Two candidates for the Mississippi District 106 legislative seat participated in a debate Tuesday night held by the Young Americans for Liberty at Pearl River Community College.

Candidates Ben Winston and Daniel Wise answered five questions pertaining to several state issues, moderated by PRCC political science professor Jason Ramshur.

Introductions by the candidates included Winston outlining his qualifications and past government experience in Lumberton and Wise repeating his stance to work outside the political, two-party system.

Both candidates expressed the need to reign in the state’s $15 billion in excess spending and become more fiscally responsible, in the same way any small business owner would. Ramshur’s next question pertained to each candidate’s stand on regulating businesses in the state.

Winston elaborated on his own business experience and his “struggle from the bottom.” He said he could provide tips to small business owners based on that experience.

Wise began his response with the statement, “taxation is theft.” He continued by saying that the way to encourage small business growth and to stimulate the economy is by reducing taxes on small businesses and individuals.

“Taxation kills,” Wise said.

As the debate continued, the candidates appeared to grow more impassioned about the topics.

In the third segment, Ramshur asked the candidates about campaign financial reform and whether accepting donations from lobbyists would lead to favoritism.

Winston expressed his support for financial reform, saying that it often leads to influencing campaigns and politics.

“We’ve sold ourselves,” Winston said. “I haven’t received any money from anyone, and I don’t want any money from anyone. If I lose I want to lose on my own money…but what I do want is help. To help Ben win.”

Wise said there needs to be a call for increased transparency in government, requiring all donations to be “accessible, searchable and public record.”

Ramshur then asked the candidates House Bill 164, which refers to education standards in the state.

“As citizens of Mississippi, we really need to sit and do some soul searching to see what is working and what is not working,” Winston said. “Part of it works [well] and part of it [doesn’t], we need to pick out the part that does.”

Wise said the state should return control of the school systems to the local community and “eliminate federal funding of our education.”

“No child left behind is leaving children behind,” Wise said. “More common sense, less common core.”

For the last moderated question, candidates were asked if the state spending an average of $19 billion this year on the drug war was fiscally responsible.

“Spending that amount of money was unwise,” Winston said.

He said that increasing involvement in the communities will better address social issues, help produce jobs and give people other options than engaging in illegal drug sales.

“People are hurting,” Winston said, referencing unemployed two young men he recently met standing on a street corner, unaware of the election and local politics.

The state should “invest $19 billion in the community rather than law enforcement,” Winston said.

Wise responded, “it’s fiscally irresponsible to continue the war on drugs.”

He went on to say the legalization of marijuana has been more effective in harming drug cartels than the war on drugs.

During the closing statements, Winston stood up and showed the audience he was wearing the same pair of shoes he wore on his first day of school at PRCC in 1973.

“When you start talking about conservative…if that ain’t conservative I don’t know what is,” he said.

In his closing statement, Wise criticized the other candidates for not participating and said he prepared responses to all 50 questions posed to the candidates prior to the debate.

The debate can be watched in full on Facebook at the Young Americans for Liberty: PRCC page.

The 106 candidates not present at the debate were John Corley, Larry Davis and Greg Holcomb.

The special election will be held on Nov. 8, along with the general election.