By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
Commonly known as “The Big First,” Kansas’s 1st congressional district includes a pair of challengers to two-time incumbent Tracey Mann. Democrat Paul Buskirk and Republican Eric Bloom are the two challengers and both showed up to the candidate forum last week in Great Bend hosted by the League of Women Voters.
Buskirk, from Lawrence, felt strongly about the strengthening Medicare.
"Medicare is not stable past 2036," said Buskirk. "Our stewards of social security and Medicare tell us that the money will run out for social security, to make full payments, in 2035. I believe our current folks in Washington apparently don't think that's a priority or they think it's so far away that we don't have to worry about it."
Bloom, also from Lawrence, recognized his campaign funding is different from former Lieutenant Governor Tracey Mann.
"I can tell you the only bank account I have for this is my wife and my back account," said Bloom. "I haven't taken a single dollar and I don't plan on it. It probably means in our government, you have zero chance. I was still able to put my money down, drive across the state a couple different times and it's because I believe in democracy. You never what might just happen. I might be able to overcome a hill of money."
You can watch below the entire candidate forum from last week in Great Bend that was livestreamed by Eagle Media.