SALT LAKE CITY — It 's almost time to vote. With the November 2014 congressional elections fast approaching, understanding the dynamics of the races within each district will be vital to making an informed decision. Here is a preview of both the 4th District candidates, Republican Mia Love and Democrat Doug Owens and their opinions on the issues.

Mia Love

Mia Love’s kaleidoscopic nature is what first set her apart in national politics: being a Republican, Mormon, Haitian American and a woman made her an intriguing candidate in Utah’s 2012 4th District election, and has set the stage for her in the upcoming November 2014 election.

Love, 39, hails from Saratoga Springs, Utah, where she was voted into the mayor's office in 2010, the first African-American to hold the position.

Love’s 2012 Republican National Convention speech exploded her onto the national scene two years ago, when she ran against incumbent Democrat Jim Matheson. Matheson beat Love by a narrow margin of 768 votes in one of the closest races Utah has witnessed.

Her unique array of personal attributes — a seemingly stereotypical contradiction of qualities — sparked widespread interest in Love; her unique approach to political issues has also generated buzz.

For instance, in discussing Obamacare, Love, rather than focusing on primarily only repealing the controversial legislation, has underscored the necessity of coming up with an alternative health care approach. In her debate with candidate Doug Owens on Oct. 14, she stated, “I think we do need to repeal Obamacare, we need to know exactly what we are going to replace it with. And my plan takes a three-pronged approach ….”

Underscoring all of her initiatives is a desire for limited government, fiscal discipline and state’s rights. On her campaign website for example, regarding education issues she wants to “return control of schools to local levels” and in health care have “more accountability, less government obstruction red tape.”

A common focus of the Owens and Love congressional race has been on the subject of education reform and the government’s role in shaping policy and standards. She focuses on placing control of education in the hands of local leaders, rather than into the hands of “Washington bureaucrats.” On her campaign website, Love said she wants to “oppose one-size-fits-all federal programs that take flexibility away from innovative teachers.”

Love also has a unique perspective on immigration issues considering that she is the daughter of immigrant parents. Upholding her conservative values simultaneously, she wants to “support meaningful immigration reform … that will allow immigrants to participate in the American Dream ….” However, she is an ardent advocate of securing the border, preventing illegal immigration and drug trafficking. She has not announced her stance on granting amnesty to current illegal immigrants. "Amnesty? That’s trying to fix the symptoms of the problem they created," she said in a meeting with Republican delegates in April.

Love has received tremendous national support from Republicans, such as that of former presidential candidate Mitt Romney, who said at an event at Thanksgiving Point that one of the key reasons he was involved with the 2014 congressional elections was to help get Republican candidates like Mia Love elected.

Doug Owens

Candidate Doug Owens, a corporate defense attorney, known for being a sixth-generation Utahn and son of former Democrat Congressman Wayne Owens, has a family name that most Utahns recognize.

While Owens may lack the unique niches claimed by competitor Mia Love, he is a Democrat running in an overwhelmingly Republican state, which sets him apart.

His main talking points on the campaign trail focus on reviving the American middle class, strengthening families and improving the quality of life for Utahns.

Owens has been known as a candidate who can speak to the independent or moderate Republican voters. In this regard, he has been considered more of a centrist Democrat given that he doesn’t traditionally tow his party’s line on all issues — from Obamacare to educational reform.

For example, Owens has repeatedly discussed the necessity of putting curriculum standards in the hands of Utahns, not the federal government, which echos Love’s rallying call. “Utah parents, teachers, and administrators know best how to educate our children, not Federal Government bureaucrats,” Owens says on his campaign website.

However Owens recently criticized Love for statements she made during the 2012 congressional race, saying at the University of Utah Congressional Debate on Oct. 14 that Love “wants to eliminate the Department of Education and the 12 percent of Utah funding for Utah schools that come from national sources.” He said that would ultimately prove detrimental for parents and children.

Love, responding to Owens, said that the Democrats were making “unsubstantiated charges.”

In regards to health care, Owens, like his rival, is frustrated with Obamacare and the manner in which it was passed, saying, “the Affordable Care Act was hastily passed in a non-bipartisan fashion … and it is Congress’ responsibility to fix what is broken ….” Owens recognizes some of the positive aspects of Obamacare such as prohibiting discrimination based on pre-existing medical conditions.

Ensuring economic stability for the middle class though, is one of Owen’s foremost causes. He is passionate about ensuring that middle class families don’t fall behind economically. Owens, an avid believer in the free-market economy, wants to lower America’s corporate tax rate and provide tax incentives to companies that keep and create jobs in the United States, according to both his campaign website and statements made in congressional debates.

Owens believes that small businesses are what fuel the American economy and they need to be buoyed up through inspiring entrepreneurship.

Both 4th District candidates are frustrated with the productivity of this past Congress and have lamented the lack of bipartisanship and dysfunctionality witnessed in Washington during the past couple of years.

Given that neither candidate has a national voting record though, the public still has yet to see how each candidate will vote on particular issues.

Ultimately, it will be the Nov. 4 ballot box that will determine which Utah candidate will battle for Utahns and speak for the state’s interests in a Congress that currently has an 83 percent disapproval rating — a near historical low for the nation.

For more information about how and where to vote please visit this website.

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