Matt Goetten and David Gill appeared before a panel of journalists and a live studio audience at Illinois Public Media on March 14th for a debate between the two Democratic candidates in the Illinois 13th Congressional District primary election. The debate aired live on WILL-TV and WILL-AM, and was webcast on WILL Online. TRANSCRIPT: I AM JIM MEADOWS, AND ON BEHALF OF THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF ILLINOIS, AND W.I.L.L. PUBLIC MEDIA, I WELCOME ALL OF YOU WATCHING AND LISTENING ON W.I.L.L. AND OTHER STATIONS CARRYING THIS DEBATE THROUGHOUT THE 13TH DISTRICT. I WELCOME THOSE OF YOU TAKING PART IN OUR LIVE CHAT GOING ON AT WILL.ILLINOIS.EDU. THE QUESTIONS THAT THE CANDIDATES WILL ANSWER THIS EVENING WERE BASED IN PART UPON A SURVEY OF STUDENTS FROM COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES IN THE 13TH DISTRICT. BUT THE QUESTIONS IN THEIR FINAL FORM ARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF OUR PANEL OF THREE REPORTERS FROM SPRINGFIELD, PATRICK YEAGLE, OF THE "ILLINOIS TIMES", FROM DECATUR, ALLISON PETTY OF THE "HERALD AND REVIEW", AND FROM CHAMPAIGN, JILLS DISIS THE EDITOR IN CHIEF OF THE "DAILY ILLINI". I ALSO WELCOME THE AUDIENCE JOINING US IN THE STUDIO THIS EVENING. THEY INCLUDE SUPPORTERS OF BOTH CANDIDATES, AND THEY HAVE AGREED TO REMAIN SILENT AND NOT APPLAUD OR BOO THE CANDIDATES DURING THE DEBATE. RIGHT NOW, I INVITE YOU ALL TO GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE AS WE INTRODUCE THE TWO CANDIDATES, MATT GOETTEN AND DAVID GILL. >> MR. MATT GOETTEN LIVES IN HIS HOME TOWN OF CARROLLTON WHERE HE IS SERVING SECOND TERM OF STATE'S ATTORNEY FOR GREENE COUNTY. HE IS THE CAPTAIN OF THE ILLINOIS AIR NATIONAL GUARD AND SERVED IN AFGHANISTAN DURING A PREVIOUS TOUR OF DUTY WITH THE ILLINOIS ARMY NATIONAL GUARD. THIS IS MATT GOETTEN'S FIRST RUN FOR CONGRESS. DR. DAVID GILL OF BLOOMINGTON IS AN EMERGENCY ROOM PHYSICIAN AT ADVOCATE BROMENN REGIONAL CENTER IN NORMAL. BEFORE MOVING INTO EMERGENCY MEDICINE, DR. GILL WORKED AS A FAMILY PRACTICE PHYSICIAN AND RAN FOR CONGRESS IN THE OLD 15TH DISTRICT AGAINST REPUBLICAN TIM JOHNSON IN 2006, AND 2010. WE HAD HOPED TO HAVE A DEBATE FEATURING THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES, BUT CONGRESSMAN JOHNSON DECLINED OUR INVITATION AND OTHER GOP, MICHAEL FIRSCHING AND FRANK METZGER FAILED TO MEET THE CRITERIA. HOWEVER, YOU CAN FIND MATERIAL ABOUT ALL THE CANDIDATES ON OUR ELECTION WEB SITE WILL.ILLINOIS.EDU/ELECTION. A WORD NOW ABOUT ILLINOIS' NEW 13TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. IT COVERS PARTS OF THE OLD DISTRICTS REPRESENTED BY CONGRESSMAN TIM JOHNSON AND JOHN SHIMKUS, REACHING FROM CHAMPAIGN URBANA IN EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS, OVER TO HARDIN IN THE SOUTHWEST. IT INCLUDES SPRINGFIELD, BLOOMINGTON NORMAL, EDWARDSVILLE, DECATUR, CLINTON, AND CARROLLTON AMONG OTHER COMMUNITIES. MR. GOETTEN AND DR. GILL HAVE AGREED TO A DEBATE WITH NO OPENING OR CLOSING STATEMENTS. NO SET TIME LIMITS FOR ANSWERS. I WILL DECIDE WHEN IT IS TIME TO MOVE FROM ONE QUESTION TO THE NEXT. OUR PANEL WILL BE ASKING DIRECT QUESTIONS AND SEEKING DIRECT ANSWERS. LET'S GO NOW TO OUR FIRST QUESTION, AND WE ARE STARTING WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ECONOMY. ALLISON PETTY WITH THE "HERALD AND REVIEW." >>MR. GOETTEN, THE NATIONAL DEBT IS ABOUT $15 TRILLION. WHAT ARE SOME SPECIFIC STEPS YOU BELIEVE CONGRESS CAN TAKE TOWARD REDUCING IT? >> ALLISON, IF I MAY, I HAVE GROWN UP HERE IN CENTRAL ILLINOIS, AS WAS STATED IN THE OPENING, I HAVE A HISTORY OF SERVICE. I AM HOPING TO CARRY THAT FORWARD TO CONGRESS. I HAVE A JOBS PLAN THAT I ROLLED OUT LAST WEEK THAT I THINK HAS SOME SPECIFIC LANGUAGE IN THERE THAT CAN HELP REDUCE THAT. WE HAVE TO GET BACK TO SOME TAX FAIRNESS HERE IN THIS COUNTRY AND IMMEDIATELY REPEAL THE BUSH TAX CUTS FOR THE WEALTHIEST OF AMERICANS. WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE TAX CODE. WE HAVE TO FIND WAYS THAT WE CAN PUT PEOPLE BACK TO WORK HERE IN CENTRAL ILLINOIS, BUT THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. WE HAVE TO FIND WAYS TO INCREASE THE TAX BASE BY DOING THINGS LIKE SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESSES AS A FORMER BUSINESS OWNER MYSELF, I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO I KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO MEET A PAYROLL. I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO PUT PEOPLE TO WORK. I KNOW HOW THAT CAN HELP, MORE TAXPAYERS ON THE TOLL, PAYING TAXES. I KNOW THAT IF WE GET MANUFACTURING BACK UP TO SPEED HERE IN CENTRAL ILLINOIS RATHER THAN LOSING MANUFACTURING AS WE HAVE DONE IN GREENE AND REALLY JERSEY COUNTY AND THE METRO EAST THAT I AM MOST FAMILIAR WITH, THAT HELPS FILL THAT GAP. BUT SPECIFICALLY PUTTING PEOPLE BACK TO WORK, I MEAN IT HELPS. >>THANK YOU. DR. GILL, YOUR ANSWER. >>I INITIALLY WANTED TO STATE THAT I AM VERY PLEASED TO BE HERE. I AM GLAD W.I.L.L. IS HOSTING THIS DEBATE. I AM GLAD THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF WHICH I AM A MEMBER IS COHOSTING. THAT'S LETTING YOU KNOW THAT I AM A MEMBER OF THE LEAGUE IS FULL DISCLOSURE SO TO SPEAK. WE HAD OFFERED TO HAVE SIX OR EIGHT OR TEN OF THESE DEBATES, FOR WHATEVER REASON, MR. GOETTEN'S CAMPAIGN WAS UNABLE OR UNWILLING TO ACCOMMODATE THAT. WE REALLY WANTED THE VOTERS TO GET A CHANCE TO KNOW US. I AM THRILLED TO HAVE THE ONE, AND I AM GLAD YOU PU