GOP Candidates in New 13th District Split on Guns and Gas Prices
Republican 13th District congressional candidates prepare for a televised debate earlier this month. (Photo: WILL)
It appears three Republican candidates in the primary for the newly drawn Democratic leaning 13th congressional district are positioning their campaigns for hard line conservative voters while another may be tailoring a message for the November election.
Four Republican candidates appear on the ballot in a district Democrat Joe Biden won by 11 points and JB Pritzker won by 16 points in 2018.
Regan Deering of Decatur, a former science teacher and small business owner, is also the granddaughter of legendary Archer Daniels Midland CEO Dwayne Andreas. Matt Hausman of rural Champaign County is a farmer, non profit executive, and former aerospace engineer. Terry Martin of Springfield is a longtime journalist who runs the non-profit “Illinois Channel.” Jesse Reising of Decatur is an attorney who recently left a position with global firm Kirkland & Ellis.
Deering, Martin, and Reising all oppose restrictions on gun ownership. Hausman says he is open to restricting access to some high caliber or high powered rifles.
“I’m a rural kid who grew up shooting a .22 and a 12 gauge. I grew up in that culture,” Hausman said. “I support the 2nd Amendment and oppose gun bans, but I do support things that 80% of the country supports, like expanded background checks, red flag laws, possible age requirements. Things like that have broad, bi-partisan support from the general public.
While gasoline tops $5 per gallon in most parts of the central and southern Illinois district, candidates were split on how to provide consumers with immediate relief.
“I think we do need to look at multi-pronged federal action,” said Deering, who says she supports increased incentives for domestic production and opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling.
Reising said he wants to end the “war” the Biden administration is waging on oil and gas, but is hesitant to support a temporary cut in the federal gasoline tax.
“I’m for lower taxes across the board, and I would support lowering or reducing the gas tax, as well,” Reising said.
Martin says there likely isn’t immediate relief for consumers from Congrss, but says President Biden needs to kickstart domestic oil production as soon as possible.
Whoever wins the primary faces either former Pritzker and Biden staffer Nikki Budzinski or financial planner David Palmer in November.
Here’s the video of our conversations with the GOP candidates: