Snyder-Hall, Lopez outline positions at candidates forum

The 2014 campaigns might be a little cleaner than 2012, but the choices in districts 6 and 20 are no less stark.

Not that last Wednesday’s candidates forum was entirely free from sparks, particularly between Republican incumbent Ernie Lopez and Democratic challenger Claire Snyder-Hall, both running for the Senate District 6 seat.

Pulling into the Cape Henlopen High School parking lot, I wondered if the night’s nasty nor’easter would keep voters away. Nope.

The parking lot was nearly full for the event, which was co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters Sussex County, the Lewes Homeowners Association and the Coastal-Georgetown Branch AAUW.

A testy exchange began when Snyder-Hall, a longtime educator, answered a question about high-stakes testing in schools.

Turning to Lopez she said, “I have to say I was a little bit surprised that the DSEA endorsed you. You’re open to vouchers.”

“I’m not open to vouchers,” Lopez shot back.

“Oh, you changed your mind on that?” Snyder-Hall asked, referring to a 2012 radio show where she said Lopez expressed a willingness to support vouchers.

Lopez followed with something of a non sequitur, saying that there was no “piece of legislation with my name on it, that I have co-sponsored, sponsored or drafted” that has anything to do with vouchers.

Instead of answering Snyder-Hall directly, Lopez attacked. “But I don’t think I need a lecture from you,” Lopez lectured. “Someone who lived here three years before voting in a local school board election. Three years, before you took the time to vote in a local school board election.”

In political races, however, as in all contests, the best defense is a good offense.

It wasn’t the most substantive issue of the night, but it was entertaining to see a hint of a true debate, rather than the often-dry forum format, which precludes a real back-and-forth between candidates.

At the end of their session, Snyder-Hall pointedly referred to a post on Lopez’s Facebook page, where he said, “It’s time the people in the Cape Region made another strong statement about the kind of person they want representing them.”

Snyder-Hall turned it around, saying that she hoped she had shown that “I am exactly the kind of person you need to represent you, someone who is honest and trustworthy, who is a hardworking team player.”

Nothing else was said about the post - Lopez didn’t respond to Snyder-Hall’s reference in his closing statement - but the phrase has an odd ring to it. Kind of person? What’s that mean? Since the post itself mentions no political issues or philosophical differences, it’s hard not to interpret the “kind of person” remark as a kind of personal attack.

Lopez and his opponent certainly differ on issues - and people should choose accordingly - but I don’t know why Snyder-Hall wouldn’t be the “kind of person” who could represent the district.

Here are some of the issues on which the two candidates disagreed.

• Same-day voter registration: A voter registration bill passed the House but never made it to the Senate floor. Unlike many Republicans, Lopez said, he didn’t consider fraud an issue, but thought same-day voter registration would put too much stress on poll workers. That is not the position of the commissioner of elections, but Lopez said he had been told this directly by poll workers. He said he would have supported compromise legislation allowing for registration 15 days before elections.

Snyder-Hall backed same-day voter registration. The right to vote in a democracy, she said, is “absolutely essential.” No significant fraud issues have surfaced, she said, and same-day voter registration would be more convenient for people. “I don’t see a downside,” said Snyder-Hall.

• Same-sex marriage: Lopez was asked how he could vote against the bill despite the district’s large gay constituency.

Lopez said that he votes his conscience first, district second and party third. On this issue, he said, the decision came down to his “faith guidance.

That’s why I made the decision I did.”

Snyder-Hall said, “Equality is a fundamental principle of the country.

“All loving couples ought to be able to have legal protections so they can take care of each other and their children,” she said, adding that it wasn’t good enough to say you were following your conscience.

• Development: This is a tough issue. In a way, it’s the Cape Region’s No. 1 issue. On the other hand, it’s an area where state legislators have limited influence. Land use decisions are the province of Sussex County Council.

Snyder-Hall was asked how, given this situation, she could be “tough on developers,” as she has promised.

Admitting the land-use issue is “complicated,” Snyder-Hall said, “We already have a process where we have the state involved.” Projects go before state agencies before going to Sussex County Council, she said, and “there are several things that can be done to strengthen the role of the state so that we have better land-use decisions.”

Environmental laws should also be strengthened, she said, citing the case where the state wanted 100-foot buffer zones around bodies of water while the county favored 50-foot buffers. The county won in court.

But, she said, “The state could have a stronger role if the General Assembly had the will to strengthen state law.”

She called for more notice of large development projects. “We need to make sure those public meetings [about development projects] are publicized,” she said.

As far as requiring more public notice, Lopez said he couldn’t even think how to craft such a bill. “That is a county responsibility,” he said.

Other changes would also be challenging.

“I can’t name one bill, out of the hundreds that came across our desk, that had anything to do with development,” he said.

He acknowledged issues at the Sussex County Council level, but said he would favor solving problems by having the state and county work together.

They didn’t disagree on all issues. Both thought that developers should pay impact fees. Snyder-Hall recalled a trip to Florida where she asked where the money for new roads had come from. Impact fees, of course, she was told.

Lopez answered with the shortest answer of the night. “Yes,” he said.

Friday’s issue will include a look at the District 20 candidates, who also spoke that night.