LD35 candidates square off

The three candidates from Kitsap Peninsula's  35th Legislative District, Rep. Kathy Haigh (D-Shelton), Brad Gehring (R-Bremerton) and Marco Brown (R-Belfair), met Wednesday to discuss campaign issues at an Eggs & Issues event sponsored by the Bremerton Area Chamber of Commerce, the Kitsap Sun reports.

Haigh emphasized her signature issue, support for education, by highlighting the need for government to push for better access to post-high school opportunities for young people.

"It's the most important investment we can make as a society," Haigh said. "But it isn't just K-12."

Both Brown and Gehring, meanwhile, tried to establish themselves as the candidate for the common man in part by calling for tax relief.

 Gehring, a Bremerton city councilman, felt his work in local government would help him.

"It seems to me our Legislature, they try to do the right thing, but they're not quite aware of the needs of the community," he said.

Brown also touched on inefficiencies in the state ferry system and an abundance of welfare recipients as problems with the current state government.

The Sun's Stephen Gardner also has a more informal take on the event in his blog.

Haigh has held the seat since 1999 and defeated Brown in 2006 by a 22 percent margin.