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CULPPER, Go. – Representative Dave Brat (right) and Democrat Abigail Spanberger clashed for the first and probably the only discussion on health care, immigration and taxes in Virginia's 7th congressional district, a long-standing fortress of the GOP that seems to be at stake in the era of President Trump.
While Trump holds a prominent place in the race, the president was only mentioned once during the 90-minute forum. The name on Brat's lips was that of representative Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). He repeatedly invoked Pelosi while he was attempting to portray Spanberger as a liberal who supports "sanctuary cities" and "a total takeover of health care by the government".
Brat has so often spoken of "the liberal agenda of Nancy Pelosi" that the phrase has begun to attract attention. At one point, he admitted that he said it "a million times" (according to more conservative estimates, about 25).
Spanberger, a former federal police officer and CIA member who has been a moderate, has repeatedly said that Brat misrepresented her point of view: she would not support Pelosi as Speaker of the House if the Democrats were to win. the control of the room. he referred to the "Medicare for All" plan and opposed sanctuary cities, which have policies protecting illegal immigrants.
"I had a habit of working every day to keep the community I lived in safe," she said. "For you, to claim anything else is frankly comical."
Brat, a former economics professor at Randolph-Macon College, won the seat four years ago after getting angry with Eric Cantor, then a majority leader in the House. He won a reelection of 15 points two years later.
The race between Rep. Dave Brat (R-Va.) And Democrat Abigail Spanberger is considered a run. (LEFT: Timothy C. Wright for the Washington Post, RIGHT: Ryan M. Kelly for the Washington Post)
This year, Brat faces a powerful opponent in Spanberger, whose summary of national security might appeal to radical voters and moderate Republicans.
[[[[Poll shows Brat is in tight race with Spanberger]
Brat is also facing strong winds from Washington in a polarized neighborhood, consisting of suburbs of Richmond and rural areas extending from Culpeper to Nottoway County. Trump is popular in the rural areas of the 7th, but he has strongly stimulated Democrats in the suburbs, where Democrats toppled several seats in the House of GOP delegates in last year's elections. Independent political analysts evaluate the race as a stalemate.
Brat has found himself in trouble with some voters, after complaining last year that "women are in my shoes" for his reluctance to hold public meetings to discuss the issue. Trump administration.
[[[[Rep. Brat: "The women are in my grill, no matter where I go"]
During Monday's debate, Spanberger sharply refuted Brat after spending several minutes talking about federal law enforcement.
"I want to thank you for having explained the role of federal law enforcement because I have already been a federal law enforcement officer," she said.
Spanberger, who does not accept corporate donations from PAC, is ahead in fundraising. She announced Sunday, ahead of Monday night's deadline, that she has raised nearly $ 3.6 million in the last three months – a record quarter in Virginia's 7th congressional district and over 2.8 Millions of dollars collected by Brat for his last two campaigns combined.
[Spending surges in Va.’s 7th District as outside groups shift their gaze down state]
It seems that she has absorbed more than three times more than Brat; his spokesman said that he had collected more than a million dollars in the third quarter. The outside money also sank in the race. Since October 1, independent committees of candidates have spent $ 2.2 million on television and social media ads.
The debate, sponsored by the Culpeper Chamber of Commerce, took place in front of more than 400 people on the Culpeper campus of the Germanna Community College. It was broadcast on WTVR, the CBS subsidiary in Richmond, and hosted by Jonathan Krawchuk, head of Culpeper's public television station. Brat has recently pulled out of the draft for a second debate, claiming that his campaign could be re-examined after the Culpeper forum.
[Brat backs out of second debate, Democrat’s campaign says]
On Monday, Brat and Spanberger have repeatedly disagreed on the subject of health care. Brat said Spanberger would increase health care spending by $ 32 trillion. He was referring to the "Medicare for All" plan proposed by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Often referred to as the "single payer" and who would make the "pay-as-you-go". Medicare the basis of any health insurance.
"The solution to lower prices is to get rid of Obamacare," he said. "You do not compete by doubling and taking a comprehensive care of government health care."
Spanberger said that she did not support the Sanders plan. Instead, she said that she wanted "Medicare-X," a plan proposed by Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.) That would offer Medicare an option on health insurance exchanges for non-elderly Americans. People could take out a public insurance plan using the Medicare provider network at similar rates.
Spanberger noted that Brat had voted against the protections afforded to people with pre-existing health problems. Brat insisted that he had voted in favor of maintaining protections for pre-existing conditions when he had supported the GOP's failed plan to "repeal and replace" the Affordable Care Act. The dispute lies in what each candidate means by "protections" – that it is to make sure that insurers offer fonts to these patients or offer affordable policies.
The bill supported by Brat would have prevented insurers from denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions, but it would have allowed them to charge much higher premiums, according to independent auditors found at the time.
While trying to defend himself against pre-existing conditions, Brat distorted the findings of Washington Post investigator Glenn Kessler by falsely suggesting that Kessler had given four Pinocchios to a Spanberger TV commercial.
Spanberger and Brat, both parents of students from a Henrico County Public School, had different approaches to guns and security in schools. Spanberger said that she had grown up with guns and that she understood gun farming, but wanted a universal background check for all gun purchases. Brat said that Spanberger "wanted to take away your guns" and that it was best to prevent shootings in schools by assigning armed school resource officers to campuses and by improving access to mental health care.
In his opening statement, Brat recalled his political debut as a foreigner who had resisted the leadership of his own party, claiming what he considered to be cronyism and his inability to control the police. immigration and expenses. He stated that he had obtained results from the moment he had knocked down Cantor.
"I introduced myself as an outsider, as a long-term candidate," he said. "The day after my victory, a huge Liberal amnesty bill collapsed."
[Dave Brat brings in trusted tea party adviser in final stretch of campaign]
Spanberger suggested that the man who ran like a finance hawk had gone astray in supporting Trump's tax cuts, which she said would add $ 1.9 trillion to the federal deficit. She also said that tax breaks were largely granted to large companies, including $ 42 billion to the giants of the pharmaceutical industry.
On trade and tariffs, Brat said Americans were renegotiating trade deals with Mexico and Canada. He added that the trade war between Trump and China could cause short-term problems, but suggested to the president to put in place a strategy that would eventually lead to a "zero tariff".
Spanberger said the recent trade talks benefited dairy farmers in the district but the soybean producers were hurt. She questioned Trump's strategy.
"I do not understand the idea that we are going to go for zero tariffs by setting up a trade war," she said. "It's an imprudent foreign policy."
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