Congressional Candidates Take Fight to Area TV
Candidates highlight trustworthiness as an issue.
Kellen Riell
Issue date: 11/10/08 Section: Congressional debate
October 28, WNYT hosted a debate between the two candidates for New York's 20th Congressional District. Alexander "Sandy" Treadwell, former Secretary of the State of New York and Chairman of the New York Republican Party, faced off against the incumbent, Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY).
The two candidates took their chance Tuesday night to stand by their ad campaigns. Gillibrand's ads portray her opponent as allied with President Bush and unfit to represent the interests of 20th district residents. Treadwell's ads stress Gillibrand's work as a lawyer on the behalf of Philip Morris as a reason not to trust her.
"Ms. GIllibrand worked for five years for Davis Polk, and she worked to defend big tobacco against major suits from states, individuals and the federal government. She didn't tell anybody about this part of her career," Treadwell said. "She hid it."
Regarding the economy, Treadwell blamed high state taxes for driving businesses out of New York. Both he and Gillibrand advocated improving the state's infrastructure to support local business.
"The kind of investments we should be making on the federal level is, creating leadership, creating the opportunities, and we can do that through tax cuts, tax credits, tax incentives, research and development grants, and it provides that kind of leadership so that local businesses can afford to grow, can afford to manufacture," Gillibrand said.
While Treadwell said our troops should stay in Iraq until the surge takes full effect, Gillibrand said we must leave the country in order to force Iraqi leadership to take responsibility for securing it. Both candidates agreed that the U.S. should station more troops in Afghanistan.
Gillibrand made headlines two years ago when she defeated the incumbent Congressman John Sweeney to win the seat in a heavily Republican district. Former New York State Governor George Pataki appointed Treadwell Secretary of State in 1995, and Chairman of the Republican Party in 2001.
The two candidates took their chance Tuesday night to stand by their ad campaigns. Gillibrand's ads portray her opponent as allied with President Bush and unfit to represent the interests of 20th district residents. Treadwell's ads stress Gillibrand's work as a lawyer on the behalf of Philip Morris as a reason not to trust her.
"Ms. GIllibrand worked for five years for Davis Polk, and she worked to defend big tobacco against major suits from states, individuals and the federal government. She didn't tell anybody about this part of her career," Treadwell said. "She hid it."
Regarding the economy, Treadwell blamed high state taxes for driving businesses out of New York. Both he and Gillibrand advocated improving the state's infrastructure to support local business.
"The kind of investments we should be making on the federal level is, creating leadership, creating the opportunities, and we can do that through tax cuts, tax credits, tax incentives, research and development grants, and it provides that kind of leadership so that local businesses can afford to grow, can afford to manufacture," Gillibrand said.
While Treadwell said our troops should stay in Iraq until the surge takes full effect, Gillibrand said we must leave the country in order to force Iraqi leadership to take responsibility for securing it. Both candidates agreed that the U.S. should station more troops in Afghanistan.
Gillibrand made headlines two years ago when she defeated the incumbent Congressman John Sweeney to win the seat in a heavily Republican district. Former New York State Governor George Pataki appointed Treadwell Secretary of State in 1995, and Chairman of the Republican Party in 2001.
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