Advertisement
The candidates’ differences on the issues have been less distinct, as Davis and Day share similiar views on offshore drilling, immigration, abortion and the Iraq war. But through interviews with the Daily News this week, Davis and Day sparred on topics that matter to 1st District voters: energy, agriculture and taxes.
Davis, a Rochester, Minn., doctor, said his positions are far closer to Day than to Rep. Tim Walz, DFL-Minn., the first-term lawmaker both Republicans are running to replace. But Davis also claimed Day — a self-described maverick who has courted independent voters — doesn’t have sterling conservative credentials on energy and spending measures.
“Sen. Day has not always been on the conservative side of these issues,” Davis said.
Day, a retired salesman from Owatonna, Minn., responded that Davis’ lack of political experience makes him naïve about the need for legislative compromise.
“I surely don’t think that (Davis) is prepared” to be in Congress, Day said. “This is not a place to get on-the-job experience. You don’t just decide one day that: ‘I want to be a congressman.’”
Energy
Davis and Day both have focused their campaigns on energy, and both have called for expanded offshore oil drilling and in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. But Davis said he touted offshore drilling long before others were talking about it; Davis also said he would have opposed a 2007 federal energy bill that Day supports because the bill didn’t do enough to expand drilling.
The Energy Independence and Security Act that became law in 2007 didn’t expand oil drilling offshore or allow drilling in ANWR, which Davis called a key omission. The measure also tightened fuel-efficiency standards for vehicles, which Davis has opposed.
Walz, who previously had opposed measures to expand offshore drilling, said in July he supports a bipartisan bill that would allow oil exploration in new offshore areas. Davis said he’s pleased that Walz has moved closer to a position that Davis laid out in early 2008.
“Congressman Walz has changed his position, and I have been consistent about this for months,” Davis said.
Agriculture
Day underscored his support for the 2008 Farm Bill, while Davis said certain provisions — including food-stamp and other nutrition programs — must be trimmed before he would back the bill.
Farm Bill subsidies are crucial for southern Minnesota farmers: The 1st District received $3.6 billion in USDA subsidies from 1995 to 2006, according to the Environmental Working Group.
The same report ranks the 1st District 11th out of 409 congressional districts nationwide in the amount of USDA subsidies received in that span.
Walz and other lawmakers approved the 2008 Farm Bill by a large majority, though the measure was criticized for lacking reform provisions and being bloated. Day said his rationale for backing the Farm Bill is simple — it’s a huge economic benefit for southern Minnesota, he said.
“If there’s any place in the U.S. that the Farm Bill is going to pump money into our economy, it’s the 1st District in Minnesota,” Day said.
Davis backed the bill’s farm-subsidy provisions — which account for about 14 percent of the bill’s cost — but he claims lawmakers attached too much pork to the measure. Davis also criticized the largest portion of the $300 billion Farm Bill, which pays for food stamps and fresh fruit and vegetables for school lunches and food pantries.
Davis said he doesn’t oppose nutrition programs for “the truly needy” but said provisions in the food stamp and emergency food assistance programs may need to be tightened.
“We need to take a closer look at how they’re administered,” Davis said.
Taxes
Davis has criticized Day’s support in the Minnesota Senate for several spending bills; Day said those measures brought more benefits than costs to 1st District voters.
Davis said he wouldn’t have voted for a 2006 tax measure to build a stadium for the Minnesota Twins or for a 2007 bonding bill that financed arena expansions in Duluth and St. Cloud and a light-rail line in the Twin Cities.
Day responded that the bonding bill contained substantial building-repair dollars for his alma mater, Winona State University. He also defended his support for the stadium measure, which imposed a sales tax in Hennepin County to pay most of the construction cost and required the Twins to pay the rest.
Twins fans will get to keep their team in Minnesota, while other Minnesotans won’t pay the stadium tax if they don’t visit Hennepin County, Day said.
The final sell
Davis and Day both spent last week trying to sway voters on last-minute campaign swings through southern Minnesota. Both candidates bill themselves as atypical politicians.
Day said he follows his conscience rather than party directives. Davis said his professional experience in the energy and health care fields gives him expertise on key issues that other politicians lack.
“People are looking for new faces and private-sector experience,” Davis said.
Day stressed he doesn’t rely on advisors or party elites to make decisions. He’s glad the GOP candidate will be determined by 1st District voters, not by its delegates.
“No matter how it comes out,” Day said, “I’ll be happy on Tuesday.”
Mark Sommerhauser may be reached at (507) 453-3514 or at msommerhauser@winonadailynews.com.
BRIAN DAVIS
Age: 50
Profession: Radiation oncologist
Government or political experience: Served on scientific review panels for the National Institute of Health
Fundraising as of Aug. 20: $838,203.44
Endorsements: First District GOP, Freedom Club of America, U.S. Reps. John Kline, R-Minn., and Michelle Bachman, R-Minn., and Minnesota Rep. Steve Drazkowski, R-Wabasha.
DICK DAY
Age: 71
Profession: Retired IBM salesman
Government or political experience: Owatonna City Council, Steele County board, state senator from Owatonna since 1990.
Fundraising as of Aug. 20: $253,853.46
Endorsements: former Minnesota Rep. Michelle Rifenberg, R-La Crescent.
