Incumbent State Rep. Debbie Phillips, D-94 challenged Yolan Dennis, Republican candidate for the district seat, on controversies ranging from climate change to abortion Tuesday evening — with both candidates taking full advantage of the hour provided to them for a debate at the Athens Public Library.
Phillips and Dennis began the debate by speaking to a full audience on how they would earn Ohio University students’ votes.
Phillips discussed the work she’s done to try and improve the average college student’s political and educational experience.
Phillips also said she finds it frustrating when college students are turned away from the polls when trying to vote for the first time due to “bureaucratic reasons,” such as early voting hours.
Dennis, however, focused more on life after college, where she said students will need to “get a job to pay for their debt.”
“Jobs are hard to come by,” she said. “You are going to need someone who will stimulate that area to foster job growth.”
Stepping away from student voting, Phillips and Dennis turned the debate to national topics including abortion rights, where their opinions greatly differed.
Dennis said “abortion is a terrible thing,” adding that anyone who chooses to have an abortion should “think about the outcome.”
However, Phillips advocated for a woman’s right to choose. She said “lawmakers are not doctors,” furthering that politicians “can’t make those calls.”
Phillips said she supports medically-accurate sex education for young people, as well as providing access to contraceptives.
As the health debate continued, an audience member asked Phillips and Dennis about their respective stance on the common core, which sets an educational standard for English and math statewide.
Yolan said that she is not in favor of the common core program.
“It takes away power and decision making of our local educators, our teachers and our parents,” she said.
Phillips disagreed, saying that common core standards can sometimes be useful.
“We are able to understand that they’ve learned certain things,” she said.
An audience member also inquired how Phillips and Dennis might go about combating climate change, which Dennis replied she doesn’t believe in.
Councilwoman Chris Knisely, D-at large, wouldn’t comment on who she might vote for this November but said she felt both candidates were well intended.
“In all, both candidates are working hard to get their opinions out.”
jf311013@ohio.edu
