Differences of political opinion were about as rare as the presence of Democrats Wednesday night at an 80^th State Rep. District Republican candidate forum at the Lake Doster Golf Course.

Seven of the eight hopefuls for the Nov. 3 GOP primary showed up and aside from some disagreement about legalizing marijuana, they demonstrated clearly they’re all on the same page on the issues discussed.

The seven whose names will be on the ballot next month included former State Rep. Cindy Gamrat, Mary Whiteford, Bill Sage, Jim Storey, James Siver, Kevin Travis and Eric DeWitt. Shannon Szukala was a no-show.

There was one Democrat present, retired judge David Gernant, who will face the winner of the primary in a special election March 8.

Though the forum was not a love fest, the seven candidates were in agreement on issues such as roads, no-fault insurance reform, immigration and permitting refugees to come to Michigan, regulation of utilities, “gun-free zones” and Common Core education standards. If there were differences on any, they were by degree, nuance or minor.

About roads, all agreed Michigan’s are in bad shape and sorely in need of repair. Suggestions about how to find the money to get the job done weren’t clear.

“Our roads are a mess,” Siver declared, “and we’ve got to get them fixed.”

He suggested cutting back salaries of legislators to provide more funding.

DeWitt proposed levying fees on electric cars that don’t use so much gas.

Storey said the state has to find a way to make sure all paying at the pump goes for roads.

Sage said, “A part-time legislature would help” and he maintained the governor should insist every department reduce its budget by 1% to 2% every year.

Nobody wanted to raise any fees or taxes.

On no-fault insurance, all seven said they don’t like the program because it’s made Michigan’s auto insurance the highest rates in the nation.

Many said no-fault started with good intentions, but things have gotten out of hand.

Gamrat said, “Part of the issue is big money and half of Detroit (residents) don’t even pay into the pool.”

Whiteford said, “I want to get into a room with the GOP caucus to try to lower rates without sacrificing quality.”

Siver blamed insurance companies, trial lawyers and judges who won’t enforce existing laws.

Travis compared the no-fault program to Obamacare in that “it forces you to buy the insurance, but then you pay for the others who don’t have it.”

One prepared question asserted Gov. Rick Snyder intends to allow Middle East refugees to come to Michigan. None of the candidates said they knew anything about that actually happening.

Whiteford maintained Allegan County has a significant need for migrant workers on fruit farms, but “no one should be able to get benefits if they’re illegal immigrants.

DeWitt said, “If a person is here legally, then he should be able to work toward legal status.”

Storey noted immigration actually is a federal issue, “But we have crops rotting in our fields because we don’t have enough people to harvest them.”

Siver said, “I am concerned that ISIS is in our country… They will kill us if we let them.”

Travis said he has a cousin who employs migrant workers for $10 an hour, which is better than a $5 per day they may get in a factory in Mexico.

Gamrat insisted, “Without borders, you don’t have a country… but my father was an immigrant. We have to make sure dangerous people aren’t coming into our country.”

Sage proudly announced his wife is Mexican and suggested the U.S. should make it easier for migrants to get work visas.

On regulation of utilities, all said they oppose the federal or state government regulating energy, but, as Whiteford said, “We need our energy to be affordable, adaptable and reliable.”

Storey said it is important for the people to “take control of our energy future.”

But Sage said energy companies’ recent efforts to go green will cost customers a lot more money.

Siver did have a slightly different take, saying, “If we don’t regulate energy companies, they just keep raising the rates.”

He said he’d like to see more efforts for alternative energy such as wind and solar.

If there was one issue that all candidates were in total agreement, it was “gun-free zones.” All are professed be heavweight pro-Second Amendment.

Sage said, “We need to train teachers to have guns to defend innocent children.”

Gamrat said, “The Second Amendment is clear: ‘Shall not be infringed.’”

DeWitt said American colleges and schools are open places without guns, so they’re an invitation for mentally ill people to wreak havoc.

“Gun-free zones are a license for someone to kill our children. I am opposed to gun-free zones in any place.”

Travis said the real problem with the recent spate of shootings is mental health, and something should be done about funding such programs.

Common Core, an educational program that gives more power to the state and federal government and relies heavily on testing, also was opposed across the board.

Whiteford said, “It’s a very big package with too many high stakes tests.

Gamrat maintained, “There’s a lot of money being poured into this issue” and she opposes taking away local control of education.

Storey said, “It’s divided the state, parents, the school board and teachers for the educational elites in Lansing.”

Sage indicated, “I’ve been fighting against Common Core for a long time.”

Travis, who once was a teacher, said he and his colleagues railed against the program long before it became known as Common Core.

“It’s useless, it’s wasteful,” chimed in DeWitt.

The only substantive differences was on legalization of marijuana. The issue may be decided by voters once again in a state-wide referendum next year.

Most candidates said it’s best to let the voters decide in 2016. They approved, with 63%, legalization of medical marijuana, but implementation has been confusing and sometimes difficult.

Whiteford and Siver both said marijuana should be something that can be obtained only by a doctor through prescription.

Siver said, however, the state should pay attention to what’s been happening in Colorado, Alaska, Washington and Oregon, where it has been legalized for recreational use.

Sage said he opposes it, maintaining that in states where it’s legal it is serving as a transfer drug and is against it getting into the hands of youth.

The greatest dissent came from Travis, who called himself a “Social Libertarian.” He insisted that the revenue from legalizing the substance could really help the state with financial issues.

“It could be $100 million that won’t be going to the Mexican drug cartel and instead for mental health programs,” he said.

About the candidates:

• Whiteford is a nurse and small businesswoman from South Haven who was second to Gamrat in the GOP primary race in 2014. She is vice president of the Allegan County Republican Party.
• Travis, of Watson Township, is a law clerk in the office of Allegan County Circuit Judge Kevin Cronin. He also was an engineer at Perrigo, Allegan County’s largest employer.
• Gamrat, of Plainwell, was expelled by the State Legislature on Sept. 11 for her role in an attempted coverup of an extra-martital affair with State Rep. Todd Courser, who resigned. She is a nurse who has home schooled her three children.
• Storey, of Holland, has been an Allegan County Commissioner and was an aide to Congressman Phil Ruppe. He was appointed by Gov. John Engler to serve on three public boards.
• DeWitt, of Holland, was a chemist at Life Savers and he owned and operated a marina after graduating at Hope College.
• Sage, of Allegan, who arrived late, said he has worked on constitutional issues for the State Legislature and proudly stated he was the author of the Michigan Right to Work Act passed in 2012 and a law mandating saying the Pledge of Allegiance every school day in Michigan schools.

The next candidate forum will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13, at Fennville High School.

The 80^th Legislative District includes all of Allegan County except Leighton, Wayland and Hopkins townships and the City of Wayland.

PHOTOS: The seven Republican Party primary elections candidates at the forum (from left) James Siver, Eric DeWitt, Mary Whiteford, Bill Sage, James Storey, Kevin Travis and Cindy Gamrat.

Mary Whiteford

Kevin Travis

Bill Sage

Eric DeWitt

Jim Storey

James Siver

Cindy Gamrat