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McALLEN — U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez and former U.S. Rep. Mayra Flores clashed over their dealing with of the financial system, immigration and reproductive rights throughout a televised debate Thursday night time that drew fiery exchanges from each candidates over their voting information.
The 2 candidates are locked in a bitter race to symbolize Texas Congressional District 34 in South Texas. The race within the Rio Grande Valley is taken into account one of many solely aggressive congressional races in Texas and a prime precedence for each main nationwide political events.
Throughout the one-hour debate hosted by CBS4 and NBC23, Gonzalez did his greatest to remind viewers how a lot federal cash he is delivered to South Texas whereas Flores urged residents to vote with their pocketbook — which remains to be hurting, she mentioned.
On the financial system, Flores blamed the Biden administration’s overseas spending for the nation’s financial woes and advocated for a return to Trump-era insurance policies. Gonzalez mentioned he would goal company worth gouging to carry down prices for customers.
Regardless of the repeated jabs, there have been a number of situations of settlement. Each candidates mentioned the minimal wage needs to be raised. Gonzalez mentioned he needed it to be $15 per hour. Flores anxious that quantity could be an excessive amount of for small enterprise to afford.
On immigration, Gonzalez reiterated his help of making “safe zones” in Central American nations the place asylum seekers might course of their purposes with out touring to the U.S. border. Gonzalez additionally mentioned he favored completely imposing Biden’s asylum coverage that bars asylum seekers between ports of entry after they exceed a sure degree.
Flores accused Democrats of utilizing immigration as a political challenge to court docket Hispanic voters and known as for extra help for U.S. Border Patrol brokers.
Gonzalez challenged Flores to call particular insurance policies she supported to which Flores mentioned the border was at its most safe beneath former President Donald Trump.
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The candidates had one other contentious alternate on reproductive rights.
Whereas each mentioned they might not help a federal abortion ban, Gonzalez criticized Flores for co-sponsoring H.R. 1011, also called the Life at Conception Act. The invoice, which didn’t cross, outlined a human being to incorporate all phases of life, together with the second of fertilization, or cloning with no exceptions for in vitro fertilization.
“It’s a national abortion ban. You need to read your own bills,” Gonzalez mentioned.
“You don’t know what a woman is,” Flores mentioned, referring to Gonzalez’s help of transgender rights, an assault Republicans have used throughout the U.S. this fall. “Yes, I believe in life at conception, that is something that I personally believe in, but I respect the views of others.”
Although the race is a rematch between the 2 candidates, Thursday night time’s debate was the primary time they’ve instantly confronted off towards each other and can probably be the one time they accomplish that throughout this election cycle.
Flores, 38, briefly represented the district after successful a particular election in June 2022. Gonzalez, 57, who served three phrases representing neighboring District 15, ran for District 34 within the November 2022 basic election after Texas lawmakers redrew the district strains to make District 15 extra aggressive. Gonzalez defeated Flores by 8.5 proportion factors.
Regardless of Flores’ defeat, Republicans’ means to flip the seat within the 2022 particular election was seen as a significant step in chipping away on the Democrats’ maintain within the Rio Grande Valley.
The district stretches from Brownsville and up the state’s southeastern coast to Kingsville. It additionally runs west into elements of Hidalgo County together with elements of McAllen and Edinburg. About 87% of the residents are Hispanic.
All through the marketing campaign, Flores retained her motto of “God, Family, and Country” as her message to voters, criticizing Gonzalez for voting towards a invoice that will have prevented transgender ladies from collaborating in feminine sports activities.
The Nationwide Republican Congressional Committee additionally launched an advert on her behalf accusing Gonzalez of pushing “sex changes for kids” over caring in regards to the financial system.
Gonzalez has denied supporting tax-funded gender transition surgical procedures for minors and has accused Flores of mendacity to voters, referring to her as “Mayra Mentiras” or “Mayra Lies” on social media.
Reporting within the Rio Grande Valley is supported partly by the Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc.
