I watched the Polk County League of Women Voters' Forum last evening which featured the congressional candidates seeking the 12th District seat currently held by Republican Adam Putnam. It was also planned to feature the District 5 candidates (that seat is currently held by another Republican, Ginny Brown-Waite), but due to Hurricane Charley another event in Citrus County was rescheduled for last evening and the candidates all attended that event. The 5th District only includes a small snippet of northwest Polk, so you go where you can influence the most voters.

There are two Democrats in the primary August 31: former USDA scientist Bob Hagenmaier of Winter Haven, a social conservative with some views you simply don't expect from a Democrat, and Jeff Siemer of Lakeland, who has worked in the financial software industry. Putnam's token Republican opponent is Robert O. Wirengard of Plant City.

Wirengard simply wasn't that well spoken, and some of his views --- like a monthly stipend to all citizens from the government --- are simply odd. Hagenmaier, who has received endorsements from the Tampa Tribune and the Frisbee Publishing Group newspapers (Polk County Democrat, Fort Meade Leader, Lake Wales News) last week, seemed uncomfortable on several occasions and had to think about his answers, although they were pretty straightforward. Siemer, who has the Lakeland Ledger's endorsement, has really worked on his presentation and has become short and to the point with his answers. He was the only one of the candidates to actually challenge Putnam on a couple of issues. I would really like to see Siemer and Putnam go head-to-head this fall; that should be one heckuva debate from two young, dynamic contenders.