WILKES-BARRE - They are competing to fill one seat in a U.S. House of Representatives comprised of 435.
Whoever wins - the Democrat, Matt Cartwright, or the Republican, Laureen Cummings - the votes cast by the next representative in the reconfigured 17th Congressional District will count for just two-tenths of 1 percent.
His or her power would be miniscule as a freshman compared with that of the most veteran lawmakers.
Yet, at a debate Wednesday night at Wilkes University, Cartwright and Cummings spoke as if they could change the world.
It wasn't entirely academic.
Cartwright, an attorney, and Cummings, a nurse, offered sharp contrasts in their proposals on restarting the economy, generating tax revenue to fund the government and eliminating the gridlock that has supplanted compromise in Congress.
Cartwright, 51, of Moosic, said he would endorse a "balanced" approach to solving annual budget deficits and gradually paying down the $16.1 trillion national debt. Part of that approach, he said, would include increasing the tax rate on income over $1 million by 3 percent or 4 percent - from 35 percent to 38 or 39 percent.
Cummings, 48, of Old Forge, said she supported replacing the income tax system with a 23 percent national sales tax plan backed by Republican Reps. John Linder and Rob Woodall, Georgia. Cummings branded it the "fair tax." Cartwright called the plan the "unfair tax" because he said it would affect every American, even those who currently do not pay income tax.
"There seems to be a climate of contempt for poverty in this country. That's what leads to comments like, 'I don't care about the 47 percent,' " Cartwright said, paraphrasing comments made by Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney at a fundraiser in Florida.
"I need to correct you on that," Cummings said. "It's not that Mitt Romney doesn't care about those people. He was talking about their votes."
It was one of several exchanges during the hour-long session in which the candidates invoked the names and policies of their parties' presidential candidates. Cartwright spoke favorably of the health care reform legislation backed by President Barack Obama. Cummings endorsed Romney's commitment to defense spending and his promise to repeal the health care reform package, popularly known as Obamacare.
Cummings, sharing Cartwright's view on the need for the U.S. to remain committed to a strong relationship with Israel, joked that he had stolen her answer. Both nations, they said, are necessarily committed to preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.
"Horrible things would occur if Iran got a nuclear weapon, and I would vote to prevent that from happening if I were elected to Congress," Cartwright said. "Iran regards Israel as the little Satan. It regards the United States as the great Satan."
Looking closer to home, Cartwright said he would support a major infrastructure bill and dedicate his career in Congress to restoring passenger rail service to Northeastern Pennsylvania and alleviating congestion on Interstate 80 - a vital link to New York City for Monroe County commuters.
"We have to be looking east," Cartwright said. "Right now, Fridays and Sundays, Interstate 80 across New Jersey is a parking lot. In five years, it will be like that seven days a week."
Cummings, echoing the rhetoric of the tea party movement, said she favored limiting the federal government by shifting the powers of Congress and executive agencies like the Federal Emergency Management Agency to states and local government. Instead of having federal regulators determine who would receive funding in an emergency, she said, states could be given a pot of money and divvy it up as they see fit.
Cartwright said Cummings' proposals would return the country to the darkest days of the economic downturn.
"My opponent really wants to turn the clock back about 3 1/2 years and rehash the debates that have consumed Washington for the last 3 1/2 years," Cartwright said, adding that Cummings, with her proposals for limited regulation and health care repeal, wanted to turn Wall Street back into the "Wild Wild West" and the country into a place where insurance companies can drop people with pre-existing conditions.
"I believe America's greatest days lie ahead of us," he said.
The candidates will also debate at 7 p.m. Nov. 1 at the John E. Morgan Auditorium at Penn State Schuylkill, just outside Schuylkill Haven. The debate is co-sponsored by The Republican-Herald and the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce in partnership with Penn State Schuylkill. Upcoming debate
· Event: Debate between 17th District congressional candidates Matt Cartwright (D) and Laureen Cummings (R). It is co-sponsored by The Republican-Herald and the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce in partnership with Penn State Schuylkill
· When: 7 p.m. Nov. 1
· Where: John E. Morgan Auditorium, Penn State Schuylkill, just outside Schuylkill Haven
· Tickets: Free but with a limit of two per person
· How and where to get tickets: Call Rebecca Wagner, member services director of the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce, at 570-622-1942 or 800-755-1942. Pick up tickets - they will not be mailed - by 4 p.m. Oct. 26 at the chamber, 91 S. Progress Ave., Pottsville.
· To submit questions: Possible questions for the candidates can be submitted at: www.republicanherald.com/debate.