SMETHPORT — Susan Boser and Wade Jodun, Democratic candidates vying to face Republican U.S. Rep. Glenn Thompson in November in the newly-drawn Fifth Congressional District, were both amazed and gratified at the large turnout of the party faithful who attended the “Meet the Candidates” forum Monday at the Smethport firehall.
Boser spoke about the significance of this grassroots race, recalling that a New York Times reporter covered one of her campaign appearances in Venango County. “What a big deal this is and the potential to make the new 15th district a blue one,” she noted.
Both candidates spoke about their small town backgrounds and values, and how their parents struggled to educate their children, experiences that led them to fight for the middle class. Boser, who referred to her familiarity with Bradford, mentioned how her father worked extra hours in his fiberglass insulation business that allowed all five of his children to get college educations.
Boser, who holds a Ph.D. in human services from Cornell University, and is currently a professor at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, described herself as an “activist, and a problem solver,” which will help her in being successful in fighting for local control of funding.
Pointing to the high unemployment rate, lack of jobs for younger people, lower income and less affordable quality health care in rural areas and small towns becoming “ghost towns” throughout the congressional district, Boser said, “Decisions and policies by Congress like the tax cut and health care changes don’t benefit us or ignore us.”
As one solution, Boser supports having broadband internet expanded through rural areas, a move that she said would result in job creation. “But, government must provide leadership.”
She also said that renewable energy can create jobs.
Boser also is an advocate for agricultural cooperatives.
She called for infrastructure development, saying, “Better roads and bridges can promote business, tourism and hunting and fishing.”
As for combating the opioid crisis, Boser said, “managed care and treatment work if they’re properly funded and the government doesn’t shortcut it.”
When it comes to the economy, Boser said, “There’s not much evidence Rep. Thompson has done much about it. When people get fed up, change happens.”
During his remarks, Jodun said, “I am not a politician.” He graduated from Lock Haven University, was a wildlife and fishery biologist who worked for the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service for more than 20 years before being terminated six years when he refused to falsify storm damage data from Hurricane Irene. “While I was covered by the federal whistleblower act, it’s not as strong as you might think.”
During the time when Jodun was facing the retaliatory measures by the federal agency, he recalled, “I reached out to Rep. Thompson for a five-minute meeting and was refused. Not one politician would help. Without a voice, we have no representation.”
As for health issues, Jodun also referred to the six-to-18-months wait for addiction treatment, which he said is much too long.
Speaking about decent wages, Jodun said, “The prosperity of the stock market is not shared by the American families, and we must change that. Small businesses are great, we need better than minimum wages. Regulations must be changed so businesses can compete better.”
One way to rebuild rural areas is to improve community colleges.
Noting the number of homes in the congressional district that lack proper insulation, Jodun advocates “an aggressive home insulation program.”
Commenting on the current opioid crisis facing America, Jodun pointed to the practice of arresting pot dealers, but not the large pharmaceutical companies that produce the drugs responsible for the crisis.
Jodun was critical of politicians who “get absorbed in the system. Future behavior is predictable by past behavior,” he said.
During the question and answer session, Jodun said that poverty is an underlying cause of the opioid crisis, which can also be traced to lack of early intervention services and the feeling of hopelessness.
Boser agreed with Jodun about the poverty influence, but also blamed depression over losing homes and jobs.
“Per capita, deaths from opioids are 20 percent higher in rural areas,” she said. “First, we must have affordable quality treatment available geographically.”
“How can we bring people back together again? asked one woman.
“Effective communication with each other is important,” replied Boser. “It’s better to get both perspectives on issues.”
Jodun said he recently met with a group of farmers, “not to talk politics, distribute buttons or campaign literature,” but to just listen. “I learned they believe they have no voice in government and think the political system is corrupted by money.”
Boser and Jodun differed on term limits for U.S. lawmakers. Jodun favors limits, saying, “never before have we had a permanent ruling class.” But for her part, Boser is against this option saying, “Elections can do that.”
Both candidates are refusing to take funds from outside political action committees.
Boser also stated that concerning a woman’s reproductive rights, she doesn’t believe that the government has the right to tell a woman what to do with her body. Jodun said this issue “is a personal deal involving ethics, morals and religion.”
On gun control, Jodun, who said he is a hunter, said he believes there can be a balance between the Second Amendment and public safety through extensive review of high powered weapons.
Candidates for the McKean County Democratic Committee who were in attendance were Harriett Nevil, Annin Township; Marty Wilder, Corydon Township; David Corneliu, Foster Township, 1st District; and Pete Palumbo, Bradford Sixth Ward, Second Precinct.
Also present were Judy Church, candidate for Democratic Committeewoman in Smethport Borough, as well as Les Jordan Jr. and Leo Church, vying for Democratic Committeeman in Smethport Borough.
James Heckman, candidate for Democratic State Committee, attended, as did Luanne Lane and Democratic County Commissioner Cliff Lane.
