HUTCHINSON, Kan. – The second debate between First District Congressman Tim Huelskamp and his Democratic challenger Jim Sherow was held Wednesday morning at the Atrium Hotel and Suites, formerly known as the Ramada. The debate took place after the September Chamber of Commerce Breakfast.
Topics included the fear of Ebola spreading throughout the country. Congressman Huelskamp is in favor of stopping all flights from those African countries while Sherow says it won’t stop it. Also brought up were the national debt, water issues, the wind energy tax credits, spending for the military, taxes and ear-marks.
Both agreed on one point concerning the immigration issue and that was the need to secure the border. Both were opposed to amnesty. However, Sherow noted how immigration has helped the southwest Kansas economy.
Both also talked about water issues, including the needs of and loss of water. Sherow believes that farmers may be switching to dry-land farming in the coming years because of lack of water, while Huelskamp wants to give incentives to conserve. Both agreed that this is a state issue and don’t want the federal government involved.
As for the hot topic of gay marriage, Congressman Huelskamp believes that it should only be one man and one woman in marriage, not same sex marriages. He referred to the judges involved in deciding these cases as unelected activist judges. Sherow believes there should be equality for everyone across the board.
Huelskamp grew up in the small western Kansas town of Fowler and, at one time, had been a teacher and a budget and legislative analyst. Before entering Congress, he represented the 38th District of the Kansas Senate from 1997 until 2011.
Sherow was the great-grandson of Kansas farmer Noah Sherow. After fighting for the Union in the Civil War, Noah and his wife Sarah made their homestead in Reno County near Nickerson. Jim’s grandfather, Joseph Sherow, continued the family legacy by running a general store and serving as Postmaster in Langdon. Sherow now teaches at K-State and served on the city council and as mayor of Manhattan.