Click here to subscribe today or Login.
WILKES-BARRE — Joe Sestak is pinning his hopes on the people of Pennsylvania.
Sestak, 64, of Delaware County, shrugged off the lack of endorsements that one of his fellow candidates has secured and said he will capitalize on the growing anti-establishment mood of the voters.
“I guess you can say I have a reputation for independence,” Sestak said during a meeting Monday with the Times Leader Opinion Board. “I think most people today are of the opinion that the establishment can’t be trusted. I think that lack of trust has deepened in recent years.”
Sestak is seeking the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate in the April 26 Pennsylvania Primary. He is opposed by Katie McGinty and John Fetterman. The primary winner will face Republican incumbent Sen. Pat Toomey in November.
Sestak said he will not participate in “transactional leadership” — defining that as “we give you this, then you do that” politics.
“I’m doubling down on what I saw in 2010,” Sestak said, referring to the year he defeated Sen. Arlen Specter in the Democratic primary before losing to Toomey by two percentage points in the general election. “I’m doubling down on the people approach.”
That’s why Sestak completed a statewide “Walking in Your Shoes” campaign, meeting with people in all parts of Pennsylvania to, as he put it, learn what issues are most important to the ones he would serve.
“It’s jobs and wages,” he said. “Not just a job, but a good-paying job. And education — people feel the way ahead is through education.”
Sestak said he has raised about $4.5 million to date and expects to spend most of that between now and the primary. He said 98 percent of his campaign contributions have come from people giving $200 or less.
On the issues:
• Sestak favors raising the minimum wage to $10.80 per hour. He said at that rate, few jobs would be lost. He said the increase would help about 3 million Americans, but he said the larger issue is that the average wage for all Americans needs to increase.
• Small businesses are the key to creating new jobs, Sestak said. He said that 70 percent of all new jobs are created by small businesses. He favors easing regulations, improving access to investment capital and lessening the tax burden on small businesses. He expects a return of manufacturing jobs from overseas and supports improving the community colleges to be able to train workers for those jobs.
• Supports improving the Affordable Care Act. He said the ACA has extended the solvency of Medicare through 2030 and has made it possible for Americans to take greater control over their own health care.
“If you have a pre-existing condition, insurance companies cannot deny or drop you from plans,” Sestak said. “The rate of uninsured Americans has dropped to 10 percent – a historic low.”
• Sestak favors stronger immigration enforcement and supports a detailed path to citizenship. He said any path to naturalization for undocumented immigrants should include stringent requirements: significant fines for having violated immigration laws, repayment of any back taxes, criminal background checks, proof of employment and passing a basic English language test.
• Sestak feels free college education is not possible. He said college students “should have some skin in the game.” He favors lowering the interest rates on college loans.
Expects party unity
Sestak said if he is his party’s nominee, he expects support from party leadership.
“In a year of anti-establishment sentiment, it’s good that I am walking to my own drummer,” Sestak said. “Let me make it clear — this is not about party or type, it’s the people that matter most.”
