The three candidates vying for New York’s 21st congressional district seat — a race getting national attention — met in a televised debate in Plattsburgh Wednesday evening. And the enmity between the Republican and Democratic candidates was obvious.
Animosity was the word of the night as Republican Elise Stefanik and Democrat Aaron Woolf made constant jabs at each other while Green candidate Matt Funiciello occasionally joined in, overshadowing many issues.
Elise Stefanik: “Foreign policy issues are extremely important. Aaron Woolf has just demonstrated that he lacks an understanding.”
Aaron Woolf: “Obviously I know what the red line is. This is the entire spin machine that’s been working with the Stefanik campaign. It distracts from the fact that my opponent has failed to take a stand on the minimum wage. She’s failed to take a stand on Paul Ryan’s idea to voucherize Medicare.”
Elise Stefanik: “Aaron I know your campaign is fledgling. I know that you’re frustrated.
Aaron Woolf: “Fledgling?”
Elise Stefanik: “It is fledgling. On the issues that you just laid out I’ve been very specific. I’ve outworked you in this campaign. And I’m going to outwork you as the next representative in Congress.”
Aaron Woolf: “Yeah, I don’t like that kind of petty personal stuff, but it’s really characterized the Stefanik campaign.”
During a discussion on oil trains.
Aaron Woolf: “We don’t have the first responders who are ready and I don’t think that Washington is going to help us in the moment of an emergency.”
Elise Stefanik: “Financially providing resources at the Congressional level.”
Aaron Woolf: “You’ve interrupted me several times. You did that in the last debate. Is that representative of the way you’re going to work in Washington?”
Elise Stefanik: “It’s not. But I do think that when you’re mischaracterizing my positions....”
Panelist George Mallet interrupts “Let’s let Mr. Woolf continue.”
The student debt burden.
Elise Stefanik: “While my Democratic opponent was still in Manhattan, I was visiting with students across this district. And I’ve heard first hand how challenging it is for students to plan right after they graduate to pay off those student loans.”
Aaron Woolf: “Well when my Republican opponent was still living in Washington, which wasn’t very long ago, I was researching a project about the looming student debt crisis. This is an example about the kind of work I did before I ran for Congress which is to look at the ways that policies affect people.”
And the federal highway trust fund and infrastructure.
Aaron Woolf: “I don’t think we have to raise the gas tax when we have so many options for raising revenue. My opponent, her hands are tied and she cannot make these proposals.”
Panelist George Mallet: “Let’s have Mr. Funiciello answer the same question.”
Matt Funiciello: “First and foremost I would like to say it took a lot of effort as a third party candidate to get on the ballot. I would really appreciate it, Aaron, if you would address me as your opponent as well.”
The sniping continued as the candidates quizzed each other over minimum wage issues.
Matt Funiciello: “10.10 an hour is just enough to get you off of Medicaid. It’s just enough to get you out of subsidized housing. It’s just enough to get you off of food stamps. So it’s a Republican initiative.”
Elise Stefanik: “I’m proud that my family’s business pays 14.50 and up. The candidate on this stage who pays less than the minimum wage he is advocating for is Aaron Woolf who pays ten dollars. So I hope you give your workers a raise after this election.”
Panelist Stephanie Gorin: “It is Mr. Woolf’s turn.”
Aaron Woolf: “I am a minority partner in this business. I cannot unilaterally make that decision about raising wages. We need to take incremental steps. Elise Stefanik refuses to take any step in that direction.”
Behind the cameras, SUNY Plattsburgh Professor and Chair of Political Science Harvey Schantz observed the trio. He found it similar to their previous debates. “I don’t think the dynamic of the race has changed. The Green Party candidate showed himself to be very knowledgeable and very well spoken. And the Democrat and Republican ran. But there was nothing in the debate that would shake up the rank ordering of the candidates. So in that way it’s a win for the person who’s leading Elise Stefanik. They tended to repeat their earlier points. I noticed some stylistic differences. For example Aaron Woolf tied himself more closely to Bill Owens. And Elise Stefanik when she tied President Obama to Aaron Woolf this time didn’t mention Nancy Pelosi, which she did repeatedly in the first debate.”
Audio is courtesy of WPTZ-Newschannel 5.
The candidates will meet for another debate in Watertown on Tuesday.
