ROCHESTER — Making his third campaign stop in three days, Republican 2nd District Congressional candidate Luke Puckett addressed a crowd of approximately 15 people in the Rochester Town Hall Complex on Friday evening.

Puckett, who also made stops in LaPorte and Granger this week, wanted to discuss his plan to reduce the nation’s dependence on foreign oil by “opening the door on domestic exploration.”

“The importance of these meetings is to communicate the issues and highlight what is on everyone’s mind, and that’s gas prices,” said Puckett, who will oppose Democratic incumbent Joe Donnelly in the Nov. 4 general election.

While Puckett was making his second stop in Rochester this week — he spoke at a gathering of the Fulton County Republican Women on Monday — Donnelly’s campaign was announcing the congressman’s plans to kick off his re-election campaign Tuesday in Logansport. Donnelly will appear at 9:30 a.m. at the American Legion Post 60.

During Friday’s event, Puckett played up the differences between his views and Donnelly’s. While Puckett supports tapping into domestic oil, including drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Donnelly has said he wants to see restrictions on the trading of oil futures.

Rochester resident Ted Gerst, one of Puckett’s supporters, said he attended Friday’s event hoping to walk away with a better understanding of what the candidate stands for.

Though only a few people came, the goal of the campaign stop was to alert people to Puckett’s plans.

Puckett thought Rochester would be a great stop because it is similar to other towns in the 2nd District where people are feeling the effects of high gas prices in their pocketbooks.

Carmella Villasana, of Rochester, said she has seen Puckett speak a few times in the past, including at Monday’s event. She and her husband, Andy, said they liked what they heard from the political newcomer.

“We need someone that talks and walks what he says, not say it and forget it,” said Andy.

Most of the discussion was focused on gas prices and Puckett’s upcoming trip to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from July 14-17.

Puckett told the crowd in Rochester that to lower gas prices, our nation needs to drill and refine American oil. Puckett said he intends to further investigate the domestic oil possibilities during his trip to Alaska, which he called a fact-finding mission. The trip will include visits to Anchorage and Prudhoe Bay.

“Everyone talks about it, but no one goes,” he said. “We want to debunk the theory, or X the spot.”

Even though Puckett acknowledged Donnelly has pushed for the use of ethanol-mixed fuel sources, Puckett said that is not the solution for now.

“We need to remain focused on alternative fuels because that is where we need to be,” he said. “We’re not there yet.”

Puckett said he believes his plan will provide an immediate solution.

“I’m using every energy, every source I have so we can become energy independent,” he said. “I’m not saying when, I’m saying now.”

Puckett also said mandating the use of corn as an energy source could create some public backlash.

Switching gears, Puckett also touched on his views on war and illegal immigration.

The Goshen businessman said his stance on the war is to leave the decision making up to military commanders, not those in Washington D.C. While he would like to bring deployed soldiers home, he said it depends on one thing.

“When our ground commander states the job is finished, then and only then can our troops come home,” he said.

As for immigration and illegal immigrants, Puckett said he supports improved security along the border and a program to allow illegal immigrants a certain amount of time to leave the country and re-enter rather than just sending them back.

Denise Massie can be reached at (574) 732-5151 or via e-mail at denise.massie@pharostribune.com