AUGUSTA — Four Republican hopefuls for the U.S. Senate appealed to central Maine voters Friday, each saying he is the best candidate to reduce federal spending and borrowing.
Former state Sen. Rick Bennett, businessman Scott D’Amboise, Attorney General William Schneider and Secretary of State Charlie Summers answered questions about the federal budget, energy, education, health care and other topics during the second weekly GOP candidate forum. About 70 people attended the two-hour event at the Elks Lodge.
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Six Republicans will be on the June 12 primary ballot to select a nominee for Sen. Olympia Snowe’s seat in the senate. Assistant Senate Majority Leader Debra Plowman could not attend because she was working in the Legislature late Friday and Treasurer Bruce Poliquin had an engagement in Dover-Foxcroft.
While the questions submitted by voters were wide ranging, much of the forum focused on the national debt and the size of the federal government.
“This is the reason I got into this race,” Bennett said. “I think it’s unconscionable the amount of debt we are shackling our children and our grandchildren with.”
Bennett warned the country could face painful consequences, such as hyper-inflation.
“Critical decisions must be made now, and they’re not being made now,” he said. “For me everything is on the table (for possible cuts). This is too big a crisis to carve out sacred cows.”
The other candidates said they also were motivated by the debt and each supported a balanced budget amendment to the constitution.
“For the first time in the history of the United States, the potential exists to pass on a country to our children that is worse off than when we got it,” said Schneider. “The politicians in Washington cannot help themselves from spending more and more money.”
Summers said the federal government needs to learn from Maine, where the Republican majority has cut taxes and spending.
“Those are things we need to take to Washington,” Summers said.
“There’s absolutely no reason we should not have a balanced budget amendment at the federal level. … The problem is a spending problem. You cannot spend what you don’t have.”
D’Amboise said the government has to get back to its core Constitutional roots and “live within our means.”
“Stop the spending, eliminate the debt, balance the budget. Plain and simple,” he said.
D’Amboise set himself apart with more specifics: He would eliminate the Federal Reserve, the Internal Revenue Service and the Transportation Security Administration.
The four men generally agreed on most of the topics. For example, they each said the country needs to boost domestic energy production but not subsidize alternative sources such as wind and solar that are not cost-effective on their own.
Each maintained his personal background makes him the best choice to be the Republican nominee.
D’Amboise said he is a conservative Christian and the only one who wanted to take on Snowe.
“The choice is do we continue to allow the establishment to run Washington, D.C.,” he said. “I was the one who had the guts to challenge Olympia Snowe.”
Schneider said he has fought waste and corruption as attorney general, investigated terrorists for the Justice Department, parachuted into hostile countries as a Green Beret and rebuilt his life after losing the use of his legs in a service-related accident.
“I’ve faced difficulties, and every single time I’ve accomplished the mission,” Schneider said.
Summers said he is ideally qualified because of his experience as a business owner and as a commander in the Navy Reserve, including service in Iraq and Afghanistan. Summers was endorsed before the event by the Kennebec County delegation to the Maine Senate.
“I think the next U.S. senator has to be someone that not only supports our veterans but understands the issues they face,” he said. “I grew up knowing that what was good for America was good for the world, and I believe we need to take that attitude to Washington D.C.”
Bennett said he was a reformer as Maine’s Senate president and later turned around a troubled business that employs 50 people and advises large international investors. Along with his financial and business experience, he also has deep roots in Oxford County and Maine.
“I’m a Maine native. My family goes back 200 years or more,” Bennett said. “I have a real attachment, not only to the people of Maine but to the land of Maine.”
The GOP candidates meet again next Friday in Penobscot County.
John Richardson — 791-6324
jrichardson@mainetoday.com
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