Craig Daily Press / Congressional candidates debate

Archive for Tuesday, August 3, 2004

August 3, 2004

Two 3rd Congressional District candidates faced off at KRAI-FM's candidate forum Tuesday night.

Matt Aljanich, a Navy veteran from Steamboat Springs, focused on the war on terror while he spoke at the forum. Rep. Matt Smith, R-Grand Junction, a water lawyer and Meeker native, said he is the only candidate with a strong background of protecting Colorado's water.

Both candidates are running for the Republican nomination for the 3rd Congressional District.

In this election, the voters "face life and death issues," Aljanich said. The nation must win the war on terror and reduce the cost of health care, he said. He wants to assess Colorado's water infrastructure to make sure it's not at risk to terrorism.

"The single most important issue is who stands for you on water," Smith said.

He said he'd monitor the Patriot Act and wouldn't hesitate to eliminate it or reform it if it infringed in Americans' personal freedoms.