OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — OTOC hosted a candidate accountability session focusing on community issues that matter to our neighbors. 11 candidates for U.S. Senate, U.S. House and the State Legislature attended.
- Nearly 400 members attended the OTOC Candidate Accountability Session at St. Pius X Catholic Church in North Omaha.
- Kristin Caniglia emphasized the importance of immigration issues due to her immigrant mother.
- Marie Holiday focused on preserving ballot initiatives for better informed voting.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Holding potential lawmakers accountable by asking them the questions important to our neighbors.The non-partisan organization Omaha Together One Community (OTOC) hosted a candidate accountability session focusing on key federal and state issues from immigration policies to unemployment insurance access.
At St. Pius X Catholic Church in North Omaha, nearly 400 members of OTOC came to listen to candidates talk about their stance on issues important to them.
Kristin Caniglia is a member of the Sacred Heart Parish and came to hear about immigration issues.
"My mom is an immigrant. So, immigrant issues are very important to me. I wish they would have talked about the school issue, the ballot issue," said Caniglia.
Other members like Marie Holiday wanted to hear about preserving ballot initiatives.
"And so I think knowing what else they would support is also a good thing to know in order to mark the ballot," said Holiday.
11 candidates for the U.S. House, Senate, and Nebraska Legislature were asked specific questions relating to these issues and more, including child care access, humanitarian parole, driver's license access, and unemployment insurance access.
"This is a super important issue and really just make sure that working families have what they need at the bare minimum," said Ashlei Spivey, a candidate for the Nebraska Legislature.
"People are going to be driving, if we want them to be driving safe, we want them to be driving within the system, we want them to be driving with insurance, we should make sure that they have a driver's license and have an opportunity to get that," said John Cavanaugh, a candidate for the Nebraska Legislature.
"I think it's important for us to have civil conversations, even with others that have different opinions than us," said Caniglia,
"I think it was good. I think it was good. I think it was effective and it's good to hear each candidate say where they are, you know, when you put a face behind the name," said Holiday.
Each candidate also committed to meeting with OTOC if they are elected within the first 100 days in office to build a public relationship and discuss how they can work together on the issues presented.
