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District 8 candidates differ on war, illegal immigration

Oct 18, 2006 11:25 AM PDT

After watching yesterday's District 8 congressional debate, one thing's for sure, the difference in opinions between leaders Republican Randy Graff and Democrat Gabrielle Giffords is obvious.

The four District 8 candidates, Graff, Giffords, Libertarian David Nolan, and independent Jay Quick held their first of six debates last night on the Pima Community College campus.

The Decision 2006 Debate was based on questions from readers of the Arizona Daily Star.

The questions ranged the issues from the economy to health care to government philosophy.

But the two issues that really turned up the heat in last night's debate: the war in Iraq and illegal immigration.

When it comes to the war in Iraq, Giffords, Quick, and Nolan all agree that troops need to leave Iraq.

Giffords supports a strategic redeployment plan.

"That does two things...brings people home, but makes sure that the Iraqis have the security that they need," Giffords says.

Candidate Graf supports staying the course in Iraq.

"The last thing we can do right now is tell our troops that we are going to cut and run," Graf said.

Nolan criticized Graf's statement, "cut and run...as opposed to what? Stay and die?" Nolan said. "If those are two choices then let's cut and run. I'm tired of American men and women being killed and maimed."

When it comes to illegal immigration, Quick, Nolan, and Giffords agree on a plan to allow people to come to the U.S. to work legally.

"I support a guest worker program...so people can come to this country and work legally, safely, and then return back to their home country," Giffords said.

"Implementing a new guest worker program the way Ms. Giffords sees it would simply be nothing but wave the white flag and say we give up we're going to allow the 12- 20 illegal aliens to be here legally," Graf said.

Both Graf and Giffords agree there needs to be more emphasis in Congress toward cracking down on employers who hire illegal immigrants.

"In 1999 there were almost 200 prosecutions for employers who were caught hiring people illegally and in 2003 there were four," Giffords said. "So clearly this administration is more interested in going after people who are coming here for the jobs than the people giving the jobs."

"It is illegal to hire someone who is in this country illegally...and employers can be fined and ultimately jailed," Graf said.