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Voters To Ask Questions at Cruz-Dewhurst Debate

Republican voters will be asking questions when Senate candidates Ted Cruz and David Dewhurst meet tonight for their first one-on-one debate at KERA.

The voters in the audience come from Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, Johnson and Denton counties. Five go into the debate supporting Ted Cruz. Another five support Dewhurst. Six tell us they’re still deciding and evaluating the candidates.

When we asked about the issues most important to them we heard – not surprisingly- about immigration.

Reynolds: I don’t think we enforce the laws we have on the books and we haven’t done it in many, many years.

That’s Joleen Reynolds, a retired speech pathologist from Fairview.

Johnny Lopez is a retired accountant from Irving.

Lopez: I want them to come out and say, ‘Hey, we’re going to put pressure on the corporations that keeping hiring these people that keep coming over here to go to work.’

Former Dallas teacher Anna Nelson also wants a Senator who will protect programs for seniors.

Nelson: The most important things are Medicare and also Social Security. They’re trying to take Medicare away.

Dallas attorney Debbie Georgatos wants someone who will rein in healthcare costs.

Georgatos: I want the Republicans to stand strong and find free market solutions instead of moving toward more and more like a socialized medicine system.

At the top of the list for nearly all the voters was something more difficult to measure. Character.

They say that’s what they’ll be looking for when Cruz and Dewhurst square off tonight.

A panel of journalists including Shelley Kofler will lead the questioning when the debate gets underway at 8 pm on KERA Channel 13 and KERA 90.1. For details go to texasdebates.org

Former KERA staffer Shelley Kofler was news director, managing editor and senior reporter. She is an award-winning reporter and television producer who previously served as the Austin bureau chief and legislative reporter for North Texas ABC affiliate WFAA-TV.