If congressional candidate Michael Delavar could craft the nation’s gun laws, people with criminal histories would not be prohibited from owning firearms.
“The right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed, to me, is fairly clear,” Delavar told The Columbian’s editorial board Wednesday.
Delavar’s position on gun laws stands in stark contrast to the other two people vying to represent the 3rd Congressional District, Democrat Bob Dingethal and incumbent Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Camas. And although Delavar said gun control issues are not a central platform in his campaign, the topic is particularly timely this week after an ex-con with a history of violence allegedly shot a Vancouver police officer seven times.
“Free men are free men,” said Delavar, who is running as a Republican. Once felons have paid their debt to society by serving time in prison, they should be able to once again bear arms. He said his position includes people convicted of all crimes, such as domestic abuse.
Democrat Dingethal called gun violence in the country a “national disgrace” and said it’s time to “start working on reasonable gun laws.”
“We have to quit letting the NRA (National Rifle Association) determine what we do for the safety of kids in schools,” Dingethal said.
Herrera Beutler said it’s about “striking a constitutional balance.”
“I think good common sense says it’s both constitutional and the right thing to do that we keep guns out of the hands of people who have mental health issues, as declared by a judge,” she said. But she also believes “we shouldn’t limit people unduly.”
In a wide-ranging interview, the candidates discussed their motivations and laid out their positions on some of the hottest topics of the day, from the Affordable Care Act to the large oil-by-rail transfer terminal proposed for the Port of Vancouver.
Delavar said he was spurred to run for Congress because he doesn’t feel Herrera Beutler is following the Constitution faithfully.
Herrera Beutler, who is seeking her third term, said there is nobody that will “work harder for the people of Southwest Washington” than she will.
Dingethal said if elected, he would work to grow the middle class and “create a sustainable economy in an area that could boom for decades.”
Delavar said he would work to repeal the Affordable Care Act, calling it unconstitutional.
Herrera Beutler agreed President Barack Obama’s health insurance law should be repealed, but also replaced.
“I would support health insurance across state lines, I would support high-risk pools, I would support small-business health plans,” she said.
Dingethal said it’s a “very, very ambitious bill.”
“It’s a great framework. Just the fact that people won’t be discriminated against for health care for pre-existing conditions alone makes it worthwhile. Great framework, if we work together, it will become the best health care in the world,” he said.
And although the decision will ultimately be made at the state level, Dingethal said he was opposed to the proposed oil terminal while Delavar was in favor.
Herrera Beutler said it was not a black-and-white issue — she declined to say whether she was in favor or opposed — instead saying her role is to improve safety conditions for crude oil traveling by rail.
