By admin 
Candidates in California’s 3rd Congressional District met with voters Thursday night in hopes of spreading their message ahead of the June 2 primary election.
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A new face will represent the district in Washington, D.C. The seat currently belongs to Rocklin Rep. Kevin Kiley, who now identifies as an independent but caucuses with Republicans. He is running the neighboring 6th District this election cycle.
The 3rd District looks different because of California’s Proposition 50. It now includes parts of Sacramento, Folsom, Rancho Cordova, Auburn, Truckee and South Lake Tahoe, and no longer includes local Republican strongholds like Roseville and Lincoln, potentially giving a Democratic edge this year.
Eight . Democratic candidates include Nevada County Supervisor Heidi Hall; 6th District U.S. Rep. Ami Bera, D-Elk Grove; Army veteran Chris Bennett; and radio personality Lyndon “Pacey” Cervantes. Republican candidates are Nevada County Supervisor Robb Tucker, Realtor Christine Bish and community advocate Laura Koscki. Retired software programmer Chris Richardson is running as a Green Party candidate.
Vera, Tucker and Richardson didn’t attend Thursday’s forum at the Maple Neighborhood Center in Sacramento’s South City Farms, where candidates discussed topics like the workforce, transgender rights and President Donald Trump.
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Unions, federal minimum wage
Candidates were asked how they would support workers if elected, particularly how they would support raising wages and ensure safe working conditions. Most attending candidates said they’d support unions.
“My father was a high school teacher, and he taught me that (being part of a union) was the best way people could get fair wages and fair protections, and I’ve been a supporter of unions all my life,” Hall said.
While Bish said she grew up in a union family, she expressed concern about the politics of unions and supports the right to work.
“If people want to organize, they should be free to do that, but if you have a job and you choose not to belong to a union that should be your option,” Bish said.
Cervantes and Bennett directly said they support a federal minimum wage increase. The federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour was set in 2009. California’s minimum wage is $16.90 per hour.
“The federal minimum wage can legally drive,” Cervantes said. “The federal minimum wage can legally join the military next year.”
Bennett also said he would support tuition-free higher education.
“If you’re not investing in education, you’re not investing in anything,” he said.
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Transgender rights
Later on in the forum candidates were asked where they stand on transgender rights, sparking a range of answers.
The Democratic slate of Hall, Cervantes and Bennett expressed support for transgender people, calling it a human rights issue.
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“Trans people deserve human rights, just like every other person deserves human rights,” Hall said. “They deserve healthcare, just like the rest of us deserve healthcare.”
Bish said the transgender community deserves civil rights but not special privileges.
“We shouldn’t be discriminating or giving any special privileges to anyone based on their race, their religion or what sex they choose to be,” Bish said. “The difference is we should not have taxpayers forced to pay for their choices, whether they are born or believe they were born in the wrong body.”
Koscki expressed concerns about the transgender community’s suicide rate, saying it’s a mental health discussion. About 81% of transgender adults nationwide have suicidal thoughts, according to the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law.
“If you really care about the trans community, you would be out there in the community working with the youth,” Koscki said. “The outdoors provides that environment, and I think you would have a decrease in this mentality that they need to change their sex to fit in.”
Cervantes, who spoke after Koscki, said he believes rhetoric surrounding the transgender community cause mental health woes.
“The suicide rate, especially for trans children, are up just because they are being told they should not and could not exist,” Cervantes said.
President Donald Trump
Candidates were also split when asked if they would support impeaching Trump. All three Democrats in attendance said they would support his impeachment while the two Republicans said they wouldn’t jump at the opportunity to do so.
“We need to impeach the president,” Bennett said. “We need to impeach everyone who has been part of his regime.”
Before moving to impeach Trump, Bish said she would need concrete evidence to support accusations against him. Bish also said she wants to hold members of Congress accountable for insider trading.
“I would like to go after the members of Congress for insider trading, for taking gifts, taking junket trips, facilitating fraud (and) passing giant omnibus bills,” Bish said.
Koscki told forum attendees she supports the president and would not consider impeaching Trump.
“I think he’s the best president ever,” Koscki said. “He’s really supportive, and the majority of Americans support him, even around the world.”
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