Locals comment on GOP debate

There were laughs, applause and conversation aplenty Thursday night as local Republicans met at the Duck Inn Vineyard Room to watch the televised debate between the party's leading 2016 presidential primary candidates.

The debate, hosted by Fox News Channel and Facebook took place at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. It saw the 10 candidates with the most support in opinion polls discuss a myriad of subjects ranging from national security to the fight against ISIS, the nuclear agreement with Iran, immigration, funding of Planned Parenthood and policy differences between the candidates. Earlier in the day Fox News hosted a debate for the other seven Republican candidates.

Andrew Brekke, chair of the Hill County Republican Party, said the viewing party afforded people the chance to begin a dialogue about issues and candidates.

"We tried to do this to give (people) the option to get together and visit," said Brekke. "It's one thing to sit at home and talk to your TV like I do or to go out and bounce ideas off other people."

Like with most viewers, the attention at the gathering was on Donald Trump who has been leading in a string of recent polls. The pugnacious billionaire real estate developer and former "Apprentice" host has won the plaudits of many conservatives for his take-no-prisoners' attitude but has come under fire for, among other things, comments about Mexican immigrants, women and the military service of former POW and 2008 Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.

Many of the 16 or so attendees at the local gathering had mixed feelings about Trump, saying he is both giving voice to frustration within the country with the political establishment, but at the same time exhibiting a thin skin.

"I'm glad he's pulling the Republican Party back to where it belongs, but I don't want him to be my president," said Montana State Sen. Kris Hansen, R- Havre. "You can't be the leader of the free world and take everything personally."

Most of Trump's answers — such as his response to questions about past crude statements he made about women such as comedian Rosie O'Donnell, taking credit for raising the issue of immigration in the campaign and questions about past donations he made to Democrats - were met with laughter and eye rolls.

"There's your proof he is not a Republican," said Brekke, after it was brought up that Trump had in the past given campaign contributions to Democratic House Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., a favorite target of conservatives. "No Republican would ever give a penny of money to Nancy Pelosi."

At the same time, Brekke said the sentiment of candidates such as Trump and former neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson who eschew political correctness, which they say prevents the country from tackling issues such as immigration and protecting the country, do resonate with him.

"In my opinion we've become a politically correct society where we are afraid to stand up for what we believe in," said Brekke. "We've become a society that's just complacent. Where we allows people to tell us what to do on the world stage, but people still expect us to be there with our money and or military."

Attendees also gave plaudits to other candidates, such as Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who has fashioned himself as a conservative reformer who took on public service unions and what he deems as other liberal interest groups in his state.

"I thought Scott Walker was pretty strong," said Brekke of the Wisconsin governor who has fashioned himself as a conservative reformer for taking on the public sector unions within his state.

There was also praise for Carson.

Some wished the structure of the debate set up by Fox News had been different. Under the rules, the 10 candidates with the most support in an average of five national opinion polls could take part in the 7 p.m. debate. But in the age of the Internet, debate-viewer Julie Warburton said the televised debates are only one factor in sizing up candidates.

"With social media being today what it is, this gives us an idea of 'OK, I really like what he said about that, so I am going to do the research on my own and seeing what he has to say,'" said Warburton.

Brekke said overall the debate was a good start to the primary season.

"This is a good first start," he said. "It's just one of many."