Jim Reed, the Democratic candidate for the Second Congressional District, visited Mount Shasta July 4 to ride in the parade and promote his campaign to unseat incumbent Republican Wally Herger in the November election.
Reed hails from Fall River where he owns a ranch and runs a law practice that boasts 10 employees. According to the campaign website, Reed has an electrical engineering degree, is a licensed private pilot and claims many hours of pro bono legal work for community organizations.
“Wally Herger has gotten lazy,” Reed said while in Mount Shasta for the Fourth of July. “He used to have an organization with offices in the district to help people. Over his 24 years in Congress, it has fallen apart.”
Reed points out that District 2 federal funding falls behind the national average for rural communities.
“The national average is $18,000 per person. District 2 is approximately $13,000. When you take into account the population, that is a difference of $100,000,000,” Reed said. “We need someone in Congress who will represent the interests of the people.”
Reed says that Herger's record shows he votes the Republican party line 94 percent of the time.
“Herger is not representing us,” Reed said. “He is representing the Republican party.”
Reed says he is a fiscal conservative and a moderate on social issues.
“A Republican can vote for me knowing I’ll be working hard,” Reed said.
On Afghanistan, Reed supports President Obama sending more troops and the withdrawal deadline.
“The Afghan government needs to know that we are leaving so they step up and take charge,” Reed said.
On abortion, Reed supports a woman’s right to choose even though he does not like the procedure.
“If a woman asked if she should get an abortion, I would tell her not to,” Reed said. “But I do not have the right to deny her the Constitutional right to chose. I believe that a good education is the best way of avoiding unwanted pregnancies.”
On health care, Reed supports the reforms and the public option.
“Doing nothing was not an option,” Reed said. “The public option would have created needed competition to lower prices.”
Reed said he is still researching the Klamath dams issue.
“We need to come up with a solution that benefits all the stakeholders,” he said.
Reed’s campaign literature includes pointing to Herger’s appearance in Redding where he declared to a professed “proud right wing terrorist,” “Amen, God bless you, there’s a great American.”
“Herger’s comment was very inappropriate,” Reed said.
For more information, visit the website at www.reednow.com.
Mount Shasta, Calif. —
