Print edition: 
Republican candidates for Kansas' 4th Congressional District urged audience members at a debate in Wichita on Wednesday to look hard at their backgrounds to see how they differ from each other.
During the debate, most of them came out against government regulation and for tax code reform, limited spending and job growth.
The candidates — state Sen. Jean Schodorf, businessman Mike Pompeo, oilman Wink Hartman and retired airline pilot and small business owner Jim Anderson — took part in a debate at the Orpheum Theatre, 200 N. Broadway. The event was hosted by the Sedgwick County Republican Party and the Wichita Pachyderm Club. About 400 people attended.
Engineer Paij Rutschman, who filed for the race close to the deadline, did not participate.
The candidates are competing for the nomination to replace U.S. Rep. Todd Tiahrt, who is running for U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback's Senate seat; Brownback is running for Kansas governor.
Rep. Raj Goyle, D-Wichita, is running for his party's 4th District nomination against Robert Tillman, a retired court services officer.
Differences among the Republican candidates were seen in what issues they chose to emphasize.
Schodorf said she was running to bring jobs to the district and to help seniors, children and people with disabilities.
Anderson said the country is in trouble and its freedom needs to be protected. He called himself the common-sense candidate.
Hartman said he has proven that he can create jobs and businesses.
Pompeo said the country is on the brink of losing its greatness and wants the government to return to doing the two things it's supposed to do — keep Americans safe and stay out of their way.
Anita Cochran, an instructor at Wichita State University and former television news anchor, served as moderator.
Questions from Cochran addressed issues as diverse as the Middle East, the BP oil spill, trade restrictions against Cuba and abortions on U.S. military bases.
On the issue of job creation, Hartman said the biggest problem is the income tax structure, which he said takes money away from small businesses and families. Government regulation also sits on the backs of businesses, he said.
"The list is endless of what the government does, and it should stop," Hartman said.
Anderson said the tax system should be replaced with a fair tax.
"They control us through the tax code. They manipulate us through the tax code," he said.
Schodorf said she was the only candidate who had actually voted on taxes. She said the country needs to keep the President George W. Bush tax cuts in place, and she said she wants to create incentives to bring businesses to the district.
Pompeo said Kansas went the wrong way when legislators passed a sales tax increase in the last session.
"If we're talking about growing jobs here, we've got to create an environment that will encourage people to bring their businesses here," he said.
Asked by Cochran if there were any parts of the new health care reform law they liked, only Schodorf cited any examples. She said she likes that people with pre-existing conditions won't lose insurance if they change jobs, and that young people can remain on their parents' insurance.
The others harshly condemned the law.
Anderson urged its repeal, calling it unconstitutional. The free-market system should drive the health care system, he said.
"There is nothing in that plan that I think is a benefit to our citizens," he said. "What we do need is tort reform."
Pompeo said he's not sure anybody knows what's in the law, including those who passed it. He called it "radically undemocratic," and said there was no bill that would destroy jobs in the district more than that one.
Hartman also urged that the law be repealed, saying that it would cost jobs and that the free market should prevail.
"Free enterprise has taken this country a long way," he said.
