Reporter

LGBT discussions dominated the Mayoral Debate held by CSU Bakersfield’s Public Relations Student Society of America Thursday, May 19 in the Student Housing East multi-purpose room.

Of the 25 candidates that will be on the ballot come the June 7 primary, 16 were in attendance at Thursday’s mayoral debate: Nathan Nemnich, Marc DeLeon, Gregory Tatum, Karen Goh, Gilberto De La Torre, Alex Merrill, T.J. Esposito, Tanner Thompson, Michael Harmon, William Minnick, Benjamin Weigel, Valiant Robinson, Scott Monroe, Kevin Blanton, Addison Chavez and Tyrone Smith.

The candidates were arranged into four groups, three with four candidates and the last with five. Each group was asked an individual question and every candidate within that group was given 60 seconds to answer the question posed by the moderator.

The 16 candidates answered questions about police relations, library privatization, stimulating the economy, air pollution, homelessness and the growing LGBT community within Bakersfield.

However, of all the questions asked, none stirred more controversy than the question concerning the LGBT community.

“Would you participate and walk in an LGBT parade and would you be supportive of that?” asked moderator Jose Gaspar.

This question garnered many different responses from the crowd and the candidates, but none made the crowd react more than the response of candidate Karen Goh, who they felt was not giving them a straight answer.

“I have private views and public views,” said Goh. “When I am in private, I have my own personal views, but when I am in the public, I have the views of the public.”

Many community members thought this response along with many others answered by the candidates were too vague and did not give them a proper response to their questions.

When it came time for the audience to ask questions, the LGBT related question was proposed again trying to get better clarity on the subject.

Again unsatisfied by the candidates’ responses, the crowd began to shout comments like, “It’s a yes or no question,” “Spin doctor,” and “Career politician,” to a number of the candidates, but due to her earlier response, most of the audience’s attention was focused on Goh.

Additionally, Gaspar asked candidates De La Torre and Merrill how they planned to keep the peace between the Bakersfield police and the community.

“Bring the community and law enforcement together and limit the deaths,” said De la Torre.

“Our police are great,” said Alex Merrill. “We do not want our police to be handcuffed or restricted in any way.”

The next question addressed the production of hemp, the source of a valuable fiber that could be used to make fabrics, cosmetics, fuel, building materials, rope, plastic alternatives as well as medical marijuana.

“No one answered your question,” said Harmon. “Hemp is not medical marijuana. Everyone spoke of marijuana but that is not what hemp is. So to answer your question sir, yes; we should produce hemp. We need to be ahead of the curve.”

Those attending the debate were unhappy with the responses that they received from the candidates, and some were left unsure as to who they would be voting for in the upcoming election.

“I still don’t know what [mayoral candidate] I will be voting for. From my point of view, I just don’t like bullshit,” said retiree Hoang Ngo, 68, referring to Goh’s response.

Though it may have seemed like most of the audience was displeased with the outcome of the debate, many of them walked away with a better understanding of who it was they wanted to vote for.

“I think [the debate] gave knowledge to which candidate knows what is going on locally,” said political science and philosophy major Ricardo Escobar, 20.

Construction worker Jim Witmyer, 57, felt that the debate was a good way to find out more about the candidates running for the mayor position.

“I think the most important thing you find out are the characteristics of the candidates, because they are going to say what they have to,” said Witmyer. “We come here to learn the candidate’s beliefs, and how they are.”