Ferguson, Stender offer divergent views of 7th district

Congressional candidates outline positions on Iraq, economy in closely-watched race

By: Courtney Gross
   They rarely drift from their respective party lines, but that could be the only similarity between Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. Mike Ferguson and his Democratic challenger, Assemblywoman Linda Stender, in the contest for the 7th Congressional District.
   As one of the most closely watched races for Congress in New Jersey continues to heat up, the candidates appeared before The Packet’s editorial board on Tuesday to define their positions on issues most important to their constituents, including the war in Iraq and stimulating the nation’s economy.
   Agreeing to disagree, both Ms. Stender, 55, and Rep. Ferguson, 36, civilly exchanged opposing positions, in contrast to the punches that have dominated the race’s campaign advertisements.
   The 7th District, which includes Montgomery and Rocky Hill, spans Hunterdon, Middlesex, Somerset and Union counties — practically the width of central New Jersey — and Rep. Ferguson said he is the ideal reflection of its residents. A three-term Republican, Rep. Ferguson said his just-right-of-center positions parallel those of the 7th District’s voters.
   "It’s a leaning Republican district," Rep. Ferguson said. "It’s voted for every Republican candidate for governor and senator and Congress over the last several years. That’s exactly right where I am on the ideological spectrum," the incumbent said.
   Ms. Stender, the Democratic deputy speaker of the Assembly, disagreed. The assemblywoman, who supports abortion rights and embryonic stem-cell research, said the incumbent’s position on these and other issues is far more conservative than his constituents’.
   "Embryonic stem-cell research and a woman’s right to choose are two important issues to the constituents of this district that Mike’s record and his beliefs do not agree with," Ms. Stender said. "So he’s very out of step with this district and very conservative," she added.
   Rep. Ferguson has characterized his position on abortion as "pro-life," and he opposes allocating federal funds for embryonic stem-cell research.
   On economic policy, the candidates squared off on how to best boost the economy, especially in New Jersey, which lags behind growth elsewhere.
   Rep. Ferguson, a resident of New Providence and a former history teacher, said making permanent the tax cuts passed under President George W. Bush’s administration would stimulate the economy and reduce unemployment. Rep. Ferguson charged that Ms. Stender has voted to raise taxes that damage the state’s economy.
   "We just have an honest disagreement about the best economic policies for our state and our country," Rep. Ferguson said. "I don’t think that high taxes and economic difficulties that that sort of leadership has created in New Jersey is the right kind of leadership and philosophy to be exporting to Washington."
   Ms. Stender, a former mayor of Fanwood and Union County freeholder, said her support of balanced budgets in the Assembly provides services to the communities she represents. And the Bush administration tax cuts, she said, disproportionately benefit the wealthiest segment of the population.
   "The deficit and debt of this nation is going to be passed on to future generations in terms of increased cost and debt service," Ms. Stender said. "What I support are tax cuts that are fair to working people."
   Ms. Stender, who has served in the Assembly since 2002, also criticized Rep. Ferguson for voting to give President Bush the authority to invade Iraq. Pressing for accountability and a change of leadership, Ms. Stender called for the resignation of Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and for a one-year deadline to start withdrawing troops from Iraq.
   "In fact I think what people are really worried about is that this administration and this Congress has failed the people of this district and state and this nation on the war," she said. "Going into Iraq has made the world less safe."
   While recognizing that mistakes have been made in Iraq, Rep. Ferguson said the war is the central front in the global war on terrorism.
   He proposed three requirements that should be met before troops are withdrawn — ensuring political stability, assuring that Iraqi forces are able to secure the country and creating a sound economic infrastructure.
   "I think to suggest, as Linda and others have suggested, that we should set an artificial timeline for withdrawal of troops sends exactly the wrong message to the Iraqis," Rep. Ferguson said. "It sends exactly the wrong message to the Iranians. It would really destabilize the region and it would wreak havoc on the region."
   After both candidates accused each other of mimicking their party line on myriad issues, they defended their own records and said they had voted independently in the past.
   During the final moments of the debate, Ms. Stender criticized Rep. Ferguson’s position on the environment, pointing to his 2005 score from the League of Conservation Voters, a national environmental organization that rates members of Congress on their environmental records. On a scale of 1 to 100, Rep. Ferguson’s score was 17, she noted.
   Calling the criticism "silly," Rep. Ferguson said his 2006 rating from the environmental group has jumped to 83.