Video: Republicans for U.S. Congress

http://www.wcax.com/Global/story.asp?S=12970306                                # # # # Republicans for U.S. Congress  •  Republicans for U.S. Congress  • Burlington, Vermont - August 12, 2010  •  Three Republicans want to unseat Peter Welch and become Vermont's next congressman. So who are the ambitious challengers?  •  The three candidates are all from different corners of the state, but all fairly similar in terms of their message.  •  "Any Republican primary, you're going to have a lot of similarities because we tend to think alike," said Paul Beaudry of Swanton.  •  Beaudry is perhaps the candidate most familiar to Vermonters. The Franklin County native and former WDEV talk radio host has championed a variety of political causes, most recently a push for a Walmart store in St. Albans.  •  John Mitchell of Rutland and Keith Stern of Springfield are prominent businessmen.  •  Stern owns a produce business in White River Junction and Mitchell is the former CEO of the Vermont Marble Company, now known as OMYA.  •  While not much separates the candidates on most issues, there are some differences, especially when it comes to energy. Keith Stern wants to expand ethanol production."So farms can grow crops they can grow every year and make a profit off it," Stern explained.  •  John Mitchell favors whatever form of energy happens to be the cheapest. He says that's currently coal, oil, and natural gas.  •  "Going off and building windmills and solar panels and stuff like that with taxpayer subsidies in my view is a foolish course of action," Mitchell said. "If these powers are to be developed, let's let the private market do it."  •  Beaudry is a big supporter of nuclear energy and says radioactive waste from aging plants like Vermont Yankee should be recycled and reused. He also backs natural gas, and he envisions a day when motorists will fill their tanks with it.  •  "We have the ability to do it and that would be homegrown energy right here," Beaudry said.  •  Stern has a unique plan to completely revamp the income tax system. His proposal would exempt from taxes the first $75,000 a person earns. A flat tax would be imposed on all income above that. He argues that would allow people to spend more; boosting the economy.  •  When it comes to helping Vermont dairy farms, all three candidates vow to change the guest worker program so that undocumented workers can work here legally. All also oppose a cap on milk production, a proposal supported by Vermont's current Congressional delegation.  •  "It's a very foolish idea," Mitchell said. "Let the marketplace decide."  •  "The price will go up and down and it would make a lot of farmers realize they have to be frugal with the way they produce," Beaudry said.  •  "I believe we set a base price where the farmers make a profit," Stern said.  •  All three candidates also oppose the health care bill passed by Congress. But the challenge before them may be the biggest thing these candidates have in common: winning the primary and then beating Peter Welch come November.  •  Reporter Keagan Harsha: You admit it's a challenge to beat an incumbent?  •  Paul Beaudry: Yes, I won't deny that at all, especially an incumbent who has a million dollars.  •  But all three say they're up for that challenge, so long as voters give them a chance come August 24.  •  Keagan Harsha - WCAX News  •