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Issues/News>
Deseret News: 3rd District Hopefuls discuss...
January 20, 2008
3rd District hopefuls discuss war, border, government's
role
By Lauralee Riddle
Deseret Morning News
Published: Sunday, Jan. 20, 2008 12:04 a.m. MST
WEST JORDAN — Three candidates for the 3rd Congressional
District fielded questions Saturday afternoon at the Utah
Eagle Forum annual convention in West Jordan about the role
of government, the war in Iraq and protecting the border.
The candidates in attendance — Jason Chaffetz, Joe H.
Ferguson and David Leavitt — are conservatives and
expressed similar views on the issues, but each had a
strikingly different campaign approach.
Chaffetz criticized Rep. Chris Cannon, who didn't attend
the conference, for voting for "No Child Left Behind" and
for what Chaffetz called Cannon's "lack of accountability."
"As Republicans, we had the House, the Senate and the
presidency and we blew it," Chaffetz said. "If we want
different results, we need to elect different people."
Chaffetz's platform is to give state government control of
education, demand accountability, limit government and
support a strong national defense.
Ferguson focused extensively on what some call the North
American Union, which they believe is a plan by government
leaders to unite the United States, Mexico and Canada into
one country.
"There is not a country like America, but if the North
American Union goes through, then America will cease to be
America," Ferguson said. "I am for the Constitution of the
United States and for America. I am against the North
American Union."
Ferguson's campaign aims at turning back to the
Constitution to preserve the nation.
Leavitt shared experiences he said taught him integrity and
"how to make tough choices ... and how to do hard things."
As the Juab County attorney, Leavitt filed charges against
polygamist Tom Green in the face of opposition from
government leaders and family.
"I filed the case, I won the case and I lost my job over
it." Leavitt said.
Central to Leavitt's campaign are three keys to freedom:
depending less on government intervention, protecting the
family and bringing belief in God back to the public
sphere.
The panel helped those in attendance become more familiar
with the candidates and their views on issues.
"I think (the candidates) are actually all pretty well
aligned in their principles, but they all have very
different levels of experience," said John Fox, who drove
from Orem to attend the conference.
(Tip of the day: Jason's last name is pronounced "Chay-fits")
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