Taff calls Moore too liberal

Republican congressional candidate Adam Taff on Thursday said incumbent U.S. Rep. Dennis Moore, a Democrat, was too liberal for the 3rd Congressional District.

Speaking to about 40 people at the Eldridge Hotel during the Meet the Candidates luncheon sponsored by the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, Taff also criticized Moore for voting against a $350 billion prescription drug plan for seniors.

“It was a good bill. We should have passed it,” Taff said. Moore has said he voted against the plan because it would have allowed insurance companies to determine the level of benefits and cost. He favored a plan that would have been run through Medicare.

Taff cited several conservative groups, such as the National Federation of Independent Businesses, that track voting records on business and tax issues to support his claim that Moore is not a good match for the 3rd District. Those groups gave Moore low ratings, he said.

Moore spokesman Jack Martin said those groups traditionally favored Republicans, and that Moore had been a solid backer of business interests.

Taff also accused Moore of being deceptive when he said he voted for President Bush’s tax cuts. “He voted for it on the third time. He voted against it two earlier times,” Taff said.

Adam Taff, left, Republican candidate for the Kansas 3rd Congressional District seat, greets Sandy Miller, Lawrence, at the Meet the Candidates luncheon series. Taff spoke Thursday at the Eldridge Hotel.

Martin, however, said Moore’s earlier votes were procedural votes that included directions on how to improve the bill. One of those votes was to hold off working on the tax-cut bill until after Congress had approved a budget, Martin said.

Taff, a former Navy pilot from Lake Quivira, said internal polling showed he was leading the race, but Martin said polling conducted by the Moore campaign showed the two-term incumbent was leading.

Moore is scheduled to speak at the series Wednesday.

The district claims all of Lawrence east of Iowa Street, plus a piece of the city’s northwest side.