CALIFORNIA, USA — As Election Day draws near, two candidates vying for California's open U.S. Senate seat faced off in a debate Tuesday night.
Democratic candidate Adam Schiff and Republican candidate Steve Garvey answered a series of questions and made their case for why they should fill the seat of the late Senator Dianne Feinstein.
At Tuesday's hour long candidate forum hosted by ABC7 in Los Angeles, a number of topics were discussed, including gun control, reproductive rights, climate change and cost of living.
Throughout the night, Schiff, a longtime congressman representing California's 30th Congressional District in Southern California, referenced his track record as a member of Congress for the last 20 years.
"Californians deserve a senator who has a track record of delivering, getting things done for the people of this state," he said.
Garvey, a former baseball player for the Los Angeles Dodgers, said Californians need a new, fresh voice who will "will get up every day and swing for the fences for you."
Throughout the night, Garvey spoke about doing away with overregulating by the federal government, referencing the topic when the candidates were asked how they plan to help those without health insurance.
"Let's make sure that we have a vivid and strong medical and Medicaid and expanded Medicare," he said.
He called attention to competition between health care companies, who he said have been strained by regulations.
Schiff said Medicare should be made available for anyone who wants to participate.
"Once more, we should continue to negotiate down the price of medicine through Medicare negotiations," Schiff said.
Both candidates were also asked about California's high cost of living and the housing crisis.
"It is my top priority to bring down the cost of housing in California," Schiff said.
Garvey followed with his own take.
"Let's get back to a free market capitalization, supply side, let's start to get money following in this great state and country of ours. What suppressed the people right from the beginning, day one, was to shut off energy," Garvey said.
Candidates were also asked about potential action on gun legislation.
"I believe in the Constitution. I believe in the Second Amendment," Garvey said. "I do have sympathy for all those that may have been victims of shootings, but I think that the most important thing is a stringent background check."
The candidates differed, with Schiff saying he'd support bans on assault weapons and extended ammunition clips.
"I would support an assault weapons ban, I would support extended and universal background checks. I would support a ban on extended ammunition clips," Schiff said.
They were also asked how they plan to address the fentanyl crisis.
"Americans are being killed because the borders are open. We've got to get back to securing the border. Fentanyl, the single worst drug ever to come across the borders from anywhere that are killing our people," Garvey said.
Schiff, meanwhile, said there needs to be a focus on the Americans carrying the drug through ports of entry and the cartels who are trafficking it.
"We need to strengthen our interdiction efforts at the border, that's true, but let's be honest about what's happening at the border. Most fentanyl that's smuggled into this country comes through ports of entry carried by Americans, and we need to go after them and we need to go after the international cartels that are trafficking in this death," Schiff said.
The candidates were also asked who they support for president. Schiff said he supports Vice President Kamala Harris and Garvey supports former President Donald Trump.
This is a statewide political contest, so all California voters will see this race on their ballots. They get to vote on the candidates twice: once to determine who should serve the remainder of the late Senator Dianne Feinstein's current term ending in January 2025 and a second time to determine who should serve the six-year term after that.
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