The race for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina's newly redrawn 4th Congressional District will pit a seven-term incumbent against a political newcomer.
Incumbent David Price, a Chapel Hill resident and professor of political science and public policy on leave from Duke, won the Democratic primary without any opponents. Tuan Nguyen, a 27-year-old flight instructor from Cary, also ran unopposed in the Republican primary.
Nguyen is running on three main issues: campaign finance reform, tax reform and education. He wants to lower taxes across the board and close loopholes in the current tax code that allow wealthy individuals to pay less than their fair share of taxes. He also said Congress does not have enough members with "real life experience," in part due to campaign finance laws that benefit incumbents.
"We really lack ordinary citizens in government today," Nguyen said.
He said he would work to change campaign finance laws to make it easier for challengers to seek office. He also accused Price of talking about campaign finance reform while at the same time receiving contributions from special interest groups and large corporations such as Worldcom.
However, Price said he is a strong supporter of the 1997 Shays-Meehan bill, which places a ban on unlimited soft money contributions'Äîpreviously unregulated donations from special interests and corporations that is given to political parties and funneled to campaigns. The bill also includes a provision requiring politicians to verify that their televised advertisements are accurate or, as Price describes them, "a full-screen picture of the candidate taking responsibility for what he's putting on the air."
In addition to addressing changes to campaign finance, Price also discussed his support of accounting reform. He voted earlier this year for a bill that establishes a regulatory body for the accounting profession, separates accounting and consulting functions in firms and stipulates regulations to prevent the likes of the Enron and Worldcom corporate scandals.
Both Nguyen and Price cited education as a big issue in their campaigns. Nguyen said he will work to provide for more local control over education.
"Some of our schools are floundering," he said. "I think that has a lot to do with the control Washington has on our education system."
Price noted that he authored the Education Affordability Act, a law that allows families to deduct interest on student loans and withdraw money from an investment retirement account for education expenses without penalties. He also pushed for the Advanced Technology Education program, which supports technical education programs at community colleges.
Although the candidates disagree on some issues, both Price and Nguyen felt that other options should be exhausted before the United States enters a war with Iraq. Nguyen said he supports President George W. Bush's current position, though he wants weapons inspectors to have another chance to ascertain Iraq's possession of biological and chemical weapons.
Price also believes there may come a time when force is necessary against Iraq, though he wants Congress to have the ability to vote on war later. He said he is opposed to Bush's present request that Congress allow military action under almost any conditions.
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