GOP Congressional Candidates Faced Off In Tulsa On Health Care, Education

By Terry Hood, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- Four of the five Republican candidates facing off in the First District Congressional Race met head to head Monday. They spoke at a forum hosted by the Rotary Club.

The four candidates opened the forum staking out their positions and the reasons they chose to run for office.

Fran Moghaddam is a native of Iran.

"The U.S. is my God-chosen home and I am proud to be an American," she said. "I relish every single freedom because I have experienced what happens when freedom is taken away."

Patrick Haworth is a 21-year-veteran of the armed forces.

"There are some candidates in this race who want to take our troops out of places like South Korea and Japan and Europe," he said. "I think that's pure folly"

Nathan Dahm served as a missionary in Romania.

"You have to ask yourself, why do we keep sending the same career politicians back to Washington and expecting different results?" he asked. "It is insanity."

And the incumbent, John Sullivan, highlighted his record, which he says is strong when it comes to immigration reform.

"The federal government is responsible for border control but they've done a lousy job," Sullivan said. "That's why I've tried to take care of the issue without the government helping us."

7/7/2010 Related Story: Sullivan In Tight Race, According To Tea Party Straw Poll

"We can all understanding what's happening in Arizona; they need to protect themselves," Patrick Haworth said. "I promise you in Congress I would be the biggest advocate for getting the border sealed."

The candidates also focused on jobs, health care and education, where they say change is needed by the federal government, the state and at home.

"The federal government has absolutely no authority or right to be involved in education," Dahm said. "I stand with Reagan. He wanted to abolish the Department of Education and I want to abolish the Department of Education."

"One of the things we need to do to make fundamental change is to consolidate the administrators in the school system," Sullivan said.

"We have a problem with a lack of parenting," Moghaddam said. "Parents want teachers to raise their children and it's not right"

No Democrats have filed for the race, but there is one Independent candidate in the running.

The primary is set for July 27th.