The homeless, unemployed, and working poor in the Quad Cities have a chance to learn more about the candidates who want to represent them. This weekend, Progressive Action for the Common Good held its first candidates forum on poverty at Bethel A.M.E Church in Davenport.
Spokesman, Bob Babcock, says the goal is to encourage a dialogue between residents and candidates about an unpopular subject: poverty.
"It's difficult for people to talk about. It's something that we must talk about. But because it's not a popular thing, you're not going to find a lot of people turning out for events like this, and I think the mainstream candidates know that and they want to maximize their time."
Sunday's forum drew two dozen attendees and several independent candidates, including Jonathon Narcisse and Lee Heib, who are running for Iowa governor; and Ruth Smith and Bob Quast, candidates for the Iowa U.S. senate seat.
Babcock says they candidates answered questions about income equality, job creation, and health care, like:
"Do they support raising the minimum wage, or not? Are funds available so that people have food security and programs to deal with mental health issues, employment issues, educational issues?"
Progressive Action for the Common Good will hold its next forum on Saturday, November 1st.
The event was co-sponsored by the Davenport NAACP.
