Following the current debate hysteria, the Political Awareness Committee (PAC) hosted several local candidates for its own debate.

The four candidates that were present included the two frontrunners for the state representative position: Heather Robins (D), currently the Rice County Commisioner, and John Tuma (R), the current incumbent for this position. Also present were the nominees for state senator: Jim Mladeck (D), now mayor of Montgomery, Minn., and his rival Tom Neville (R), the current state senator.

Many of the issues discussed at the meeting reflected those of the larger, national presidential race: higher education, healthcare ­ including HMOšs and patient rights and spending of the Minn. budget surplus.

The 50 local townspeople and students attending the meeting were given the opportunity to ask the candidates questions about their policies. A popular issue of the state representative race was that concerning the pay for long-term healthcare workers. Both Tuma and Robins maintained that they were for an increase in this groupšs pay.

According to moderator and chair of the St. Olaf PAC, John Farrell, "turnout was a bit of a disappointment, but the debate turned out to be very effective to those in attendance."