Iowa Republicans criticized the Democratic presidential candidates for their statements at this afternoon’s forum — before the forum started. Iowa Congressman Steve King, a Republican from Kiron, spoke over the noon hour on behalf of the Iowa Republican Party. King says all he’s heard from the Democrats is scare tactics. He says Democrats are trying to scare seniors into believing President Bush has no plan for Social Security or would “play” with benefits and jeopardize the program. King says the President does have a plan, and it calls for letting younger workers invest some of their payroll taxes in the stock market to yet a bigger return on their retirement savings. King also criticized the Democrats for favoring homosexual rights.King says the candidates need to go on record so the American people know what they believe, because King says he believes “for the most part” the Democratic candidates support same-sex marriage and other special rights for gays and lesbians. King says he favors equal rights for everyone, special rights for no one. Several of the Democrats in the race who are members of the U.S. House and Senate voted in favor of the “defense of marriage act” which passed Congress during the Clinton Administration.