes in 7th district forum

Kate Whitman and Leonard Lance sought to affirm their conservative credentials at a forum for seventh district Republican congressional candidates in Clark last night. 

About eighty Republicans showed up to hear the seventh five of the contenders for the seat of four-term incumbent Mike Ferguson, who announced last year that he would not seek re-election.

Positioning himself as the social conservative in a field of pro-choice Republicans, Scotch Plains Mayor Martin Marks made it clear he is pro-life.

Whitman described herself as “more conservative that my mother,” referring to former Gov. Christine Todd Whitman, and said she would work to make it illegal for undocumented workers to wire money "to their real homes in foreign countries."

Former Summit Council President Kelly Hatfield said she was personally pro-life, but answered a question about her views on abortion by affirming her pro choice stance when it comes to whether or not abortion should remain legal.

"I don’t like government interfering in (people’s personal) decisions," Hatfield said.

Christopher Venis, a former Deputy Mayor of Hillsborough and aide to Rep. Bob Franks, said he was undecided on the abortion issue.

Lance, the former State Senate Minority Leader, highlighted his legislative experience and his willingness to fight Democrats on what he cited as the governor’s wrong-headed plan to monetize the Garden State Parkway and the New Jersey Turnpike.

"I voted against massive borrowing and successfully sued (former Gov.) Jim McGreevey," said Lance. "I have abandoned my own party when they have departed from these issues. We need to make President Bush’s tax cuts permanent to recharge a softening economy."

Each of the candidates pledged to cut taxes, reduce spending, be tough on homeland security, and let Generals -- not politicians -- make the decisions about the progress of the war in Iraq. 

Whitman citied her experience raising twin boys as evidence that she has the necessary energy to shake up Washington. She said she has raised $200,000 from nearly 200 separate donors.  Lance, who declared his candidacy this week, refused to disclose how much he has raised.

Venis said he would not be a congressman who would go to Washington to "sing cumbaya with (House Speaker) Nancy Pelosi."  He criticized the likely Democratic nominee, Assemblywoman Linda Stender, for voting to end capital punishment.

"I got to see these animals every day," said Venis, who worked for the state Department of Corrections under Gov. Donald DiFrancesco. "These are monsters on death row and they deserve to be there."

Warren Township Mayor Victor Sordillo says he will also become a candidate for Congress, but did not attend the Clark forum because of a conflict with his township committee meeting. 

"I’ll be making an official declaration next week," said Sordillo, who describes himself as a pro life fiscal conservative.