10-07-2020 8:23pm

Chabot, Schroder Debate In Campaign To Represent Ohio District 1

Rick Amburgey Neighbor

Warren County voters will be asked to pick a Congressional representative for Ohio District 1. All of Warren County is part of Ohio District 1, as well as parts of Cincinnati. The current representative for Ohio District 1 is Steve Chabot, a Republican. His Democratic challenger is Kate Schroder.

Chabot and Schroder participated in a debate tonight that focused on many topics including COVID-19, taxes, education, and health care. Chabot accused Schroder numerous times of supporting the Green New Deal. The Green New Deal is a series of policies that combine some of the ideas in President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal with some legislation about climate change. Schroder denied multiple times supporting the Green New Deal.

Both candidates said they are for fair taxes. Schroder said that she would ensure that taxes were not increased on middle class families. Chabot said he has lowered taxes and he said that he has voted that way consistently.

There was quite a bit of discussion about COVID-19 and the response from it. Chabot said that they passed the CARES Act and Ohio District 1 received more money than some other districts. Schroder said we need relief from our government to help schools open safely. Currently, students in Cincinnati City Schools are learning virtually.

Schroder said she had a kindergartner and a second grader. She said that it is really hard to do kindergarten virtually. She said Chabot had voted against two bills that would have given schools relief. She also said she is in favor of universal pre-kindergarten and making higher education more affordable. Chabot said he is a former teacher. He has taught on the high school and collegiate levels. He also said he has talked with his daughter about challenges facing his grandson about education.

One question posed to the candidates asked them to grade President Donald Trump on his response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Chabot said that he doesn't give grades. He said his principal responsibility is to make sure people have job, citing that some jobs were about to go under because of the pandemic. Schroder said she would give Trump a failing grade. She said that the United States has five percent of the world's population, but has had 20 percent of the COVID-19 related deaths in the world.

The candidates were asked if the believe in universal access to health care. Schroder, who is a cancer survivor, said she is in favor. Chabot said he believed people deserve better than the Affordable Care Act. He said that he believes every pre-existing condition should be covered.

Racism was also the subject of one of the questions. Chabot said everyone should have equal opportunities. Schroder said she believes that we have a problem with systematic racism. She said there can be a difference of 25 years in lifespan depending on a person's zip code.