They've all cast themselves as Washington outsiders united against incumbent Democrat Niki Tsongas and her three-year track record as congresswoman in the 5th District.
But when it comes to their top priorities, Republicans Jon Golnik, Sam Meas, Bob Shapiro and Tom Weaver are split between job creation and reducing the national deficit.
All four Republicans will be at Mann Orchards in Methuen tomorrow night for a Town Hall-style debate cosponsored by The Eagle-Tribune, answering questions from both the audience and a panel.
The winner of the Sept. 14 primary election will face Tsongas in the Nov. 2 general election.
When asked what their top priority will be if elected, both Golnik and Meas answered job creation. Shapiro and Weaver said their focus will be on deficit reduction.
Golnik said he will push to lower the corporate tax rate from 35 to 30 percent and to loosen government regulation to help small businesses add jobs in a difficult economic climate.
"The engine of job creation has always been and always will be small-to-mid-size business," Golnik said. "The private sector has lost faith in the leadership in Washington, D.C. That's why no one's hiring."
Golnik, who lives in Carlisle, said what sets him apart from his three opponents in the primary election is that he can go on to beat Tsongas in November.
Golnik said he is campaigning with the best organization and has raised the most money out of the four Republicans vying for the 5th District seat.
"I've been outworking all my opponents," said Golnik. "I can win this race."
Meas, of Haverhill, wrote in an e-mail that he will get people back to work through "across the board tax cuts."
Meas wrote that he will serve as an advocate for all businesses, no matter the size, and will oppose future calls for industry bailouts or stimulus packages, which he believes don't work.
Meas wrote that he believes his background sets him apart from his three opponents. Meas was born in Cambodia and escaped from the country as a refugee before coming to America in 1986.
"I know what's it like to not have a job and fight and scrape for everything, so getting people back to work is very personal to me," wrote Meas. "I represent the American dream and right now I see it slipping away. I think I can bring back that chance for the American Dream for my kids and yours."
Shapiro, of Andover, said he will work to balance the federal budget without raising taxes.
He said $2 trillion in cuts are needed to truly address the national deficit.
"To me there is only one issue," Shapiro said. "Broadly it's the economy. More narrowly it's the deficit."
Without major budget cuts, Shapiro said the federal government is faced with either defaulting on its loans or printing more money at the risk of "massive inflation."
Shapiro said he would take a "zero-based" approach to budgeting and would start by eliminating the entire U.S. departments of education and energy.
"My three opponents don't recognize the magnitude of the problem," Shapiro said. "Sure it's extreme. ... It's a serious problem that few people recognize."
Weaver, too, said he would target the federal education and energy departments for elimination in an effort to reduce the national deficit and annual federal spending.
"We've got to stop spending," said Weaver. "We've got to get our debt under control."
Weaver said he wants to look for government programs that don't work and eliminate them.
"We have programs that aren't doing what they're supposed to do," said Weaver. "And yet we keep on spending money on them."
Both Shapiro and Weaver said the military would not be exempt from their cuts. A Navy veteran, Weaver said he would consider closing overseas military bases.
"We really have to look at where our forces go," said Weaver.
Weaver said his resume and background set him apart from his three opponents.
Weaver said he has lived in the 5th District for 31 years and is the owner of an environmental engineering business. He said his son is currently enlisted in the Navy.
Weaver also noted his "phenomenal" voting record. He is the only one of the four Republicans who cast a ballot in the 2007 special election won by Tsongas before she took office.
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Republican Debate
When: Tomorrow, 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Where: Mann Orchards, 27 Pleasant Valley St., Methuen
What: Town Hall-style debate featuring four Republican candidates for Congress, 5th District
Format: Questions from a panel and drawn at random from the audience
Sponsors: The Eagle-Tribune, Politically Active Broadcasting, Mann Orchards, Methuen Community Television and WCCM 1110 AM
Panel consists of Jamie Atkinson and George Scione of Politically Active Broadcasting and Ken Johnson and Al White from the The Eagle-Tribune.
The public is invited to attend and will be treated to refreshments. The debate will be aired live on eagletribune.com/tv, broadcast on WCCM 1110 AM Tuesday morning at 10 a.m., and aired Tuesday night at 9 p.m. on Methuen Community Television.
