Congressional Candidates In Roseville, Placer County District Spar Over California Fuel Tax Repeal

Northern California Congressman Tom McClintock and his Democratic challenger Jessica Morse clashed in their second debate on Monday. The candidates went back-and-forth on a number of issues including Proposition 6, the heavily contested fuel tax repeal measure.

Both candidates are vying to represent the state’s fourth district, the mostly rural and overwhelmingly Republican area just east of Sacramento that holds more than 700,000 residents,

Prop. 6 — a Republican-led initiative that aims to repeal last year’s increase to the state's gas tax — has become a talking point for candidates such as incumbent McClintock.

“I actively support Prop. 6 to repeal that tax,” the congressman said.

But at the debate, hosted by San Francisco NPR-affiliate KQED, McClintock pushed back on his opponent, first-time candidate Morse, asking her to definitively state her position on Prop. 6.

“I support federal infrastructure funding and the California voters are going to make a decision on Prop. 6,” Morse said, avoiding taking a stance, then saying to her opponent: “And the California voters are going to make a decision on you.”

In a survey conducted this summer by The Los Angeles Times, Morse said she supported Prop. 6. But the candidate's current position wasn't clear at the debate.