It was a familiar sight at the League of Women Voters forum Thursday evening, as the two men aiming to be State Representative in District 8 squared off in debate.
Incumbent Republican Walker Thomas has a return challenger in Democrat Jeff Taylor, who once claimed the seat during special election in 2016 before later losing to Thomas in the general election. The two debated several points Thursday, including new sales taxes, the role of news media in politics, public education and more.
On the subject of Medicaid reform put forth by Governor Matt Bevin, Taylor says he understand why the Governor would want to rollback coverage due to lack of funding, but he has to consider the Kentuckians who depend on it.
Thomas says he supports the Governor’s plan, including work requirements for able-bodied people.
Taylor argued that they should first find the people who are abusing the system before putting requirements on those who need the coverage. Thomas says a lot of people are having to work for their healthcare, and he doesn’t think it’s unfair to ask for a small co-pay.
Topics such as immigration, voter suppression and infrastructure were just some of the other issues discussed during the debate.
To hear the entire debate, listen below:
https://soundcloud.com/user-350001776/lwv-distrct-8-state-rep-debate