Arizona Senate race debate: Democrat Mark Kelly, Republican Blake Masters clash over immigration, abortion

Arizona Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly and Republican challenger Blake Masters took to the talk stage in Phoenix Thursday night, the place the 2 clashed over President Joe Biden’s dealing with of the U.S. financial system, border safety, and reproductive rights.

The candidates opened the talk by highlighting how excessive inflation has crippled client spending throughout the nation. Masters particularly shared a narrative of how some dad and mom are having to forgo meals to allow them to higher afford to feed their youngsters.

“This crushing inflation is ruining individuals’s lives,” Masters instructed debate moderator Ted Simons. “I had dad and mom come as much as me two weeks in the past to a marketing campaign occasion. They mentioned Blake, we do not eat breakfast anymore. We drink espresso. We drink espresso in order that we will afford to feed our children breakfast. And that is on you, sir. That is the Joe Biden-Mark Kelly financial system.”

Kelly, a former astronaut, was narrowly elected in 2020 to serve the rest of late Republican Sen. John McCain’s time period, mentioned the COVID-19 pandemic, which he known as “one thing unprecedented,” was squarely responsible for the present financial disaster.

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“Two and a half years in the past, we went by way of one thing unprecedented. You realize, COVID-19, faculties needed to shut down. Companies shut down throughout Arizona,” he mentioned. “Typically the federal authorities has to step in to save lots of small enterprise. You realize, they must step in to guard livelihoods.”

Masters, a enterprise capitalist, who’s backed by former President Donald Trump, rebutted, saying Biden continues to needlessly spend cash, exacerbating the inflation downside.

“Joe Biden is spending like a drunken sailor at each single alternative. Mark Kelly simply says sure. He cannot say no to [Senate Majority Leader] Chuck Schumer. He cannot say no to Joe Biden,” the Republican mentioned.

He added: “A minimum of Senator Sinema stopped Construct Again Higher. My gosh, you have been able to vote for that. That might have simply ruined our financial system.”

The candidates then tackled border safety and immigration.

Whereas each candidates advocated for a safer border, Kelly pointed to Washington’s — and Biden’s — failure to assist alleviate an overwhelmed Border Patrol and to mitigate report ranges of immigration. The Democrat was combating for Arizonans although, he argued.

“I have been sturdy on border safety and I’ve stood as much as Democrats after they’re incorrect on this concern together with the president,” Kelly mentioned. “When the president determined he was going to do one thing dumb on this and alter the foundations, you recognize, that may create a much bigger disaster.”

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The Democrat added: “You realize, I instructed him he was incorrect. So I pushed again on this administration a number of instances. And I’ve received extra money on the bottom to extend Border Patrol staffing expertise and the place it is smart to construct extra boundaries.”

Staying on message, Kelly once more pointed to Washington and get together leaders, together with the president, for failing to safe the border.

“Washington, D.C. has failed on the border,” Kelly continued. “Washington, D.C. has failed on this concern of border safety and immigration for many years. And it has been disaster after disaster. I have been targeted on this since day one, you recognize, and I introduced extra assets right here to the state of Arizona to take care of it.”

Masters countered by saying Kelly was merely not doing sufficient to assist defend Arizona from among the risks concerned with not correctly vetting these crossing into the nation.

He additionally identified that Kelly voted towards an modification that may have allowed the hiring of 18,000 extra Border Patrol brokers.

“If that is the results of Senator Kelly being targeted on the border, my gosh, he is essentially the most ineffective and worst senator of all time,” Masters mentioned. “The border is large open. Individuals are strolling by way of by the a whole bunch of 1000’s.”

“Mark Kelly voted for extra IRS brokers no more Border Patrol brokers,” the Republican added.

The 2 candidates additionally clashed over abortion and reproductive care, a problem that has risen in reputation amongst potential voters after the U.S. Supreme Court docket overturned Roe v. Wade over the summer season.

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Masters mentioned he helps an abortion restrict set at 15 weeks of being pregnant, matching a proposal from South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham.

“I assist limits on the federal stage,” the Republican mentioned. “Senator Lindsey Graham has proposed a fifteen-week invoice with the frequent exceptions and I assist that. I imagine in limits.”

Masters mentioned Kelly, who has advocated for codifying a constitutional proper for ladies to have an abortion, believes in “no limits” relating to abortions.

Kelly pushed again calling the excessive court docket’s determination “devastating” and “incorrect” and argued Masters would utterly roll again abortion procedures within the state.

“Let me be completely clear. Arizona ladies have completely misplaced the suitable to decide about abortion. It is devastating. It is incorrect. And it is precisely what my opponent, Blake Masters, desires,” he mentioned.

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The occasion was their solely debate forward of November’s midterm elections that are simply over a month away.

The controversy was hosted by Arizona PBS and the Arizona Residents Clear Elections Fee and the 2 frontrunners have been joined by Libertarian nominee Marc Victor.