Cutting the state’s dependence on federal funds, teacher evaluations, immigration policy, and political Islam were all subjects debated Monday night by the four Republican candidates seeking Tennessee’s open 16th District Senate seat.The candidate forum came as part of the Warren County Republican Party’s annual Lincoln Day Dinner held this year at Boskey’s Grill in Summitville.State Senate candidates Eric Chance, Janice Bowling, Rod McClellan and Ron Stoltzfus answered questions from the audience, all asking the support of the party as they battle for the seat to be vacated by Democrat Eric Stewart, who is seeking the Fourth District U.S. House seat.“There is no such thing as a free lunch,” said Bowling while weighing in on cutting dependence on federal aid. “We would be far better off if we could get rid of the free money because nothing the federal government gives is free.Eric Chance said he worries that federal money comes with federal mandates telling people of the district what to do.“No one wants a bureaucrat in Washington telling us how to educate our children,” Chance said, noting the best way to offset federal dollars is to bring in more jobs. “We need to put the people back to work.”Rod McClellan specifically spelled out his plans.“I will send 10 letters a week to manufacturers in Florida and the Gulf Coast inviting them here to our district,” McClellan said, noting a lot of industry bypasses the area because it’s not asked to come.