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<p>KINGSTON &#8212; Republican state Rep. Aaron Kaufer and his Democratic challenger for 120th District&#8217;s seat in the state House, Bob McDonald, faced off against each other during a sometimes contentious debate Friday night at Wyoming Seminary.</p><p>More than 50 people turned out for the event, which was sponsored by the Wilkes-Barre Area League of Women Voters.</p><p>Kaufer, who is in his first term in the state House, said his tenure as a representative has been marked by a spirit of bipartisanship that has allowed him to work to pass legislation to better the lives of those he serves.</p><p>As an example, Kaufer cited his co-chairmanship of the PA Heroin, Opioid Prevention and Education Caucus, which consists of a bipartisan group of legislators.</p><p>McDonald, however, questioned Kaufer&#8217;s commitment to bipartisanship.</p><p>&#8220;You&#8217;ve said you vote as your party tells you to,&#8221; he said to Kaufer.</p><p>&#8220;That never happened,&#8221; Kaufer responded.</p><p>McDonald, 59, also hinted that the 28-year-old Kaufer is too young to be a representative.</p><p>&#8220;I don&#8217;t think Mr. Kaufer has the life experience or the courage to serve,&#8221; he said.</p><p>The two also hold different ideas about state oversight with Kaufer saying that undue regulations are an unnecessary burden on small business.</p><p>McDonald said state regulations are necessary especially in regard to the environment.</p><p>&#8220;We lived through what happened in the coal industry. Much of our wildlife had died.&#8221; McDonald said. &#8220;Oversight is a vital part of state government.&#8221;</p><p>Both Kaufer and McDonald said they would support the elimination of property taxes, but McDonald said he does not think that would become a reality.</p><p>&#8220;The Speaker of the House has already said that would never happen,&#8221; he said. &#8220;So let&#8217;s try to budget in such a way that we can reduce property taxes in the long term.&#8221;</p><p>Although the legislature was not able to pass legislation during this session eliminating property taxes, Kaufer said he was hopeful that a referendum would appear on the ballot next November eliminating property taxes on primary residences.</p><p>Kaufer cited work he has done to get rid of nuisance coal banks in Swoyersville, as an example of his commitment to the environment.</p><p>In closing, McDonald said there were several issues that remained unaddressed during the debate, including the minimum wage and ugliness of the presidential debate.</p><p>&#8220;We need to drain the swamp of what ails us,&#8221; he said.</p><p>Kaufer said passage of a welfare reform bill, work on confronting the opioid problem within the state and a vigorous approach to bettering services for behavioral health, have proven that he&#8217;s an effective legislator who has remained connected with his constituents.</p><p>&#8220;I&#8217;m asking for two more years,&#8221; he said.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption"> Wilkes-Barre Area League of Women Voters sponsored a forum for candidates running in the 120th Legislative District on Friday night. Incumbent state Rep. Aaron Kaufer, left, debated Bob McDonald at the Buckingham Performing Arts Center at Wyoming Seminary in Kingston. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_kaufermcdonald01.jpg</photo0><caption0> Wilkes-Barre Area League of Women Voters sponsored a forum for candidates running in the 120th Legislative District on Friday night. Incumbent state Rep. Aaron Kaufer, left, debated Bob McDonald at the Buckingham Performing Arts Center at Wyoming Seminary in Kingston. </caption0><photoCredit0>Pete G. Wilcox|Times Leader </photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Geri Gibbons</p><p>ggibbons@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Geri Gibbons at 570-991-6117 or on Twitter @TLGGibbons</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Kaufer, McDonald present their cases to voters in the 120th district