Congressional candidates battle for District 22

MIAMI (WSVN) -- 7News continues to examine the candidates and issues with a focus on the hot race for District 22.

Both Adam Hasner and Lois Frankel are political veterans. Hasner, the republican, served in the state legislature for eight years. He is now pushing a message of Washington responsibility, saying he would term limit himself, never vote for a pay increase and doesn't stop there. "I will refuse a congressional pensions," he said, "and I support a very simple concept that says, if Washington doesn't pass a budget, members of congress shouldn't be paid. No budget, no pay."

Frankel, the democrat, served 14 years in Tallahassee and spent eight years after that as the mayor of West Palm Beach. Frankel says, when she finished as mayor, she was planning on just "taking it easy." But that changed. "I remember, one day, someone came up to me and begged me for a job," she said, "and as I came to the end of my term, I realized there were too many people suffering."

To revive the economy, Hasner speaks to reducing regulations and spending. "I have a message that is about getting our economy going again and getting our fiscal house in order," Hasner said.

Frankel touts, in part, investing in infrastructure. "Building the roads and bridges and broadband infrastructure," Frankel said.

Hasner wants to reform the tax code, and with it, lower corporate rates. "We need to reform our tax code to lower rates and eliminate the loopholes and exemptions," Hasner said. "We need to make our tax code simpler and fairer."

Frankel says there needs to be a shared sacrifice. "People who can pay more, pay more where tax incentives are given to corporations that keep jobs here, that tax exemptions are given to corporations who, for example, work with community colleges," she said.

Frankel is a supporter of the president's healthcare reform law. Hasner, who worked for 15 years in the healthcare industry, contends the Affordable Care Act will hurt the economy and amounts to a tax increase.

Frankel said Paul Ryan's Medicare plan would turn the program in to a voucher system. Hasner said Congress should pass a plan similar to Ryan's

One topic on which they both agree: unwavering support for Israel. "Israel is our most important and best friend and ally in the middle east," Frankel said. "We have a bond with Israel that goes past even the security."

Hasner said, "I've been speaking out about the threat of a nuclear Iran for over five years now, and it's an even more pressing threat today."

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