Camp, Wirth battle for U.S. House seat in 4th District


Rep. Dave Camp, R-Mich., is fighting to maintain his seat in the 4th Congressional District in the upcoming House race against Democratic challenger Debra Wirth.

Camp has represented Michigan's 4th District since 1992, and the 10th District the year before that. He currently serves as the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.

Wirth has practiced law for more than 20 years as a personal injury attorney, and, according to her website, became interested in the House race after seeing Camp "abysmally fail" to move forward with a federal budget.

“It disturbs me that this congressional representative consistently puts special interests and party politics ahead of the people who elected him as their representative,” Wirth said on her website.

Camp says on his website that his No. 1 priority in Congress is to foster economic growth and job creation by focusing on reducing spending and cutting wasteful programs.

"I am focused on fostering economic growth and job creation by advancing legislation in four areas: reducing out-of-control federal spending; preventing tax hikes while pursuing comprehensive tax reform; enhancing America’s global competitiveness by increasing trade and better enforcing U.S. trade laws; and reducing unnecessary and burdensome federal regulations," Camp said.

Wirth, on the other hand, believes in refocusing the role of the federal government to better address and prioritize the specific needs of the public. Medicare and Social Security are important safety nets, she says.

"We must make hard choices to reign in the Federal deficit by prioritizing the health, safety and well-being of Michigan’s families against those of special interests," Wirth says on her website.

Camp agrees that Social Security is important for Americans, particularly as life expectancy continues to increase, but said the system needs some drastic reforms in order to meet 21st century needs.

Both Camp and Wirth agree that the agricultural industry is vital in Michigan, though they favor differing methods of promoting it in order to create jobs.

Camp supports deregulation of farming practices in order for farms to reach their full potential.

"I have also heard from numerous farmers concerned about new, unnecessary, and burdensome federal regulations proposed by the Obama Administration that would negatively impact farming operations," he said. "I have been proud to support numerous bills that have passed the House that seek to scale back the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) radical regulatory agenda and protect the ability of Michigan farmers to grow and sell their products."

Wirth wishes to continue with measures that are eco-friendly.

"We are proud that Michigan farmers have led the nation in environmentally sound and humane practices and we should support those efforts," she said.

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