Two candidates are on Tuesday’s general election ballot seeking to represent the 9th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Incumbent Dan Meuser, a Republican, will be challenged by Amanda Waldman, a Democrat.

District 9 encompasses all of Bradford, Columbia, Lebanon, Montour, Northumberland, Schuylkill, Sullivan, Susquehanna and Wyoming counties, as well as parts of Berks, Luzerne and Lycoming counties.

The Times News asked each candidate the same set of questions. Their answers are printed below.

Dan Meuser

Party: Republican

Hometown: Dallas

What is the biggest issue facing your district and how would you plan to address it?

Inflation and the staggering increase in the cost of living is the most challenging issue facing Pennsylvania’s 9th. This has left many middle-class families with little savings and significant debt due to stagnant wages, increased health care costs, high interest rates, and mounting cost of utilities, groceries and child care. I support policies that will strengthen our economy and increase wages across all earners and demographics and enable homeownership by following a pro-growth strategy that empowers American businesses and workers. Unlike expanding unsustainable subsidies, this approach will reduce future burdens on Americans and enhance economic resilience against geopolitical threats.

How would you address the economic challenges currently facing the district, including job growth, inflation and small business support?

We will forge ahead creating robust infrastructure and improved opportunity zones. We must support smart investments in U.S. infrastructure and in urban areas throughout Pennsylvania and across the country. These investments will attract jobs, grow wages, improve quality of life and rebuild the communities that have been harmed by job loss due to Biden-Harris’ America last economic policies. During his tenure, President Trump designated nearly 9,000 Opportunity Zones, which attracted $75 billion in funds and drove $52 billion of new investment in economically distressed communities.

What is the biggest threat to national security and how can Congress address it?

Illegal immigration is the biggest threat to national security. We need high fences and wide gates. Any immigration solution must prioritize securing the border first. I support the modernization of the immigration system. We must enforce our immigration laws and implement the polices included in H.R. 2. By adopting a whole-of-government approach to immigration, we can combat cartels, disrupt human trafficking and drug smuggling and protect Americans. Our nation cannot thrive if we allow unchecked illegal immigration to continue. It’s time to put America First, secure our borders and restore the rule of law.

How would you address the rising costs of health care and ensure access to quality, affordable health care for all residents in the district?

Americans know the government-centric approach of Obama/Biden/Harris isn’t working. Health care premiums are up, out of pocket costs have skyrocketed, and the quality and access to care has not improved. The Biden-Harris administration has burdened the system with the health care costs of 10+ million illegals. It’s time to return to the approach that makes American health care great, putting patients and doctors back in the driver’s seat. We need to enact reforms to re-focus the health care system and dollars on the patient. Focus on increasing price transparency, improving patient outcomes, and saving money on prescription drugs is essential.

How can the voters of the your district benefit most by electing you in November?

Voters in Pennsylvania’s 9th know that our office prides itself on providing the best constituent services. We fight to return federal dollars to communities across our district, and in the 118th Congress our office has brought back $20,757,353 to Pennsylvanian’s Ninth 9. I will work with President Trump to lower taxes, increase take-home pay, support small businesses and drive job creation. By reducing government regulations, I aim to empower businesses to innovate and expand, creating opportunities for workers and promoting a stronger economy. I will advocate for strong national security and law enforcement, ensuring safe communities and border security.

Amanda Waldman

Party: Democrat

Hometown: Montoursville

Background: Waldman is a lifelong resident of Lycoming County and grew up on a small farm. Like many Pennsylvanians, she lives paycheck-to-paycheck as a single mother who worked multiple jobs to provide for her kids, pay the bills, and put herself through college. She knows what it’s like to make the choice between paying the electric bill or feeding her family. An appeals representative in the Medicare industry, she is a Bloomsburg University alumnus, vice chair of the board of directors for the Center for Independent Living, member of the Lycoming County Commissioner’s Diversability Committee, AmeriCorps Alumni and a community volunteer.

What is the biggest issue facing your district and how would you plan to address it?

I support the windfall profit tax, increasing the minimum wage, and building out an all of the above energy portfolio to bring down prices. When we let the market decide pricing, large corporations like ExxonMobil, who reported quarterly record net profits of $1 billion to $2 billion since 2021, and large chain stores like Walmart, focus on increasing profits for their board members, CEOs, and shareholders. Passing the Windfall Profits Tax will significantly help Americans afford basic necessities and developing an all of the above energy portfolio will lower consumer costs while protecting the nation from foreign energy reliance and coercion.

How would you address the economic challenges currently facing the district, including job growth, inflation and small business support?

There are a number of actions Congress can, and could have taken, to make life more affordable for the people in the 9th District.

Passing the PRIME Act would increase the productivity of small scale livestock farms and improved their access to the market while lowering the cost of meat for consumers.

Investing in job creation in our rural communities, encouraging economic diversification of our rural communities by improving infrastructure and access to transportation.

All of these things have been actionable items over the past 6 years, but wasn’t because our government is so divided by political parties.

What is the biggest threat to national security and how can Congress address it?

The biggest threat to national security is political party rhetoric, and finger-pointing, blame-laying, divisive elected officials who are supposed to be leaders, but choose to spread misinformation and lies in their districts, while not addressing the serious concerns the residents of their districts want solutions to.

This divisiveness affects all other major issues we face — the economy, job creation, health care, the environment, the “brain drain” of our rural areas, affordable housing, homelessness — literally everything. Our country doesn’t function properly with only one political ideology; our best ideas and policies come from cooperation and compromise

How would you address the rising costs of health care and ensure access to quality, affordable health care for all residents in the district?

I would work on enabling prescription drug price negotiating outside of just Medicare recipients. I support a Medicare for all option for Americans. Everyone should be able to choose their insurance plan, including a Medicare plan. Adding this option would increase market competition and decrease the cost of insurance.

I work in the Medicare industry, and I have an excellent employer health insurance plan, but if Medicare were an option, I would 100% choose it because it would save me a considerable amount of money just in copay and prescription amounts, not to mention paying lower premiums and a lower deductible.

How can the voters of the your district benefit most by electing you in November?

I’m running for Congress because it is the responsibility of our elected officials to govern, and be responsive, to constituents regardless of political party. It is the job of voters to hold them accountable

Many policies I support are similar to those of the current congressman; the major difference is that I will vote in the best interests of the people, not a political party. He has voted against legislation that provided solutions.

Making government work for us the people is one of the guiding principles of my campaign, and will be the guiding principle of my work in Congress.