The News Journal, October 21, 2008

Education and spending were the main topics discussed Monday at a debate at Hockessin Memorial Hall for candidates vying for two state Senate seats and lieutenant governor.

Candidates for the 4th and 6th Senate Districts fielded questions from the Hockessin Area Development Association, before the candidates for lieutenant governor, Republican Charlie Copeland and Democrat Matt Denn, addressed health care and education.

“In respect to public education, dealing with those issues has a lot to do with the economy, both in the short term and the long term,” Denn said.

Both candidates said their campaign has been positive, and focused on the issues.

“I’m the only candidate of the four running for lieutenant governor or governor that has actually created jobs in the last 15 years,” Copeland said. “That’s what we need to turn our economy around, someone who can create jobs in Delaware.”

When asked about health insurance for children, the lieutenant governor candidates had different outlooks on providing government assistance.

Copeland cited programs in other states that have insured children by providing assistance to parents who are unable to afford the insurance costs and assistance for health issues that are common. He also suggested assisting small businesses by providing monetary aid to companies that can’t afford coverage.

Copeland supports allowing people to purchase insurance from companies based in other states, a move he said increases competition among providers, and lowers costs.

Denn said he has introduced a plan to insure all of Delaware’s children, including increasing enrollment in the state’s CHIP program and allowing parents to insure their children, but not themselves, through employer coverage.

Denn said he disagrees with Copeland’s stance on deregulating health care coverage by allowing people to purchase it out-of-state. He said this could cause problems for people seeking claims to be paid and finding doctors…