U.S. Senate candidate questions

Tim Hagan

Party: Libertarian

Address: 7086 Orange Grove Lane, Las Vegas, NV 89119

Occupation: Electrical Engineer

Age: 57

E-mail: tim.hagan@lpnevada.org; Website: timhagan.us; Facebook: www.facebook.com/hagantimothy; Twitter: @trexhagan

Service: Treasurer, Libertarian National Committee, 2012-Present

Treasurer, Libertarian Party of Nevada, 1999-2007, 2009-2011, 2013-Present

Education: Master of Science in Electrical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 1993;

Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineer, Magna Cum Laude, Missouri University of Science & Technology, 1983

Platform: As an engineer, I am trained and experienced with solving difficult problems. I will provide better and cheaper solutions to healthcare, education, and immigration. The $21 trillion national debt is unsustainable as interest rates rise and must be reduced. As a 24-year resident of Nevada, I know the state and the people of Nevada.

What is one issue affecting the lives of Northern Nevadans that you would work to fix?

We need better and cheaper healthcare. The Affordable Care Act did not make health care affordable. We need to put patients in control of their care instead of the government and the insurance companies. Things like expanding Health Saving Accounts, allowing you to purchase medical insurance across state lines, and giving veterans the option of going to the doctors of their choice for service-related care instead of having to go to the VA hospital.

Dean Heller

Party: Republican

Address: 3502 S. Virginia St., Unit 2A, Reno, NV 89502

Occupation: U.S. Senator

Age: 58

Contact: Phone: 702-228-2012; Email: info@DeanHeller.com; Website:www.DeanHeller.com

Record of service: Nevada Assembly, Secretary of State, House of Representatives, and U.S. Senate

Education: Carson High School; Bachelors Degree in Business, University of Southern California

Platform: This election is about who can deliver for Nevada, and time and time again I’ve done exactly that. Whether it is passing legislation into law to keep this economy booming, stopping Yucca Mountain, or ensuring that our veterans receive the disability benefits that they’ve earned, I have successfully fought to make Nevada a better place for people to live, work and raise a family.

As the 5th most bipartisan U.S. senator, I have a record of crossing party lines, and will work with anyone, from any party, to fix a problem. Whether it’s a hospitality worker on the Las Vegas Strip, a high-tech employee in Reno, or a ranching family in rural Nevada, it is my job to be a champion for all Nevadans and promote policies that make it easier for them to get ahead. I will continue to fight for our veterans, cut regulations for small businesses, support hardworking families, and champion a government that works for you and not the other way around.

What is one issue affecting the lives of Northern Nevadans that you would work to fix?

When I crisscross our state the number one concern that I hear from hardworking Nevadans — particularly in Northern Nevada — is the need to create jobs and keep this economy booming.

It wasn’t too long ago when Nevada was in the throes of a Great Recession, leading the nation in foreclosures and high unemployment rates. Today, thanks to pro-growth policies that I’ve helped push into law, like tax reform, America — and Nevada — is back in business.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act has not only enabled investors and businesses to expand, hire and invest in our communities, but it has also directly impacted workers. Thousands of Nevadans have seen more money in their pockets, paychecks, and pensions because of these tax cuts. And because of my provision to double the Child Tax Credit from $1,000 to $2,000 per child, Nevada families finally are receiving the much-needed break that they deserve.

A healthy economy is not just about having a job, it is about being able to find a better job. Nevadans want to have a good-paying job that allows them to stay in their homes, pay for their cars, and keep their kids in school. By working with this administration and president, we’ve been able to do just that, and it is one of the key reasons that unemployment is at a nearly 50-year low and small-business owners’ optimism is at an all-time 35-year high.

As the son of a Carson City school cook and an auto mechanic, I know that Nevadans work hard for every dollar they earn. That is why I will continue to push for lower taxes for Nevadans and less government regulation for small business owners. We cannot afford to reverse this progress and go back to the days of burdensome regulations, higher taxes, sluggish growth, and stagnant wages. The economy matters, and it is why I’m committed to doing all I can to help move this state — and Nevada families — forward.

Jacky Rosen

Party: Democrat

Address: P.O. Box 27195, Las Vegas, NV 89126

Occupation: Member of Congress

Age: 61

Contact: info@rosenfornevada.com; rosenfornevada.com

Record of service: Elected in 2016 to represent Nevada’s 3rd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Education: University of Minnesota - Bachelor of Arts, 1979

Platform: As your next Senator, I will work tirelessly to strengthen the ladder of economic opportunity, whether it’s expanding our clean energy economy, improving our education system for the jobs of the future, raising incomes for working families, or improving your access to quality, affordable health care. Like many Nevadans, I’m deeply concerned about the direction of our country right now. As a member of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus in the House, I have a record of working across the aisle to find smart solutions on issues like rebuilding our infrastructure or combating the opioid epidemic. I will stand up to special interests and push for real reform to fix the dysfunction and abuse of taxpayer dollars in Washington. I believe in the need to pass comprehensive immigration reform that secures our borders, grows Nevada’s economy, and provides a path to citizenship. And with more than 200,000 veterans in Nevada, I’m working to raise pay for our troops, improve health care programs for veterans, combat veteran homelessness, and hold the VA accountable. I will always be a champion for hardworking Nevada families, and I’m running for Senate to fight for the state I’ve called home for nearly 40 years.

What is one issue affecting the lives of Northern Nevadans that you would work to fix?

Over and over again, Nevadans tell me they’re worried about health care, education, and having a good-paying job with a secure retirement.

I will always put Nevada’s families ahead of the politicians and special interests in Washington that want to cut our health care. I will never support the reckless Republican health care plans that end protections for people with pre-existing conditions and allow insurance companies to charge older Americans up to five times more than younger people. In Congress, I’ve introduced a resolution to defend the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act’s coverage protections for Americans with pre-existing conditions against a Republican lawsuit trying to overturn those protections in federal court.

Our health care system has real problems that we need to work together to fix. That’s why I’m working in Congress to develop bipartisan solutions to improve health care access and bring down costs by stabilizing the marketplaces, lowering premiums, and addressing Nevada’s doctor shortages. I signed on to and helped pass bipartisan legislation in the House to repeal the medical device tax, and I’ve introduced forward-thinking legislation to cap the rising costs of life-saving prescription drugs and limit monthly out-of-pocket costs for individuals and families.

We need better pay for our teachers and better funding to help improve Nevada’s struggling public schools. As a former computer programmer and software developer, I’ve made promoting science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education a top priority. My bipartisan education bills to help encourage young girls to pursue computer science and prioritize the learning and teaching of STEM subjects in early childhood passed the House unanimously.

As the first in my family to graduate from college, I believe in the opportunities education affords. Students at Nevada universities graduate with an average of $24,000 in student loan debt; this keeps higher education out of reach for far too many. In the Senate, I’ll continue fighting to lower interest rates on student debt and ensure that young people have access to a quality education that prepares them for jobs in a 21st century economy.

Supporting Nevada’s business community is essential to our long-term future. I’m leading efforts in Congress to incentivize research and development hiring at tech startups that are driving innovation, and I support fiscally responsible tax cuts for middle class families. With Nevada rapidly becoming a national leader in clean energy, I’m working to protect and grow Nevada’s solar industry which has created thousands of good-paying jobs across the state. We also need to invest more in vocational training and apprenticeship programs that will prepare Nevadans for high-tech and specialized jobs that require advanced skills.

In the Senate, I will fight back against efforts to privatize or weaken Social Security, and I will oppose efforts to cut Medicare benefits or convert the program into a privatized voucher system. I’m committed to defending Social Security and Medicare and will keep working to find solutions that guarantee we keep our promises to our seniors.

Independent American party candidate Kamau Bakari and Barry Michaels, no political party didn’t respond.