The three candidates to represent Arkansas’ U.S. House District 3 are debating the issues in Conway. 40/29’s Yuna Lee is among the panelists asking questions. Stream the debate live in the video player above.Michael Kalagias (L), Lauren Mallett-Hays (D) and Steve Womack (R) will appear on the ballot.Arkansas PBS is hosting the debate.Plans for growth and affordable housing40/29’s Yuna Lee asked the candidates about growth, infrastructure and affordable housing. Michael Kalagias said no new taxes are needed to pay for growth and that bus services should be cut due to a lack of demand. Steve Womack talked about his experience as Mayor of Rogers and the need to include wastewater treatment in discussions about infrastructure. Lauren Mallett-Hays talked about how light rail could help the area and that Congress needs to find ways to make housing affordable. Inflation & the economyThe three candidates agreed that inflation is a global problem. Kalagiqas said tax cuts are the best way to stimulate the economy and that spending needs to be cut as well. Womack agreed that the federal government should spend less money. Mallett-Hays cited corporate price gouging as one driver of inflation.Future of Social SecurityMallett-Hays said the budget needs to be balanced and that Social Security can be balanced by finding and fixing inefficiencies. Kalagias said Social Security won’t last forever. Womack said there needs to be bipartisan structural change and that he has previously pushed for a bill to raise the age of Medicaid eligibility.Pollution & Climate ChangeKalagias said pollution concerns should be handled by voluntary carpooling, planting trees and not watering lawns. He said the country already has good standards on pollution. Womack said the U.S. should produce its own energy rather than getting it from other countries, and that the U.S. needs more nuclear power plants. Mallett-Hays said the country needs more electric vehicles, public transportation and freight trains.Invasion of UkraineKalagias said he supports Ukraine but says the U.S. doesn’t have enough money to help. Womack and Mallett-Hays agreed that the U.S. should help Ukraine and that Putin poses a large threat to Europe.Federal Abortion Ban?Kalagias and Womack both said they would support a federal abortion ban. Mallett-Hays said abortion should be legal.Helping HospitalsMallett-Hays said nurses and other medical professionals won’t stay in Arkansas if they aren’t paid very well and have high student loans to pay off. Kalagias said there are too few nurses and blamed the U.S. government for the high cost of health care. Womack said he has appropriated money to medical school education and thinks there should be more of it.Candidates For OfficeMichael Kalagias is a veteran of the U.S. Navy, a retired public school teacher and is on the Board of Directors for the Avoca Fire Department.Steve Womack is currently serving his fifth term in Congress. The 3rd District seat has been represented by a Republican since 1967.Womack has served in congress since 2011. Womack is the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government and also serves on the Subcommittee on Defense and the Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies. He previously served as mayor of Rogers.Lauren Mallett-Hays is a speech-language pathologist at Washington Regional Medical Center.U.S. House District 3Arkansas’ U.S. House district boundaries were changed after the 2020 U.S. Census.District 3 covers Benton, Carroll, Crawford, Madison and Washington counties, along with most of Sebastian County. Follow this link for a district map.Voters can check their new precincts and districts at Arkansas’ Voter View website. They can also see a sample ballot.Debate ScheduleMonday:U.S. House District 4: 10 a.m.U.S. House District 3: 1 p.m.Tuesday:Lt. Governor: 10 a.m.Secretary of State: 2 p.m.Wednesday:Attorney General: 10 a.m.Thursday:U.S. House District 1: 10 a.m.U.S. House District 2: 2 p.m.Friday:Governor: 10 a.m.U.S. Senate: 1 p.m.
The three candidates to represent Arkansas’ U.S. House District 3 are debating the issues in Conway. 40/29’s Yuna Lee is among the panelists asking questions. Stream the debate live in the video player above.
Michael Kalagias (L), Lauren Mallett-Hays (D) and Steve Womack (R) will appear on the ballot.
Arkansas PBS is hosting the debate.
Plans for growth and affordable housing
40/29’s Yuna Lee asked the candidates about growth, infrastructure and affordable housing.
Michael Kalagias said no new taxes are needed to pay for growth and that bus services should be cut due to a lack of demand. Steve Womack talked about his experience as Mayor of Rogers and the need to include wastewater treatment in discussions about infrastructure. Lauren Mallett-Hays talked about how light rail could help the area and that Congress needs to find ways to make housing affordable.
Inflation & the economy
The three candidates agreed that inflation is a global problem. Kalagiqas said tax cuts are the best way to stimulate the economy and that spending needs to be cut as well. Womack agreed that the federal government should spend less money. Mallett-Hays cited corporate price gouging as one driver of inflation.
Future of Social Security
Mallett-Hays said the budget needs to be balanced and that Social Security can be balanced by finding and fixing inefficiencies. Kalagias said Social Security won’t last forever. Womack said there needs to be bipartisan structural change and that he has previously pushed for a bill to raise the age of Medicaid eligibility.
Pollution & Climate Change
Kalagias said pollution concerns should be handled by voluntary carpooling, planting trees and not watering lawns. He said the country already has good standards on pollution. Womack said the U.S. should produce its own energy rather than getting it from other countries, and that the U.S. needs more nuclear power plants. Mallett-Hays said the country needs more electric vehicles, public transportation and freight trains.
Invasion of Ukraine
Kalagias said he supports Ukraine but says the U.S. doesn’t have enough money to help. Womack and Mallett-Hays agreed that the U.S. should help Ukraine and that Putin poses a large threat to Europe.
Federal Abortion Ban?
Kalagias and Womack both said they would support a federal abortion ban. Mallett-Hays said abortion should be legal.
Helping Hospitals
Mallett-Hays said nurses and other medical professionals won’t stay in Arkansas if they aren’t paid very well and have high student loans to pay off. Kalagias said there are too few nurses and blamed the U.S. government for the high cost of health care. Womack said he has appropriated money to medical school education and thinks there should be more of it.
Candidates For Office
Michael Kalagias is a veteran of the U.S. Navy, a retired public school teacher and is on the Board of Directors for the Avoca Fire Department.
Steve Womack is currently serving his fifth term in Congress. The 3rd District seat has been represented by a Republican since 1967.
Womack has served in congress since 2011. Womack is the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government and also serves on the Subcommittee on Defense and the Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies. He previously served as mayor of Rogers.
Lauren Mallett-Hays is a speech-language pathologist at Washington Regional Medical Center.
U.S. House District 3
Arkansas’ U.S. House district boundaries were changed after the 2020 U.S. Census.
District 3 covers Benton, Carroll, Crawford, Madison and Washington counties, along with most of Sebastian County. Follow this link for a district map.
Voters can check their new precincts and districts at Arkansas’ Voter View website. They can also see a sample ballot.
Debate Schedule
Monday:
U.S. House District 4: 10 a.m.
U.S. House District 3: 1 p.m.
Tuesday:
Lt. Governor: 10 a.m.
Secretary of State: 2 p.m.
Wednesday:
Attorney General: 10 a.m.
Thursday:
U.S. House District 1: 10 a.m.
U.S. House District 2: 2 p.m.
Friday:
Governor: 10 a.m.
U.S. Senate: 1 p.m.
