The Tribune Star says the two differed starkly on the minimum wage:
One of their most glaring contrasts came when Rump asked them if they’d favor an increase in the minimum wage from its current $5.15 per hour, where it has remained since 1997.
Hostettler stated his firm opposition, and insisted that most minimum-wage workers aren’t actually poor, but instead are made up of the young. He backed his statement by saying that economists can link such increases to inflation. Ellsworth disagreed with the assertion that such earners are mostly high-schoolers and college students, and mentioned the idea of a married couple, both earning minimum wage, living below the poverty level. "There's a lot of wasteful spending going on, and we can afford to raise the minimum wage," he said.
During the hour-long televised debate, Hostettler and Ellsworth agreed about goals in Iraq, reducing foreign energy dependence and the expansion of powers to help the federal government fight terrorism.
On the issue of immigration, both candidates proposed building a fence along the Mexican border to stem illegal entries, electronically monitoring such a fence and reducing the availability of jobs to illegal workers.
One of only few issues they differed on was minimum wage - Hostettler opposed a hike; Ellsworth supported it.
WTHR on Hostettler's guilty-by-association argument:
But the six term Republican warned Ellsworth's election could turn the leadership of the U.S. House over to Democrats. The 8th District is considered one of a handful of seats that could put Democrats in control.
"Now liberals from all over the country are pouring hundreds of thousands of dollars into the 8th District, into Brad Ellsworth's campaign. If Mr. Ellsworth's choice for speaker of the House puts Charlie Rangle in charge of writing tax legislation he will turn the federal government into a much larger recipient of taxes from all America," said Congressman Hostettler.
Ellsworth spoke of the need for not only a new congressman, but a new and less partisan Congress.
No other debates are scheduled, but Hostettler will appear this morning before the Morning Rotary Club of Evansville, and Ellsworth will make appearances this week with Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind.
Aides to both candidates say the pace will become furious in the weeks before Election Day, Nov. 7.
Who won? The Courier-Press has an online poll running.
