Republican Congressman Don Bacon and Democratic challenger Kara Eastman squared off in a debate Thursday afternoon at the Omaha Press Club. The debate was sponsored by 6 News and comes with less than three weeks to go until the closely-watched midterm elections.
Eastman's early remarks were reflective of her campaign and aimed at support of working Americans and hit hard at Washington saying "Republicans are on the side of the billionaires." She said, "We know from our own president that the wealthy in our country do not pay taxes."
Congressman Bacon responded by standing up for the tax reforms enacted this year saying they are yielding benefits in our district. "We see growth because of tax reform," he said.
On the Brett Kavanaugh nomination to the Supreme Court, Bacon set the stage for his remarks by saying, "I support the Me Too movement." He said most allegations, in cases like this, are true. But not all. In retrospect, he said there should have been more respect for both sides in the Kavanaugh case.
Eastman said the Me Too Movement has grown from a history that has slighted women. She took issue with Bacon not standing up in support of Christine Blasey Ford after the president's remarks about her. "We need a congressman who will stand up for women," Eastman said.
Eastman accused Bacon of having someone tracking her during her campaign. Bacon denied it. On the president's imposition of trade tariffs, Bacon said he was not in favor of that, "but the president is making progress." He said the tariffs are not helping now but they were designed to have an impact in the future.
Eastman said, "the tariffs are hurting our farmers." She said trade agreements need work but tariffs are not the answer. She said, "we don't have time to wait."