Steve Lonegan in 2013 N.J. Special Senate Election Debates
On Environment:
OpEd: wants to gut environmental regulations
Booker said Lonegan would want to gut environmental regulations, using the polluted Passaic River as an example of the need for them."You may not be able to swim in that river, but it's probably, I think, because of all the bodies floating
around of shooting victims in your city," Lonegan shot back.
"Oh my God," Booker said.
In another exchange, Lonegan said the state has poured countless dollars "into a big black hole in Newark."
Booker called Lonegan's tone "insulting."
Source: Newark Star-Ledger coverage of 2013 N.J. Senate debate
Oct 9, 2013
On Families & Children:
Marriage is the greatest institution; no kids for gays
The two clashed sharply on just about every issue, including gay marriage and abortion. Booker said he supports same-sex marriage, saying "We are all equal under the law."Lonegan said "marriage is the greatest institution made by man"
because "it's about the children." Asked whether he believes gay couples should have children, he quipped: "That would be a biological phenomenon." He then added: "I have mixed feelings about that."
Source: Newark Star-Ledger coverage of 2013 N.J. Senate debate
Oct 9, 2013
On Abortion:
Opposes abortion rights
Booker and Lonegan each attacked the other with starkly different views on health care, gay marriage, abortion, education and job creation.Lonegan was asked about his affiliation with the tea party, his support for the government shutdown and his
opposition to abortion and gay marriage.
Booker's campaign is banking on the fact that Lonegan's views are far to the right of those of a majority of New Jersey residents, who support abortion and gay marriage and voted to return Pres. Obama to office.
Source: Newark Star-Ledger coverage of 2013 N.J. Senate debate
Oct 5, 2013
On Civil Rights:
Same-sex marriage should be decided by voting, not judges
A state Superior Court judge last week ruled New Jersey must allow gay couples to get married. Lonegan said the ruling on same-sex marriage should be made by the state Legislature or people of New Jersey, not a judge.Booker disagreed and said that as
an African-American, he would "not be standing here right now if judges didn't say everyone in America is equal under the law."
"The ability to marry the person you love is one of the most fundamental liberties in America," he added.
Source: Newark Star-Ledger coverage of 2013 N.J. Senate debate
Oct 5, 2013
On Health Care:
ObamaCare is an absolute train wreck
Booker applauded Obama's Affordable Care Act--better known as "ObamaCare"--and chastised Republicans in Washington for fighting it to the point of forcing a partial shutdown of the federal government. He said the health care overhaul is helping people
who have children with diseases that would have been denied coverage under the old system. "ObamaCare needs to be improved, and what we should be doing in Washington is working together (on it)," Booker said. "These are real people's lives."
But Lonegan praised Republicans for "holding the line on Obamacare's assault on our freedom" and stressed the need to repeal the law. "This bill is an absolute train wreck," Lonegan said. "If it needs to be improved, why is it being forced down the throa
Source: Newark Star-Ledger coverage of 2013 N.J. Senate debate
Oct 5, 2013
On Immigration:
No on amnesty; tighter border security
On immigration, [both GOP candidates] said the border with Mexico was too porous. Eck expressed sympathy for children illegally brought to this country when they are young, but said, "Until you secure the border and be like every other country on Earth,
where you know who is coming in and who is going out, we're not a secure country."Lonegan said he "would have voted no on the amnesty bill."
He called for tighter security and more allowances for workers to come to the United States,
and said undocumented immigrants already in the country should have to find a sponsor to stay.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer on 2013 N.J. Senate debate
Aug 2, 2013
On Budget & Economy:
Opposes Hurricane Sandy funding; funding needs more scrutiny
Both [GOP candidates] wanted more scrutiny of Hurricane Sandy funding, and would have resisted voting for the $60 billion funding.Eck said she would have voted against $60 billion in Sandy funding until further checks and balances were
put in place. "So little accountability," she said.
"I did not support it," said Lonegan, a former mayor of Bogota. "I would have voted no."
Source: State Street Wire on 2013 N.J. Senate debate
Jul 31, 2013
On Health Care:
Repeal ObamaCare; no middle ground on defending liberty
The pair [of GOP candidates] were more often in agreement than not, leaving little to set them apart. Both want to repeal the Affordable Care Act.
Both favor private health centers to care for infirm indigents, both repeatedly used the word "liberty," as something to protect and expand by limiting government.
Lonegan expressed unwillingness to bend. "There is no such thing as a middle ground with the liberal left," Lonegan said. "And there is no middle ground on defending individual liberty. I will not compromise on it.'"
Lonegan later walked back his rhetoric somewhat by saying there were ways to work together with those with opposing views without compromising core principals.
Source: Maplewood Patch coverage of 2013 N.J. Senate debate
Jul 31, 2013
On Homeland Security:
No NSA wiretapping; stop gathering data on Americans
The pair [of GOP candidates] agreed on drawing the line against NSA wiretapping. "We don't have to gather data on every single American,"
Lonegan said. "NSA can go into our email. They're gathering data on each of us under the claim of protecting us against terrorism. That's unbelievable. Government--as Patrick Henry said--is at best a necessary evil."
Source: State Street Wire on 2013 N.J. Senate debate
Jul 31, 2013
Page last updated: Dec 05, 2018