In an election year, hot-button issues draw the attention of the candidates even when the issues are on a local level.

Prior to the zoning hearing meeting Thursday, staffers from Sen. Pat Toomey's campaign walked through the crowd of residents handing out leaflets outlining Toomey's distain for federal subsidies and his opposition to the Penn Forest project."The proposed Iberdrola windmill farm in Carbon County is nothing more than crony capitalism run amuck, as it would not be possible without millions of taxpayer funded subsidies," said Toomey spokesman Ted Kwong.He said opponent Katie McGinty was a paid board member of Iberdrola for years.According to Toomey's literature, Iberdrola stands to receive $3 million is subsidies on the Penn Forest project.Katie McGinty's campaign was given an opportunity to respond to Kwong's comments."Katie has always been a champion for clean energy projects, but she of course believes strongly that communities play a critical role in deciding whether a local project moves forward or not. said McGinty's communications director, Sean Coit."It's pathetic that Sen. Toomey is trying to play politics with this," Coit said.