Prospective Democratic candidates looking to unseat Rep. Rob Wittman, R-Mechanicsville, shared similar views on gun control.
Vangie Williams, Edwin Santana and John Suddarth participated in a candidate forum on Thursday night at Legacy Hall.
The trio all agreed assault rifles should be banned and stricter background checks should be enforced. This comes on the heels of a mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.
“We have to look at how we were able to regulate the automotive industry and make cars safer. It wasn’t one law that did it. It was a comprehensive approach, we have to take the same approach with guns,” said Santana, who is a former Marine.
Williams, a strategic planner for Science Applications International Corporation, said she would refuse money from the National Rifle Association.
“We need universal weapons checks. Period. Across all states,” Williams said.
Suddarth, a businessman and an Army veteran, like his counterparts said he would ban assault weapons.
“We have to stop pretending it’s not easy access to weapons that cause mass destruction,” Suddarth said.
It will be a tall task for whoever wins the Democratic ticket to overtake Wittman, who has had a firm hold on the seat for the last decade.
Wittman has held the district seat since 2007. As of today, a Republican has not filed to run against Wittman, according to VPAP.org.
The Democratic party primary will take place on June 12. The election is on Nov. 8.
Dr. Rachel Bitecofer, the assistant director of the Wason Center for Public Policy and lecturer in government at Christopher Newport University, moderated the hour-and-a-half-long event. About 50 people were in attendance.
The candidates also used their opening and closing statements to highlights some other areas of importance to them.
Suddarth said he wants all the counties in the district to have access to broadband internet.
Williams said if elected she would push to bring more jobs to the district and practice sound government spending.
Santana said he would like to improve public education and address climate change.
