The first and possibly only head to head debate-like meeting of incumbent Congressman Andy Barr and challenger Josh Hicks featured its share of back and forth criticisms.
The two sixth district candidates were asked during the WKYT broadcast about U.S. response to coronavirus. Hicks, a former police officer and now lawyer, said division continues to be a problem. “I don’t see a unified front against a virus this deadly, seven million cases in the United States already. What I don’t see is everybody locking arms to and getting together saying ‘we’re going to fight this together,” said Hicks.
Barr, seeking his fifth two year term said it’s difficult with a new virus. He added the decision to shut down air travel was one of a number of proper steps taken by the government. “The federal response has been praised by Dr. Anthony Fauci who said we have saved perhaps up to two million American lives because of the response,” note Barr.
On the question of civil unrest found across the country, the GOP’S Barr said the way to deal with racial based concerns about inequality or policing is not found in defunding law enforcement. “That would not defund the police, but increase funding to the police to improve training, community policing, 500,000 new body cameras. I actually believe in enhancing resourcing to police officers so they can recruit and train and get rid of the bad apples,” explained Barr.
Democratic challenger and former police officer Josh Hicks said he doesn’t favor defunding police. The attorney said more needs to be done about inclusion. “We have to make sure folks are included in lending. We have to make sure folks are included in education. We have to make sure funding is appropriate and not dispersed in an inaccurate or in-equal way. We have to make sure that where we have people do things wrong, they’re held accountable,” said Hicks.
Monday night’s face to face encounter between Hicks and Barr may be the only such event between now and Election Day.?
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