In a debate that got testy at times, candidates for the 16th Congressional District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives covered issues that included international bridge wait-times, unemployment and Juárez violence.

U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, touted his experience and the millions of dollars he brought to El Paso through the stimulus bill
and other federal spending measures.

Reyes said federal money funneled to El Paso with his support has allowed construction of a new federal courthouse, improving and
expanding the Sun Metro bus system, and $500 million in construction at Fort Bliss that was performed by local businesses.

Former city Rep. Beto O'Rourke said Reyes failed to get the maximum benefit for El Paso, pointing to the $5 billion total spent on Fort
Bliss expansion, 10 percent unemployment and lengthy delays at the bridges, where Mexican nationals sometimes stand for hours waiting to spend money at the city's businesses.

Reyes' voice had a hard edge as it boomed through loudspeakers when responding to O'Rourke's challenge that he had only passed six bills in his 15 years in Congress.

Two of those bills, O'Rourke said, "renamed buildings in Downtown El Paso."

"Sometimes being naive is cute. In this job it's dangerous as hell," Reyes said, his voice rising. "It's not important to have your name
on it (legislation) unless you're a show pony.

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It's more important that you produce."

Jerome Tilghman, an educator and former Army officer, said Reyes and O'Rourke both had opportunities to bring positive change to El Paso and failed.

"These are not issues that came up last week or last month," Tilghman said.

Also at the debate today at the DoubleTree Hotel in Downtown El Paso were Ben Mendoza - a Democrat like Reyes, O'Rourke and Tilghman - and two Republicans running for the seat; Corey Roen, a former soldier who recently returned from Afghanistan, and Barbara Carrasco, who operates a small business.

Beto O'Rourke, left, and Jermone Tilghman, candidates for the 16th Congressional District Seat currently held by Rep. Silvestre Reyes, chat prior to a forum Wednesday at the Double Tree Hotel in downtown El Paso. (Mark Lambie/El Paso Times)

That response led to an exchange among the candidates that got most of the approximately 250 attendees laughing.

"I love you and you could charm the pants off anybody," Reyes told Tilghman. "But you have to have someone who will listen."

Recently elected Republicans, many of whom identify with the Tea Party, Reyes said, have refused to find common ground, especially if
it would help President Barack Obama get reelected.

"It's sexier and it sells better by talking about keeping this country safe between the ports of entry," Reyes said.

Taking Reyes' compliment, Tilghman said, "You need to have that kind of charm on a national level."

And then - the candidates had been encouraged to speak with each other as if they were at a local restaurant - Mendoza chimed in with, "I can get them drunk and I can feed them.

"

Mendoza, in a previous debate, said he would host barbecues at the Capitol to bring people together.

O'Rourke ended the conversation with, "Check please."

Most of the debate, however, was serious.

O'Rourke said El Paso could lose $1.4 billion per year spent by Mexican nationals unless more lanes are opened at international
crossings. He said more bridges also need to be built.

Standing in the line for people who are not U.S. citizens, O'Rourke said, "I've watched as the people in front of us were bullied and
ordered around."

Reyes said a $5 billion bill he authored that would address bottlenecks at the bridges has been held up in Congress.
Tilghman warned about lax border security.

"We need to make sure we are not going to open up another avenue to feed drugs into the veins of America," he said. And he added, "We
need to stop the flow of bullets coming into downtown," in reference to a Tuesday incident where an El Paso woman was hit in the leg by a
stray bullet, apparently from a Juárez gun battle.

Tilghman returned to a favorite theme, when the topic of jobs came up. He said schools must coordinate with businesses to ensure local
youths are graduating with skills that will match the local jobs available.

The Medical Center of the Americas, which is being designed to leverage university research, cutting-edge hospital care and
manufacturing capabilities on both sides of the border could supply thousands of good jobs that will keep El Paso's best and brightest at
home, O'Rourke said.

"I will roll up my sleeves," Mendoza said, in an oft repeated start to his responses, "and I will do everything within my influence to
bring them (young El Paso professionals) back."

A major theme for Reyes has been his experience and connections.

Carrasco challenged him.

"You started without any relationships," she told Reyes. "We will build relationships too. We have politicians who come to our cities
and leave becoming desensitized to their constituents."

She said it is possible "new blood" would not be restricted by a set slate of congressional friends and enemies.

"We may do better and accomplish more because we represent the people of El Paso," she said.

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