Jewish Post, Indianapolis, Marion County, 10 March 2004 — Page 3

March 10. 2004 IN 3

Purdue professor running for Congress

By ED STATTMANN WEST LAFAYETTE—An observant Jew, David A. Sanders, is running as a Democrat in Indiana's 4th congressional district with an eye to facing off in the fall against Congressman Steve Buyer, R-Ind. Sanders, 43, is an associate professor of biological sciences and a fellow congregant of Purdue biology Prof. Ed Simon. JPO readers know Simon as an occasional writer in these pages. Simon is president and Sanders the immediate past president of Sons of Abraham Congregation here. Sanders also occasionally visits Congregation B'nai Torah in Indianapolis. Originally from Teaneck, N.J., Sanders ran in 2002 for the Indiana State Senate, but started late and was defeated by Republican Ron Alting. Sanders lived in Israel during the Yom Kippur War in 1973 and did research there at the Weizmann Institute. He has been at Purdue nine years. Besides teaching, he does research work in biodefense issues, the Ebola virus, gene therapy, cancer viruses, and the virological bases of greenhouse gas production. He earned his bachelor's degree at Yale and a Ph.D. at the University of California-Berke-ley and has done research at UC-San Francisco and in association with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Sanders is building his campaign around four themes: fiscal responsibility, national security, defending the Constitution, and accountability for elected officials. Instead of speaking much about Buyer at this point, he says he'll let Buyer and his primary challengers work on each other. "I've focused on my qualifications. For example, in terms of national security, I have traveled to Russia to try to make sure that former bioweapons scientists are now conducting civilian research. I visited a formerly secret lab in the middle of Siberia - one of the only places that still has smallpox. "Many of the issues that face us have a scientific or technical basis - although they don't always have a scientific or technical solution. There are not a lot of congressmen that have that qualification," he says, "to talk about such matters as stem cell research or weapons of mass destruction." He's against using those weapons.

David A. Sanders

"It's important that America stand for something. We are the only superpower, and it's important that we demonstrate that a superpower can act with integrity and dignity. It's important that we have the respect of our allies, not just a few of our enemies." Sanders says the Indiana Democratic Party is supportive and will be even more so as he shows some fund-raising ability himself. Sanders and Miriam Hasson have been married for 17 years and have three sons. She is Sephardic and the daughter of the man who founded Chicago's Sephardic day school. Sanders says he and Buyer differ significantly about the Middle East. "Steve Buyer is a proponent of the idea that Saudi Arabia is one of our strongest allies. I'm concerned about that. If we think back, the majority of the 9-11 terrorists were from Saudi Arabia." Sanders says it's clear that the Saudis' interests are very different from America's. "I'm not sure we should look to them as our major allies in the Middle East, which sometimes seems to be the case. "I'm not anti-Saudi Arabia," Sanders adds. "I just think we need to be very practical about our relationship with them and understand its limits." Sanders says he is strong for campaign finance reform - "that it's essential to have our representatives independent of moneyed interests." He says Buyer is one of the top recipients of tobacco money and is on the Health Committee. "I've actually pledged that if I serve on a congressional committee, 1 will not knowingly accept any money Dorn lobbyists or individuals who have business before that committee." In seeking support, he says, "I'm trying to make it clear to people that they're supporting me, but they're not purchasing

influence. you can't contact by e-mail. But his first run for office in 1992 but "I believe Steve Buyer is vul- you can contact his campaign had served as an Army lawyer, nerable this time. I think there by e-mail. Shows you where "There's nothing wrong are the credibility issues and the the priorities are." with being an Army lawyer, lack of constituent service. He's He notes that Buyer He served his country," Sandone of the only congressmen campaigned in combat boots in Continued on page 9

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