Forumpalooza

Winners and Losers column by Chris Graham
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WINNERS: Augusta County voters
I counted eight candidates in four contested races and two others running unopposed in attendance at the candidates forums sponsored by The Augusta Free Press and The New Dominion last week.
Credit to the candidates for arriving early, staying late, talking with constituents before and after the forums, and otherwise engaging to the utmost in the process.
I can rightly say now that it’s over with that Augusta County will be in good hands no matter what happens on Nov. 6.

WINNER: Arin Sime
A reader submitted a question on abortion rights for our AFP/ND 24th Senate District candidates forum last week – and it might have been the question of the night for Arin Sime, the Libertarian nominee who was able to reiterate a stance on the issue that he first brought up last year that seems to be a break from traditional Libertarian Party orthodoxy.
Sime said he would vote for legislation putting restrictions on a woman’s right to choose – putting him in line with Republican Sen. Emmett Hanger and perhaps more importantly with conservative voters who might also be quite fond of Sime’s strong fiscal-conservative platform.
I have to wonder if Sime might not have picked himself up some votes after the forum was over and done with …

Chris Graham is the executive editor of The Augusta Free Press.