A group of about thirty gathered in Schlow Library yesterday evening for a town hall meeting held by congressional candidate Mike Pipe. The group, made up largely of members of the local community and students, engaged the young candidate on a diverse array of issues, and also listened to Pipe describe the intent of his campaign. The meeting was the 10th in a series of twelve meetings, Pipe said.

Mr. Pipe quickly turned the floor over to those in attendance. After a short introduction, Pipe focused on the questions and concerns of local voters and supporters – some of whom wished to open up the discussion beyond the limited scope of a congressional candidacy.

The  setup of the town hall meeting aligned with Pipe’s message that he wants to “give [ the 5th district] a greater voice,” his desire to be willing to listen to what he hopes will soon be his constituency.

The diverse group of subjects covered included the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, health care, and education. Another major talking point was the Marcellus Shale project, a plan to extract natural gas from one of the largest deposits in the Appalachian basin. One supporter was extremely motivated by the issue: “If I take anything away from this meeting, it is that you are passionate about Marcellus Shale,” Pipe noted.

Apart from describing his own stance on issues, Pipe often criticized his opponent, incumbent Rep. Glenn Thompson. When asked whether he has had any formal interaction with Congressman Thompson, Pipe responded no, but that he would “love to have more debates.”

In response to a question about PSU students’ importance to his campaign, Pipe noted that though students were “more likely to support me,” and that the student population is important to his candidacy,  it is “not the central focus.” Pipe also commented that the student population often provides more in terms of motivation and organization than “the mentality of just one vote and that’s it.”

Central to Pipe’s message was a pledge to involve himself deeply with the affairs of the 5th congressional district. “I plan to sleep in my congressional office,” Pipe joked.

More information about Mike Pipe’s campaign and political stance can be found at his campaign website.