In summary
In their only TV duel before election day, US Senate candidates Steve Garvey and Adam Schiff also argue about immigration and other issues.
A number of minutes into their only one-on-one debate, sparks began to fly between U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff and former LA Dodgers star Steve Garvey as each accused the opposite of failing the Californians.
In an hour-long televised forum tonight for the U.S. Senate seat that Dianne Feinstein held until her death last 12 months, the 2 engaged in verbal altercations and argued over a variety of issues, including reproductive rights and gun control and immigration.
Garvey, a Republican from Palm Desert, portrayed Schiff as a “career politician” who did little for the people of California during his time in office. “This man has done nothing for the last 24 years of all of these things that have given us stability in life,” Garvey said.
Schiff, a Democrat from Burbank who has served in Congress since 2001, portrayed Garvey as a supporter of former President Donald Trump who had experience in skilled sports and never politics. “While Mr. Garvey has been signing baseball signatures for the past 37 years, I have seen presidents of both parties and governors of both parties sign my bills,” Schiff said.
The heated arguments contrasted with the dynamics of the race, which was largely calm and static after the March primary wherein Schiff spent tens of millions supporting Garvey and ousting his Democratic opponents, U.S. Reps. Katie Porter and Barbara Lee went. Schiff dominated Garvey throughout statewide polls in deep blue California and has raised more cash overall than his GOP opponent – enough to fund other Democrats in campaigns across the country.
Garvey, however, has run a way more low-key campaign and has stayed near home – other than a summer trip to Israel. He raised funds for his own campaign while skipping the California Republican Party convention and the Republican National Convention. He has also done interviews with local television stations and performed at local festivals.
Here's more on a number of the key topics through the debate hosted by ABC7 Los Angeles and the League of Women Voters of California:
abortion
Noting that he’s Catholic, Garvey said he pledges to support the desire of Californians on reproductive rights. In November 2022, California voters enshrined the correct to abortion and contraception within the state structure, which Garvey recognized.
Garvey said he believes reproductive freedom is a state-by-state issue. In January, Garvey said he opposes a nationwide ban on abortion. And in July he said he supported the overturn of Roe v. calfwhich ended a long time of federal abortion protections and gave decision-making authority to the states.
Schiff said he supported enshrining abortion rights in federal law and criticized Garvey for supporting the U.S. Supreme Court 2022 decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade.
“If my colleague were to hearken to the voices of Californians, as he claims, he would hear their voices loud and clear: Californians need a national right to reproductive freedom and so they are not looking for the federal government to make that call for ladies. said Schiff. “I’m for reproductive freedom, Mr. Garvey. You're not.”
“Court packing”
Schiff has blamed the Supreme Court's conservative majority for overturning the Roe decision supported the expansion of the court from nine judges to 13.
“What interests me is that a small number of conservative justices who have lied to the Senate about their plans intend to deprive millions of women of reproductive care,” he said.
In response, Garvey repeatedly accused Schiff of supporting court packing – a partisan ploy to alter the variety of justices to attain a desired result. Theoretically this is feasible, but efforts have been made prior to now failed as a result of fierce resistanceABC News reported.
Garvey argued that Schiff's support for nationwide abortion rights, gun control measures and the abolition of the filibuster – which effectively requires 60 votes to pass laws within the US Senate – show that Schiff desires to pack the court and “deconstruct” the Constitution.
In response, Schiff said that U.S. Supreme Court justices ought to be “rebalanced” and have their term limits based on a stricter code of ethics.
“As for the full room, Mr. Garvey, if you haven't been paying attention, it's already full,” Schiff said, referring to the conservative majority.
Weapons
Garvey, who told CalMatters about it last 12 months advocated a ban on assault weaponsHe didn't say whether he modified his position this evening. Instead, he focused solely on pre-sale background checks.
“I think the most important thing is a strong background check that goes much deeper than it does today, to preserve the integrity of the Second Amendment and give people the opportunity to defend themselves,” he said.
Schiff said he supports a universal background check law in addition to a ban on assault weapons and advanced ammunition loads. It would also “remove the (National Rifle Association’s) immunity from liability,” he said.
Donald Trump
Schiff – who led the primary impeachment trial of Donald Trump – continues to explain the previous president as an unfit leader. In his own race, he has tried to link Garvey – who has voted for Trump twice and plans to vote for him again – with Trump, accusing Garvey tonight of being a “MAGA Mini-Me in a baseball uniform.” be.
Garvey, nevertheless, said Schiff's give attention to his impeachment efforts against Trump prevented him from responding to the needs of Californians, arguing that it might be the “most toxic” Senate if Schiff were elected.
“I can’t imagine, Mr. Schiff, how you can get up every morning and accomplish a mission, and that is to go after Donald Trump,” Garvey said. “How can you think about and focus on one man every day when you have millions of people to care for in California?”
But Schiff wore his outspokenness against Trump as a badge of honor, arguing that he had “defied a corrupt president” and witnessed Trump “inciting” a mob that stormed the Capitol.
immigration
Tonight, Garvey described the border as “an existential crisis” created by President Joe Biden. As border crossings increased under Biden, he pushed for tighter border restrictions, including an expansion of executive powers close the border And Restrict asylum seekers.
But Garvey wrote a comment in La Opinión against mass deportation of illegal immigrants Trump promised when he returns to the White House. Instead, Garvey argued that the federal government should increase funding for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, strengthen border security and speed up green card applications for families. He called for a “temporary closure” of the border.
Additionally, Garvey said he supports reinstating the Trump-era policy of keeping asylum seekers in Mexico while their applications are pending. He opposed “catch and release,” which, reasonably than detaining a migrant, allows him to return to the community while he awaits an immigration court hearing.
Schiff said tonight the federal government must “take control of the border” and advocated for more personnel and technology to assist patrol the border while ensuring humane treatment of migrants.
“We can have both a strong border and treat people as people,” he said.
Schiff has criticized the policy of detaining migrants and criticized the conditions in some detention centers “Incredibly disturbing.” He advocated for increased funding to rent more judges and interpreters in immigration courts, more resources to enhance border controls and an expansion of humanitarian support for asylum seekers.
He also supports the US Citizenship Act, which would create a path to citizenship for some Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients and undocumented immigrants in the event that they pass background checks and have worked within the country for at the very least five years.
Schiff and Garvey are vying for the support of Latino voters, and so they are the least more likely to vote despite representing the most important racial and ethnic group nationwide. As a part of an “all-in Latino community strategy,” Garvey’s campaign aired its first national TV ads on Oct. 4 — only in Spanish — as a part of a $5 million promoting buy.
Originally published:
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