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OTTAWA La Salle County TEA Party invited two candidates challenging Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-Channahon) to speak Tuesday at the groups monthly meeting.

Democrat Nathan Arroyave from Rockford and Republican Jason Haskell of Peru introduced themselves to the group and then took questions from the audience. Arroyave is one of three Democrats vying for their partys nomination while Haskell is currently the only candidate challenging Kinzinger in the March primary.

Arroyave: I believe that it should be legal and the reason why it should be legal, for me we have bigger battles to fight. We have to make sure we live in a prosperous America, and battling about who can marry whom, we have bigger battles to fight. The biggest reason is theres a moral issue, theres a religious issue and I want to have more of a conversation about it.

Haskell: This is 2017. Its more and more socially acceptable. Ive got several homosexual friends that are outstanding members of the community, that are making a difference, theyre employing people and if they dont have the right to get married, like I said, its 2017. Its more and more acceptable and Im all for it. No one should be discriminated on their sexual orientation. Thats how I feel.

Haskell: I believe that life begins at conception. I also believe that the government doesnt have the right to tell a woman what she can and cant do with her body. Now, in the event, controversial, in the event of sexual assault, it should not be that the victim, if the victim is impregnated by a sexual assault, why should she have to carry the burden of that constant reminder of her attack? She should have the option to choose whether or not she wants to keep that baby. That is her choice.

Arroyave: I strongly support a womans decision to choose on what she can do with her body. Can we help counsel, pray and counsel? Yes. Thats what we can do But I do strongly strongly believe that a female has the right to do with her own healthcare and her own decisions on her body.

Arroyave: If we can get big money out of politics, Im all for it. The reason why thats why: lobbyists do not have term limits Were all aware that Adam (Kinzinger) takes big money but those lobbyists dont have term limits, right? Its their job. So if we could have a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United or we could get back to grassroots funding, yes. But until that happens, lobbyists dont have them. They dont have term limits (Lobbyists) are just going to pay the next person.

Haskell: I absolutely agree with term limits, but theres gotta be some sort of exception to it. If you have somebody that is doing a stand-out job, listening to the people, actually making change, why would you want to limit that person in office? If the approval rating from the voters is showing this person is making a difference, I absolutely agree with term limits Congressmen serve two-year terms, I can see a 20-year span, 10 terms for congressmen. Six years for a senator I can see three or four terms for a senator.

Arroyave: I think we should have automatic registration. There are corruptions, but its very, very minimal You go apply for your drivers license, you have the opportunity to register Most people when you get the drivers license you have to have documentation.

Haskell: I believe that we have our voter ID card and a photo ID to prove who we are When there are more votes tallied than there are voters, thats a problem.

Haskell: I love guns. I love guns There is too much violence against our police officers these days. We have gun legislation right now, what good is it doing in Chicago? How many illegal guns are killing people on a weekly basis? We have to protect our servicemen.

Arroyave: Ive been a FOID card member since I was 18. Ive shot AR-15s, Ive shot long rifles Our gun issue in this country, in my opinion, is not if it has a 30 mag, if its 10 or if its 15. If its a .352, a 9 mil, or a .45. Its how guns come from the legal market to the illegal market. That is the issue. Im not going to challenge or take your guns away because Im taking my own away. Im not taking your AR-15 away because Im taking my friends away. What I want to do is make sure guns and rightful gun owners have that right That is going to have to take some slack from the right side and from the left.

Kevin Solari can be reached at (815) 220-6931 or countyreporter@newstrib.com. Follow him on Twitter @NT_County.

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Congress hopefuls address La Salle County TEA Party - LaSalle News Tribune