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U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright and Republican challenger Matt Connolly made their cases to voters Tuesday evening during a televised debate at PBS39 in Bethlehem. During the hourlong show, the two candidates for Pennsylvania's 17th Congressional District seat embraced their contrasts. Cartwright stressed his experience and work in Washington, D.C., while Connolly touted his outsider status. Cartwright, a 55-year-old civil attorney from Moosic, Lackawanna County, said he deserves a third term in Congress thanks to his hard work and ability to bring federal tax dollars to the region. He was recently appointed to the powerful House Committee on Appropriations, which will give the Lehigh Valley another influential voice on how Congress decides to allocate money, he said. Rep. Charlie Dent, R-15th, also serves on the committee. "I will continue to work hard for you as long as you keep me in office," he said. Connolly, a 50-year-old general contractor from Bethlehem Township, focused on how he would look to bring accountability to Washington. Failed policies and regulations are never reviewed, he said, wasting taxpayer money. If elected, he promised to upend that system. "I am not running against my opponent. I am running for the people of the 17th Congressional District and the people of this country," he said. Their different approaches defined most of the debate. After stressing his appointments and passage of a bill that could eliminate $1 billion in government waste, Cartwright asked Connolly to explain his stances on specific laws and policies, such as the $305 billion investment in transportation infrastructure under the FAST Act or the Delaware River Basin Commission's moratorium on fracking. In many instances, Connolly said he was unfamiliar with the specific issues before retreating to his approach about holding federal employees and Congress accountable for waste. Connolly, meanwhile, worked to paint Cartwright as an out-of-touch Washington insider. Nearly all of the bills Cartwright has introduced failed to pass, he pointed out. Later, he incredulously asked if Cartwright believed terrorism and climate change were linked. Cartwright stood by the claim, saying a drought in the Middle East helped spur on the Arab Spring that created unrest throughout the region. "It doesn't behoove us to bury our heads in the sand when climate change can raise upheaval in the Middle East," Cartwright said. "Islamic terrorism has been problem for 600 years," Connolly scoffed. In many ways, the two mirrored the presidential candidates in their recent debate. Cartwright highlighted his familiarity with policy a la Hillary Clinton and Connolly presenting himself as a fresh face in the same vein as Donald Trump. Even their attacks on one another echo the presidential race. Connolly asked how voters could trust that Cartwright isn't corrupt since he's tripled his net worth since taking office. Cartwright insisted he hadn't earned any money outside his salary as a congressman and said his wife's earnings as an attorney may account for any increased income. "I can guarantee you I am not doing anything corrupt," Cartwright said. He countered by noting Connolly has two federal liens on his home and asked why voters should place him in charge of overseeing the federal budget when he owes federal taxes. Connolly said the liens are part of an ongoing dispute with the IRS over money he never received. "I have paid taxes on everything I have earned," he said. "I don't like it when the government bullies around." The two did agree on some matters, such as their opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership that would lower trade barriers between the United States and Asian countries such as Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam. Both men agreed it would put American laborers at a disadvantage. The pair also agreed the Social Security cap on taxable income needs to be raised in order to keep the program solvent, though they differed on changes. In a normal election year, a Democratic incumbent in the 17th District would be a safe bet for re-election. With Easton, Wilkes-Barre and Scranton anchoring the population, registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by a 2-1 margin. However, Trump's appeal with white, blue-collar voters could complicate things in the district. The debate may have shaken up what has been a quiet election in the district, which includes Schuylkill County and portions of Carbon, Lackawanna, Monroe and Northampton counties. The debate was the result of a partnership among PBS39, The Morning Call, Muhlenberg College and the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce. Laura Olson, The Morning Call's Washington correspondent, and Christopher P. Borick, a political scientist and director of the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion, served as panelists in the debate while PBS39 Executive Producer Laura McHugh moderated. Rebroadcast The debate will be rebroadcast on PBS39/WLVT: •11 a.m. Sunday •11 p.m. Monday Read the original article here.