Meet the candidates 2018
Candidates running to represent Cache Valley in the local, state and federal government gathered Tuesday night in the Taggart Student Center to answer questions from students and promote their platforms. The Utah Statesman asked each candidate for their message to Utah State University students. Their responses are below:
Dan Johnson, Republican running for House District 4
“My legislative priorities are education, infrastructure, healthcare, social services and juvenile justice.” Johnson worked in public education for 49 years and hopes to use his expertise to make improvements in the public education and juvenile justice systems.
Eric Eliason, running for Utah’s First Congressional District
“I’m middle way. It doesn’t have to be Republican or Democrat. It can be ‘what are the good ideas, let’s say they’re good ideas and not necessarily defined on platforms.’” Eliason’s biggest promise to students was to “make sure that they’re not paying the debt we caused for the rest of their lives.”
Karina Andelin Brown, Democrat running for Utah House District 5
Brown is one of five sponsors of Proposition 3, a medicaid expansion initiative. Education and higher teacher pay are her priority, as well as suicide and opioid abuse prevention. Brown’s main promise to students is to “help prepare them for 21st century jobs.”
One of five sponsors of Prop 3, which would expand Medicaid coverage.
Val Potter, Republican running for Utah House District 3
Potter is an incumbent seeking to represent the district for a third time. His message to students is “I most importantly want students to take elections seriously. Start now. If you don’t start now, it’s hard to as you get older. This is your country.”
Iain Laurence Cache County Council candidates Rebecca Winstead and Jenn Roark attended Meet the Candidates Tuesday to talk to students about their political platforms and issues in their areas.
Rebecca Winstead, Democrat running for Southeast County Council
Winstead is running primarily for transparency in county council as well as improving transportation and air quality. “Utah was kind of dealt an interesting hand in that we’ve got these beautiful mountains and they’re a blessing and a curse,” Winstead said. “Lots of people say you can’t do anything about the mountains, ‘the mountains are a part of the problem and we can’t fix that,’ so we need to fix the parts that we can fix with air quality in the valley.” To improve the air quality, she is planning on more roundabouts to help with traffic flow and creating countywide idling ordinances.
Jennifer Roark, Democrat running for Cache County Council
“My main message for student voters is that students in this election really have the opportunity to make a difference and they really have the chance to make their voice count,” Roark said. “I’m here to listen and I’m here to represent them in any way they want.”
Iain Laurence Josh Brundage, Utah Senate Candidate, meets with students at Meet the Candidates, held at the TSC on Monday
Joshua Brundage, Democrat running for Utah House District 4
“There are certain ideas and things I’m passionate about that aren’t being talked about in the Utah legislature or by candidates in general,” Brundage said, specifically mentioning women’s reproductive rights and LGBT youth and teen suicide. “These are issues that should be on the forefront of our conversations, they affect all of us.”