Monday’s event with Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez and Republican Joe Kent was televised live on Portland’s KATU News
Ken Vance, editor
Clark County Today
For the second time in less than a week, voters in Southwest Washington’s 3rd Congressional District had the opportunity to view a live debate between Congressional candidates Marie Gluesenkamp Perez and Joe Kent. Monday’s event was televised live on Portland’s KATU News, who partnered with Willamette University for the debate, which was moderated by KATU’s Wright Gazaway.
The two candidates faced off last Wednesday in a live debate at Lower Columbia College in Longview. Perez, the incumbent Democrat, defeated her Republican challenger by less than 1 percent of the vote in the 2022 general election. Perez is a small business owner and Kent is a 20-year combat veteran, Army Ranger, and former CIA field operative. It’s safe to say that in the weeks, months and years leading up to Monday’s live debate, the interaction between the two political opponents has grown contentious and even snarky at times.
“I’ve beaten Joe in an election, and I’m looking forward to doing it again in November,’’ said Perez in a promotional statement played prior to Monday night’s broadcast.
“She does not represent the values of Southwest Washington,’’ Kent stated simply.
The candidates each had one minute to answer each question and were also given three 30-second rebuttals, which they could choose to use throughout the debate. Each candidate was given one minute at the end for closing remarks.
Throughout the nearly one hour debate, Perez attempted to emphasize her bipartisan efforts, her focus on small businesses, her attention to the agricultural crisis and efforts to lower energy costs for families. Kent criticized Perez’s voting record, particularly on inflation and energy, while positioning himself as the candidate for fiscal responsibility and energy independence.
As expected, immigration and security of the Southern Border were major topics, with Kent expressing his support for stricter border control. Perez claimed to have joined bipartisan support for securing the border while criticizing Kent’s divisive rhetoric.
Questions
Each candidate was given the opportunity to answer an extended list of questions. Here are the questions and each candidate’s response, including rebuttals:
Recent Gallup polling shows more than 4 in 10 Americans list the economy as the number one issue ahead of this election. What do you see as the biggest economic issue facing our country right now, and what will you do to address it?
Perez: When I’m talking to neighbors and friends at daycare drop-off or at the gas station, the economy is the thing I hear the most about. And so I’m proud of my work voting for the Fiscal Responsibility Act. I’m proud of my work to introduce a bipartisan constitutional amendment to balance the budget. I’m proud of my work to level the playing field for small businesses. When I talk to farmers, they tell me they used to be able to sell their chickens everywhere; now there are only two people they can sell to, and those corporations control the price of propane and fertilizer. That’s not right. We’ve got to compete against those monopolistic forces. We’ve got to ensure that there’s a level playing field because families end up footing the bill for that kind of policy. We’ve seen Joe support shutting down the government if he doesn’t get everything he wants. That’s political arson, and it’s going to be small business owners who pay the price first when the economy tanks. I’m proud of my record of doing exactly what I said I would do: supporting small businesses like mine in the trades.
Kent: The biggest issue we’re facing right now is out-of-control inflation. Washington, D.C. is addicted to printing money in a way that no family or small business can. That’s what’s driving inflation. And unfortunately, my opponent has voted for $4 trillion in new inflationary spending. This reckless spending is driving up the price at the pump and at the grocery store. When I get out and talk to my friends and neighbors — like my own small community in Yacolt — people are pooling their resources, sharing canned goods and fresh produce from their gardens, just to get by. A few years ago, these same families were making ends meet on their salaries. This inflation is being driven by Washington, D.C., and unfortunately, Biden, Harris, and Marie Perez have continued to spend trillions more than we take in through tax revenue. We need to balance the budget, live within our means like American families do, and put a real cap on spending. That’s what I’ll do in Washington, D.C.
Many Americans are dealing with affordability issues in their daily lives. For example, grocery prices are up 30% in the last four years, according to some estimates. What will you do as a member of Congress to address affordability for everyday items?
Kent: The most important thing Congress can do is to live within its means. Pass individual appropriations bills. Washington, D.C., takes in about $5 trillion in federal tax revenue — that’s what we have to spend. We can’t keep spending an extra $2 to $2.5 trillion over that. My opponent has voted for $4 trillion in new spending, and the Biden-Harris administration has us spending between $7 and $7.5 trillion. What do we get for it? Higher prices at the grocery store and the gas pump. We need to balance the budget and get back to energy independence. Biden’s war on U.S. energy — fully supported by my opponent and the Democratic Party — has got to stop. We need to drill our own gas, lower the price at the pump, pass individual appropriations bills, and stop the out-of-control money printing. One of the biggest problems we had in Congress this past year was that my opponent voted to put no cap on spending, giving the executive branch an unlimited credit card to continue driving inflation.
Perez: The crisis is real for families. People are paying their grocery bills on credit cards. That’s not the America I believe in or the one I want to leave to my child. Right now, we’re importing 40% of the fresh fruits and vegetables we consume. That’s a problem. I’m proud of my work on the Agriculture Committee, supporting local producers and ensuring a level playing field for all kinds of growers. It’s one reason I’m the only candidate endorsed by the Washington State Farm Bureau. I listen to our farmers, and I fight for them at the table. I’m also proud of my work on Right to Repair, which ensures farmers can fix their own equipment without being forced to pay exorbitant costs. Farmers have a suicide rate three-and-a-half times higher than other populations, and part of that is due to their debt burdens. We need to support our agricultural producers, create a fair market, and ensure a level playing field.
In January 2020, gas prices averaged $2.63 per gallon. By August of this year, the average was $3.50 per gallon. What role does Congress play in addressing the cost of gas, which experts say impacts costs across the economy?
Perez: I’m one of the top three most bipartisan voting members of the U.S. House. I’m proud of representing our independent values — like energy independence — and advocating for policies that lower energy costs for working families. Recently, an OMB study showed that a lot of Biden’s electric vehicle tax credits went to the highest-earning households. Those EVs aren’t making it into the secondary market because they aren’t repairable. We need policies that work for people who are driving trucks, working in the trades, and raising families. We need pragmatic environmentalism that lowers energy costs and builds wealth in the middle class. I’m not here to support wealthy families buying a third vehicle. I’m here to support lowering energy costs for working families through smart tax credits and solutions like energy-efficient mobile homes.
Kent: Congress needs to unleash U.S. energy. The restrictions put in place by the Biden-Harris administration on exploratory drilling have put us at the mercy of foreign oil producers. My opponent and the Democratic Party have supported this war on domestic energy. You just need to look at gas prices a few years ago compared to now. We need to get back to being energy independent. My opponent voted to allow Biden to ship high-paying tech jobs overseas to China. We need to use our resources here in America, with American labor, to lower the price at the pump and all other goods.
The U.S. is currently pumping over 13 million barrels of oil per day, the most ever. The U.S. became a net exporter of energy in 2019, and federal data shows we produced more petroleum than we consumed in 2022. However, we still import crude oil and other energy sources. What do you mean when you say we need to be energy independent?
Kent: We need to get back to doing exploratory drilling and fully utilizing the oil fields in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Texas. Under the Biden-Harris administration, we’ve stopped issuing exploratory permits to smaller oil field owners, which has benefited only the major corporations. Opening up the market would flood it with more affordable oil. We can produce our own crude and stop relying on foreign sources. I support all energy solutions, including green energy, as long as it doesn’t ship American jobs overseas or put us at a disadvantage to foreign countries. We have the oil and natural gas we need right here in America. We just need to open up our pipelines and start exploratory drilling again.
Perez: I was one of just a few Democrats who voted in favor of HR 2, the energy bill, because I understand how rising energy costs hurt working families. We need pragmatic energy policies that lower costs for families without sacrificing environmental responsibility. I’m focused on building a level playing field that supports American energy independence while keeping emissions low. Our petroleum has a lower emissions rate than oil from many other countries, so it makes sense to focus on domestic production. We also need to reduce our dependence on foreign dictators who use oil wealth to finance their agendas.
Kent (rebuttal): Marie says she made bipartisan votes in favor of U.S. energy, but she voted against it, then for it, and then against it again when it was part of an overall budget package. You can check her voting record on house.gov. If she holds this seat and the Democrats control the House, U.S. energy independence will continue to be suppressed, gas prices will stay high, and inflation will worsen.
The federal data shows unemployment is slightly higher in both the Portland and Longview metro areas. The Portland metro area includes Vancouver. What will you do to address employment specifically in the 3rd Congressional District?
Perez: I live in rural Skamania County on a gravel road, and about 80% of people employed here have to work outside the county because we’ve gutted our natural resource economies. That affects mills, paper mills, and industries across the region. It’s great to have golf courses and gift shops, but you need a strong natural resource economy to support that. I want to build my house with locally harvested lumber, not imported from elsewhere. I support pragmatic environmentalism that balances resource use with conservation. People need to know that if they work hard, they can get ahead, own a home, and raise a family. Many people in my generation are working multiple jobs and still struggling to make ends meet. We need to support small business owners and family businesses like mine.
Kent: We need to stop shipping high-paying tech jobs overseas to China, like my opponent voted to do. I’ve spoken to businesses like United Precision in Washougal, which employs local tradespeople and tech workers. They’re being hurt by policies that prioritize outsourcing. We need tariffs to protect American labor and manufacturing. Additionally, we need to get the southern border under control. Illegal immigration is driving down wages and taking jobs away from hard working Americans. We need tax breaks to incentivize businesses to operate here in America and ensure jobs aren’t being stolen from our citizens.
(Viewer question) I work for a company that provides housing and employment services, and we see many people being evicted due to the lack of affordable housing. What will you do to address housing affordability?
Kent: People are being evicted because they can’t afford rent or their mortgages, which is a direct result of inflation. Just a few years ago, many of these people were doing fine. Now, they’re struggling to keep up with rising costs. I’ve knocked on doors in Vancouver, and people have told me they’ll have to downsize if the economy doesn’t improve. Inflation is the number one driver of housing issues, but we also need to address the influx of people from the southern border who are competing for limited housing. More competition for fewer homes drives up prices. We also need to stop hedge funds from buying up homes and undercutting first-time homebuyers.
Perez: My husband and I built our house ourselves in rural Skamania County because banks don’t like to lend to self-employed people in the trades. It was the only way we could become homeowners. We built our house for $120,000, while the average federally funded affordable housing unit costs $500,000. We need to simplify zoning and permitting processes to lower housing costs and encourage more building. I’ve championed policies in Congress that prioritize federal housing dollars for communities that streamline these processes. We also need to support vocational training so people can learn the skills necessary to build homes in their own communities.
(Viewer Question) What are you doing about homelessness? It’s right outside my front door. People are sleeping there, high on drugs, and it’s dangerous. I have a one-year-old kid. What are we doing about it?
Perez: We need to build more housing and make it easier for people to get treatment for drug addiction. The average federally involved affordable housing unit in Washington costs $500,000, but we built our home for a fraction of that. We need to support a clear regulatory environment and teach the skills needed to build affordable homes. Homelessness is closely tied to rising housing costs. We all see the issue, and I’m fighting for policies that support small businesses and homeownership. We need to create more starter homes and ensure that our policies address the root causes of homelessness.
Kent: After serving in the military for over 20 years and going to combat 11 times, it breaks my heart to see Americans living in squalor. We need to prioritize our own citizens. We need to reopen federal mental health institutions to help those in crisis and get them away from residential areas and schools. We need drug treatment centers to help people get clean and sober. Many shelters are tolerating rampant drug use, creating a cycle of addiction and homelessness. We also need to secure the southern border to stop the flow of lethal drugs like fentanyl, which recently killed a toddler in Vancouver. We have to secure the border and put our citizens first.
CDC data shows that overdose deaths went up in both Oregon and Washington, despite declining nationwide. Fentanyl is responsible for the vast majority of those deaths, according to the CDC. What will you do to reverse this trend in the third district?
Kent: Fentanyl is senselessly killing people in our community. Countless loved ones have died because of this drug. The fentanyl is coming across the wide-open southern border. One of the first votes my opponent took in Congress was to keep the border wide open, and now we’re seeing the consequences. My top priority in Congress is to secure that border. We need to build the wall, get more law enforcement down there, and even use the military if necessary. We must stop the flow of fentanyl into the country. Once we’ve secured the border, we need our federal law enforcement agencies to support local sheriffs and police departments in cracking down on fentanyl trafficking. I’ve spoken with the task force handling fentanyl between Portland and Seattle, and they confirm that it’s all coming from across the southern border. Step one is closing that border, and my opponent has failed to do that.
Perez: There’s not a person watching who hasn’t been impacted by fentanyl, whether they know it or not. It’s devastating our rural communities, and many of us feel that if this crisis had hit wealthier people first, there would have been action a long time ago. We can’t wait any longer. We need to secure the southern border, which is why I helped pass a bill, known as the Fentanyl Bill, to give Border Patrol more resources to stop drugs before they get here. These drugs are hollowing out our communities. My commitment to taking on the Biden administration’s failed border security policies is one of the reasons why I’m endorsed by Washington state’s oldest rank-and-file police union. Joe doesn’t have that support.
Marie, your opponent has criticized past comments you made saying, quote, “No one stays up at night thinking about the border.” What is your response to that criticism?
Perez: I’m not a polished politician. I ran for Congress because I didn’t see my community’s values represented in Washington, D.C. That quote was taken out of context. What I was saying is that it’s not racist to want to secure the border. People stay awake at night worrying about their truck being repossessed or not being able to get their child into rehab, but they also want a secure border. We need to address the root causes of these challenges while also tackling the full spectrum of symptoms. I take border security very seriously, but we also need to think about the broader issues that are driving this crisis.
Joe, an immigration question for you: A lot of data suggests undocumented migrants pay billions in federal, state, and local taxes. Should these individuals be offered a pathway to citizenship?
Kent: No. If you came into this country illegally, you need to leave. Your first act as someone wanting to be an American cannot be breaking our laws. Now, for people who were brought here as children, that’s a different story, and I support offering them a pathway to citizenship. But for those who came here illegally as adults, they need to return to their country of origin. These illegal immigrants are accessing services that American citizens pay into and driving down wages for American workers. Many of them don’t have health insurance, so when they seek medical care, we end up footing the bill. We need a strong immigration policy that prioritizes American citizens and protects American jobs.
Federal data shows millions of border crossings at the southern border in just the past two years. Millions of people have also been deported or expelled, but that number is far lower than the number of crossings and encounters. What specific actions would you support to address immigration along the southern border?
Kent: First and foremost, we need to build the wall and stop the flow of fentanyl. If you go down to the border, as my opponent refuses to do, you’ll see that the Border Patrol officers are overwhelmed because the people crossing are seeking asylum and overwhelming the system. We need to close the asylum loophole, make people seek asylum in a third country, or remain in Mexico. We need to cut off benefits for illegal immigrants and reinstate mandatory E-Verify to go after employers who are hiring illegal workers. We also need to start deporting people who came here illegally. By cutting off the incentives for them to come here, many will self-deport. The October 7th attack in Israel shows us what happens when you don’t secure your borders. We’ve had 10 to 12 million illegal immigrants come into this country, and we don’t know who many of them are. We need to locate and deport those who refuse to leave.
Perez: I’m proud to have voted for the largest Border Patrol workforce in U.S. history. I take this issue seriously, and I’m committed to improving border security. I supported the “End the Border Catastrophe” bill, which strengthens border security and addresses the humanitarian crisis at the border. Joe is on record saying he supports a 20-year ban on immigration to reestablish a white majority. That’s not my characterization — that’s what he said. He’s trying to divide us, but we need to focus on real solutions that address the root causes of immigration while keeping our borders secure.
Kent (rebuttal): That claim is complete nonsense. You can go to KGW and see they fact-checked one of her ads, which debunked that lie. Asylum is near and dear to me because I’ve personally sponsored some of our Iraqi allies who served with us overseas. But the asylum system in the U.S. is broken. People are abusing it to enter the country illegally, and we need to close that loophole.
Perez (rebuttal): Joe’s rhetoric around immigration is divisive and dangerous. I’ve been working hard in Congress to find real solutions. I led a bipartisan effort to pass the “Defending Borders to Protect Democracy” bill, which ensures we are supporting both our borders and our democratic allies abroad. I’m proud of my work to protect our communities and ensure that resources are being used where they’re most needed.
Joe, another question for you: You’ve expressed past support for a nationwide abortion ban. You now say you no longer support that. Why should voters trust your word today?
Kent: I support the Supreme Court’s decision to send the issue of abortion back to the states. At the federal level, I do not support a nationwide abortion ban. That decision belongs with the states. What I do support is lowering the cost of raising kids and making childbirth more affordable. That includes making items like baby formula and diapers tax-free and increasing child tax deductions. I served this country for over 20 years, and I took an oath to defend the Constitution. The Supreme Court made its ruling, and I respect that. In Washington state, abortion is not on the ballot, and if elected, I will not support a federal ban.
Marie, a question for you on abortion: More than a dozen states have no restrictions on abortion. Do you support any restrictions after a certain length of time?
Perez: When I decided to run for office, I had an eight-month-old son, so this issue was very personal to me. What I’ve seen in D.C. is that these laws are often written by people who have no understanding of women’s health issues like preeclampsia or placenta previa. They have no business making decisions about when and how women can access medical care. Joe Kent signed a pledge to support a national ban on abortion and has called for a constitutional amendment to ban abortion in all cases. He’s saying what the pollsters tell him to now, but we know where he stands. Our rights are not safe with people like Joe in Washington, D.C. We need to ensure that families can make the right decisions for themselves without interference from politicians who don’t understand these issues.
This next question is on gun violence. On September 4th, a 14-year-old student walked into his high school in Georgia and shot two teachers and two students. This is just one in a long list of mass shootings in American schools. What do you think should be done to stop America from continuing to lead the world in mass shootings?
Kent: It’s absolutely a tragedy when a parent loses a child, especially in a preventable situation like a school shooting. What we need to do is protect what we love, and that means increasing the number of school resource officers, police officers, and even private armed security at schools. Shooters target soft areas. For example, the shooter in Nashville earlier this year chose a school without armed security after scouting several other schools. We have the resources to secure our schools; we just need to allocate them. We also need to stop prioritizing foreign aid and focus on protecting our children and securing our borders. My opponent has voted to send billions overseas while leaving our schools and borders unprotected. I’ll make sure our children are safe by ensuring schools have adequate security.
Perez: These shootings are heartbreaking. We need to do more to support young people who are struggling with social isolation, family problems, and lack of connection to their communities. When you look at the data, the majority of gun deaths are actually suicides, particularly among young people. We need to take those numbers seriously if we want to address the real causes of gun violence. I believe in strong communities, and we need to make sure every kid has a chance to succeed. That means supporting vocational programs like shop class in schools. I also support the Second Amendment. In rural areas like mine, it can take law enforcement 30 minutes to respond, so having a firearm is essential. But the same policies won’t work everywhere, and we need to be thoughtful about how we approach this issue.
Today marks the one-year anniversary of the Hamas terror attack on Israel. The war between Hamas and Israel continues with no clear end in sight. What role should the United States play in ending that conflict?
Perez: October 7th was the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust. The fastest way for this war to end is for Hamas to release the hostages they are still holding. As someone who runs a small business and lives in a rural community, I understand how important it is to keep your word and maintain your reputation. That applies on the world stage, too. Our national security is strengthened when there is a liberal democracy in the Middle East, and when foreign dictators can’t invade democratic allies. I agree with Speaker Mike Johnson that it’s better to spend bullets now than to send American soldiers later. My opponent has called Putin a “reasonable guy” and referred to President Zelensky as a “thug.” He’s advocating for policies that would abandon our allies, but I believe in standing by our democratic partners.
Kent: The reason the October 7th attacks happened is because the Biden-Harris administration gave Iran access to billions of dollars. Iran then funneled that money to Hamas and Hezbollah, allowing them to disrupt the peace brought by the Abraham Accords. Israel made a mistake by waiting for America’s permission to respond. The Biden-Harris administration has tried to play both sides of this conflict. After the attacks, Speaker Mike Johnson and House Republicans put forward a bill to claw back money from the IRS and send immediate assistance to Israel without adding more inflationary spending. My opponent and the Democrats refused to support that bill and instead waited to pass a much larger foreign aid package, which added billions in new spending. We need to let Israel defend itself and finish off Hamas, while supporting them diplomatically by strengthening the Abraham Accords and cutting off Iran’s access to cash.
Perez (rebuttal): I’m proud of my bipartisan work to pass the “Defending Borders to Protect Democracy” bill, which supports both our allies abroad and our borders at home. Joe’s rhetoric is divisive and dangerous. He’s pushing a foreign policy that abandons our democratic allies, and that’s not in the best interest of our national security.
Ukraine and Russia are also at war, and the U.S. and European governments have sent billions of dollars in military aid to Ukraine. Would you support more U.S. aid to Ukraine?
Kent: We’re talking about billions of dollars going overseas while Americans are struggling to afford gas and groceries, and we can’t even secure our own southern border. The situation in Ukraine is a tragedy. A generation of young Ukrainians is being wiped out because we’ve pursued a policy of sending unlimited money and military hardware to Ukraine. In the last two years, this strategy hasn’t changed the outcome of the war — Russia controls more of Ukraine now than it did at the beginning of the conflict. We’re closer to World War III than ever before, and missiles are being shot into Russia. Our priority should be putting Americans first, ending the conflict, de-escalating nuclear tensions, and stopping the killing. It’s time to focus on our own people.
Perez: Russia invaded a democratically elected nation, and we have a responsibility to stand by our allies. Some of our own community members have family members in Ukraine who are suffering because of this invasion. If we walk away from our reputation as a reliable ally, China is waiting in the wings to seize that power. Joe’s talking points are exactly what our foreign adversaries are using. In fact, Russian propagandists have quoted him in their own newspapers. He’s becoming a puppet for interests that don’t align with ours. We need to ensure that Ukraine has the tools it needs to win this war on its terms, and abandoning them now would send a terrible message to our allies.
Let’s move on to an important local topic: the Interstate 5 replacement bridge. Marie, this question is for you first. Do you support the current replacement plan for the Interstate Bridge? If so, why? If not, what would you like to see?
Perez: I support replacing the I-5 bridge. That bridge carries $132 million in goods every day, and not replacing it is not an option for our small business community and farmers. I’m proud to have secured over $2 billion in federal funds to replace the bridge. I brought the Secretary of Transportation out to stand on the bridge in the rain and feel it shake when trucks went by. That bridge is 107 years old, and it’s a safety hazard. We need to replace it with American-made steel and local labor from Southwest Washington. Some people, like Joe, are talking about building a third bridge, but that’s not a realistic solution. It would require taking farmland from families, and we need to focus on the immediate needs of our community by replacing the existing bridge.
Joe, do you support the current replacement plan for the I-5 bridge? If so, why? If not, what would you like to see?
Kent: I don’t support the current plan. It’s essentially replacing a three-lane bridge with another three-lane bridge for billions of dollars. Plus, what my opponent isn’t telling you is that the new bridge will come with tolls and light rail. Light rail will bring Portland’s problems into downtown Vancouver, and the tolls will disproportionately affect Washingtonians. What we need is a third bridge to alleviate congestion. Replacing a three-lane bridge with another three-lane bridge doesn’t solve the problem of congestion. Portland and Vancouver have grown significantly, and we need a way for through traffic on I-5 to bypass both cities. We also need to ensure that the federal government, which is responsible for interstate infrastructure, funds the project. The current plan doesn’t address the real issues, and I can’t support it.
Both parties acknowledge that the current number of people lawfully seeking asylum exceeds the capacity the U.S. government can handle. What changes, if any, would you make to the asylum system?
Kent: The current asylum system is broken. If someone can get a foot inside the U.S. or make a reservation on the CBP One app, they’re basically granted asylum. We need to stop allowing people to enter the country this way. Anyone brought into the country under the Biden-Harris administration without proper vetting needs to be removed. The system is being exploited. We also need to close the loopholes in temporary protected status and parole in place programs, which are allowing unvetted people to enter the country. We need a physical wall to stop people from coming in illegally, and we need to require asylum seekers to be vetted in the first safe third country or in Mexico. The changes my opponent has proposed don’t fix these issues.
Perez: I’ve been clear that we need a secure southern border and an asylum process that works. But I also need to point out that Joe is mistaken about the role of the federal government. My job as a representative is to bring our federal tax dollars back to the district to build infrastructure like the I-5 bridge. The decisions about the shape and color of the bridge are made at the state and local level. I’ve worked hard to ensure that we aren’t bearing the burden for decisions made by other states. We need to focus on building infrastructure that supports our communities while securing the border and creating an asylum process that’s fair and efficient.
Closing statements
Perez: I’m proud of doing exactly what I said I would do two years ago. As a small business owner, a mom, and someone who works in the trades and lives on a gravel road, I’ve worked hard to represent the independent values of Southwest Washington. I’m tired of D.C. flipping their values onto us. I want our priorities reflected in Congress. Joe likes to diminish the work I’ve done, but I don’t think rural transportation for veterans is small. I don’t think securing infrastructure funding is small. Joe thinks these things don’t matter because he’s not listening to us. He wants us to think he knows better, but the truth is he doesn’t know us.
Kent: Thank you to everyone who’s tuned in and engaged in this process. I served our country for 20 years, including 11 combat deployments. When I talk to people in this district, they’re hurting. They’re struggling to afford groceries, worried about the fentanyl crisis, and fed up with the inflation caused by my opponent’s votes. Go to mariewatch.com, and you’ll see that she voted to keep the border wide open, voted for $4 trillion in new inflationary spending, and voted to allow biological men into your daughters’ locker rooms and sports teams. Marie will say she’s a moderate, but her votes tell a different story. I support a return to common sense: secure our border, stop fentanyl, balance the budget, and build an actual third bridge that alleviates congestion. I’d be honored to serve you in Washington, D.C.
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