TRACY — The political chasm widened further between Rep. Jerry McNerney, D-Pleasanton, and GOP challenger Dean Andal of Stockton in the candidates' first and only face-to-face showdown.
Before a packed and vocal crowd perched on folding metal chairs in a middle school gym Saturday night, the 11th District candidates came down on opposite sides of nearly every major national issue: the Iraq war, immigration, taxes, stem cell research, market bailout, same-sex marriage, universal health care and expanded domestic oil drilling.
Questions at the debate came from the audience through a panel of local leaders.
Each man is a bit of a geek — McNerney has a doctorate in mathematics and Andal is a part-time banker who works for a Central Valley developer — but the men delivered a feisty and lively exchange that left the audience with little doubt as to their positions.
Yet, McNerney found himself on the defense throughout most of the 90-minute debate.
Andal went on the attack seconds into his opening remarks and summed up his candidacy in a stinging indictment of the freshman incumbent.
"You have a clear choice between a congressman that will not support our troops in Iraq, that will raise your taxes, that will not drill for energy in the United States and hands out earmarks to people who contribute to him," Andal said. "I am someone who will put a stop to all of that."
McNerney, whose public speaking Advertisementskills have improved dramatically since he first ran for office in 2004, repeatedly fired back and accused his opponent of partisan and personal attacks.
Questions on the Iraq war and taxes drew the most sparks.
Andal called McNerney's votes against Iraq war funding bills immoral.
"While Congress wastes money in Washington (the troops) have bullets flying past them in Baghdad, we need to pay for armaments and pay for their paychecks and their health care," Andal said. "You voted twice against that."
McNerney called the characterizations typical red meat politics and pointed to his own legislation that would raise soldiers' combat pay and his efforts to expand veterans' health services.
The congressman has said his votes on the funding were part of his party's negotiations with President Bush as Democrats tried unsuccessfully to insert into the defense appropriations bill a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq.
McNerney supported a timetable and voted against the bills that failed to contain it.
"The most irresponsible partisan attack is when you don't agree with someone's policy, you accuse them of not supporting the troops," McNerney said. "... I exercised my constitutional right to bring home the troops and (appropriation bills are) our only way to do it against a president who will not listen to Congress and will not listen to the American people."
On tax questions, Andal, known as a staunch fiscal hawk, said McNerney voted for higher taxes through his support for the expiration of President Bush's numerous tax cuts.
McNerney said his vote on the House's broad budget framework does not signify support for every one of its components, which are negotiated in separate legislation.
He pointed to his support for an end to the estate or "death" tax and the marriage penalty. McNerney said he continues to support the cessation of tax cuts that benefit the wealthy rather than the middle class.
Here's where the candidates came down on the other issues:
Federal earmarks
McNerney: Supports ability of congressional members to request federal appropriations for projects that benefit the residents of District 11 and the nation. It's one of his most important jobs, McNerney said.
Andal: Opposes earmarks intended for private companies and would only submit appropriation requests from public agencies.
Same-sex marriage
McNerney: Opposes Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment that would define marriage as between one man and one woman. "I am against discrimination of any Americans in this country," he said.
Andal: Supports Proposition 8 but also supports civil rights to same-sex couples.
Illegal immigration
McNerney: Supports the creation of a seasonal labor program for farmers and a humane means to deal with the millions of illegal immigrants already living in the U.S.
Andal: Supports worker program but opposes any citizenship plan that would reward people who enter the country illegally.
Oil drilling
McNerney: Oil companies should explore existing leases on 68 million acres before opening new areas. He also voted in favor of a provision in a September energy bill that allows willing states to expand oil and natural gas drilling 50 miles or more offshore.
Andal: The U.S. should open new territory for energy exploration. He called the 50-mile limit a ruse designed to take the issue off the table until after the election.
Nuclear energy
McNerney: Supports nuclear energy if the project is economically feasible and when the nation reaches political consensus on how to dispose of the radioactive waste.
Andal: Supports federal subsidies of nuclear power plants as a means to combat greenhouse gas emissions. The waste should be "sent to the place that taxpayers have paid millions of dollars to store it, Nevada."
Abortion
McNerney: Supports legal abortions but called for the nation to focus on programs that reduce the number of abortions.
Andal: Opposes abortion except in cases of rape, incest or danger to mother's life.
Stem cell research
McNerney: Supports all forms of stem cell research.
Andal: Opposes use of embryonic stem cells, but supports other stem cell research.
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