Utah 3rd Congressional District Candidates Take Debate Stage
Oct 15, 2020, 11:30 PM
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Candidates for Utah’s 3rd Congressional District, Republican John Curtis and Democratic challenger Devin Thorpe, met on the debate stage Thursday, acknowledging the district captures rapidly growing areas like Silicon Slopes and also rural parts of Utah in the Four Corners area.
KSL’s Ladd Egan asked the candidates how Congress should target pandemic stimulus aid to those who need it most.
“To answer your question, let me tell you about what we don’t do,” Curtis said. “We don’t pick a number and then design the legislation. And if you’ll notice in Washington, it’s all about $2 trillion, $1.9 trillion, $1.6 trillion, without any regard as to how it’s going to be spent.”
“It’s unfair of us to think of inaction as an action that is in any way responsive to the COVID-19 pandemic and I am committed to delivering real aid to people who are really suffering,” Thorpe said.
Curtis said Congress hasn’t passed a new relief bill because Democrats want to reinstate the extra $600 a week in unemployment, which he said is paying people more to stay home than going to work.
On the topic of health care, both called for making improvements to the Affordable Care Act.
Democrat Devin Thorpe said he has unique insight because he has an affordable care act plan.
“So I’m familiar, deeply, intimately, with the incredible value that it provides and its deep flaws,” Thorpe said. “I have a $12,000 deductible. I can barely afford to get the health care I need, even though I can afford the insurance.”
When is comes to the #AffordableCareAct or #Obamacare the candidates for #Utah's 3rd Congressional District @CurtisUT Wants to expand Health Savings Accounts. @devindthorpe says it's personal to him because he has #ACA plan but it has a $12k deductible@KSL5TV @UtahDebateCom pic.twitter.com/oHBVpGyaUn
— Ladd Egan (@laddegan) October 16, 2020
“I think one of the things right in front of us that would save Utahns and those all throughout the district money is expanding the use of health savings accounts, HSAS,” Curtis said. “We’ve got to decouple them from high premiums accounts. we have to make them so they can be used for other things.”
Another topic included how to fight against foreign influences on American elections.
Thorpe said we need to invest in cybersecurity and in our intelligence community to protect elections.
Curtis also called for fighting back against interference that comes from social media and internet stories used to influence voters.
Should political ads on social media clearly show who paid for them?@CurtisUT "I wish we could be far more transparent” about where money is coming from@devindthorpe "This is critically important.” Also says corporate donations need to be better regulated@KSL5TV #utdebates pic.twitter.com/0j4RqaCZWW
— Ladd Egan (@laddegan) October 16, 2020
Curtis was elected in 2017 to the third district when he replaced Rep. Jason Chaffetz in a special election.
Thorpe is an author and speaker who previously worked in finance.
You can watch the debate in its entirety below.
Utah 3rd Congressional District Debate
LIVE: KSL hosts the debate between 3rd Congressional District candidates Republican John Curtis and Democrat Devin Thorpe.
Posted by KSL 5 TV on Thursday, October 15, 2020