BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Facing off in a final debate for the 14th state Senate seat, Republican Dean Browning and Democrat Nick Miller on Thursday had a fast-paced sparring match over school choice, abortion and inflation.
The event, held at Factory LLC in Bethlehem for WFMZ-TV’s "Business Matters" program, saw both candidates point to their business acumen and history of work that involved financial decisions.
Where they diverged is that Browning used that to argue that hard decisions needed to be made to control spending, while Miller, calling himself a “middle-of-the-road guy,” highlighted a need for investment in schools and infrastructure.
The newly redrawn 14th District runs across the border of Lehigh and Northampton counties, including Moore, Bushkill and Lehigh townships.
- Republican Dean Browning and Democrat Nick Miller debated once more for Pennsylvania's 14th state Senate seat
- The two candidates focused on the issue of inflation and sharply differed on others like investments in schools and the handling of the Allentown School District
- The debate comes on the heels of Browning's campaign threatening a lawsuit over Miller's alleged defamation over issues of a controversial tweet made by Browning two years ago
Crowds were more managed than they were for prior debates in the series held for the program.
Thursday's event came after Browning’s campaign threatened to sue Miller’s campaign for defamation centered around a tweet that made the rounds on the internet nationally from 2020 in which Browning said he was “a black, gay guy,” which many speculated was supposed to be posted to another account. Browning said he intended to quote a message from a follower.
Inflation is a top concern
Browning, a conservative, said he has not felt pressure to move to more moderate positions to win, and he tried to tie Miller and the Democratic party to the heightened rates of inflation.
Browning said he would push to exit the regional greenhouse gas initiative to save costs and further exploit the state’s natural gas.
Miller agreed that fracking should be used to extract natural gas in Pennsylvania but said the industry should be held accountable for keeping the environment clean. He said he would like to see a gradual end to reliance on fossil fuels and a push toward renewable energy over time.
The candidates agreed that using foreign oil was an issue.
Regarding inflation, Miller said he supports legislation such as the Home Repair Act, which would let homeowners upgrade the efficiency of their homes, which could save on utilities. He also said aging infrastructure is costing Pennsylvanians.
Economists have pointed to various factors for the current inflationary boom, such as pandemic relief and aggressive fiscal and monetary policies under both the Trump and Biden administrations, global supply chain issues and corporations raising prices to increase profits.
School choice and investment
Asked about school choice, Browning pointed to Allentown School District’s graduation rates, particularly for students from ethnic minorities, as an “unmitigated failure.” He said parents should be able to move their children into alternative systems that can be more successful.
“We cannot continue to require parents to keep their kids in a failing school system,” Browning said, then directly referred to Miller, who, according to his LinkedIn account, attended Allentown Central Catholic High School.
“We need to empower them. We need to give them a choice," Browning said. "Choice cannot be just for folks like him. It has to be for everyone.”
Miller said school districts such as Allentown's are “systemically underfund[ed],” and that charter schools should have the same oversight and certification requirements that traditional school districts do to get taxpayer dollars.
Browning countered that would likely mean more spending and higher taxes.
Miller won the crowded primary for the Democratic ticket and has since labeled himself a moderate.
Differing outlooks on public safety
The candidates had different focuses when it came to concerns over public safety.
Browning said more police officers are needed based on what police officers have told him, and there needs to be greater prosecution by district attorneys when criminals are arrested.
Miller, saying that he is a licensed gun owner, pointed to gun violence and the need for “reasonable gun laws” such as potentially requiring training, background checks or waiting periods to buy firearms.
“Yes, they need the financial resources to protect our communities,” Miller said. “But we also invest in mental health. We also have to invest in our education system. This isn't a one-stop-shop issue. This is a multi-tiered issue.“
Browning said regulations such as gun-free zones in schools and other laws Miller proposes may not be effective and can unnecessarily restrict the rights of law-abiding citizens. Instead, he emphasized increased enforcement to make it more “costly and prohibitive” for anyone to think about possessing or using a firearm in an improper manner.
That prompted a heightened argument over the effectiveness of gun-free zones in schools, which Browning called ineffective in the face of school shooters.
“But we also invest in mental health. We also have to invest in our education system. This isn't a one-stop-shop issue.“Nick Miller, Democratic candidate for Pennsylvania's 14th state Senate seat
Abortion issues turn into arguments between the candidates
Browning said he doesn't support the right to abortion but believes that if a pregnancy is a threat to the life of the mother or the result of rape and incest, it should be terminated. He said Miller is lying about his abortion stance as well as other issues in advertisements.
Miller said Browning has changed his stance since the primaries, and that women have a right to choose whether to have an abortion.
“I listen to the residents of the 14th Senate District,” Browning responded. “And my position is consistently theirs. I believe that it is my responsibility to represent those views. I changed my mind to represent those views — something you should learn.”
Browning then went on to accuse Miller of not listening to the students and school community, as well as groups such as the NAACP in the wake of the recent removal of Allentown School District's superintendent.
Miller said the removal was a “mutually agreed-upon separation.”
From there, the candidates argued about the use of Browning’s Twitter controversy in Miller’s advertisements. Browning claimed what he said was untrue, while Miller defended the campaign by saying it highlighted stories from national media outlets.
“I listen to the residents of the 14th Senate District, and my position is consistently theirs.”Dean Browning, Republican candidate for Pennsylvania's 14th state Senate seat
Final questions and statements
Browning, unsuccessful in previous political campaigns, said he is running again because he believes he can make decisions to help control spending. He is retired and said he is not interested in making a career out of it.
“I believe that throughout my career, I've demonstrated that I have skills and abilities that will allow me to effectively function as a public official, primarily in the financial area,” Browning said.
Miller said he comes from a family dedicated to public service, and his experience has gotten him excited about changes that can be made at the state level. He said he can be a leader that addresses issues at hand, such as growth and investing in a changing economy.
“That’s what we’re focused on, not these social media issues,” Miller said.
In his final statement, Browning said that Miller is “committed to the far left agenda” and supports policies that have given us inflation despite his claim of being a moderate.
Browning emphasized his decade of work in the Lehigh Valley in both the community and the private sector as a problem solver.
Miller emphasized how he was born and raised in Allentown and his commitment to fighting for increased support for education and the local economy.
The full debate is set to air at 7 p.m. Monday in a special hourlong program on WFMZ.
