John Duarte, Adam Gray clash on who’s more moderate in debate for key California election
Rep. John Duarte and Adam Gray faced off on costs, water and abortion in their last debate for one of the nation’s most competitive House of Representatives elections, with each imploring voters to view their leadership as more down-to-earth than the other.
But they did agree during their Thursday night debate on how to respond to several issues, including E-Verify requirements, minimum wage, rent control and electric vehicle policies.
Both shied away from direct answers to questions on abortion views. Both affirmed they were supporting the presidential candidate for their respective parties — former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.
The wide-ranging and largely civil debate between freshman Duarte, R-Modesto, and former Assemblyman Gray, D-Merced, covered immigration, the economy, water policy, affordable housing, high speed rail, gas prices and more.
Each expressed his bipartisan work in this politically mixed district that has more registered Democrats than Republicans.
Gray repeatedly tried to tie Duarte to conservative House Republicans and Trump, denouncing the GOP presidential nominee’s rhetoric concerning immigrants.
Duarte did not invoke Gray’s name in the same way, but frequently mentioned his own votes that bucked is own party and his low score from a conservative organization that rates members of Congress. Gray cited his disagreements with Gov. Gavin Newsom and Sacramento Democrats during his 10 years in the State Assembly over issues like water.
A good amount of policy questions yielded similar responses from the Republican incumbent and Democratic challenger.
Neither believes the government should require individuals to purchase an electric vehicle. In California, all new passenger vehicles sold in the state are supposed to be zero-emission by 2035.
“No, I think it’s something that can be handled in the marketplace,” Gray said.
“This is coming out of Gavin Newsom’s crazy California politics,” Duarte said. “We’re a one party state and we’re doing silly things, and I’d like to use whatever federal power I have in Congress to stop it.”
Neither supports requiring E-Verify for all private employers. E-Verify is a way for employers to check the eligibility of employees to work in the United States.
Neither supports increasing the minimum wage, which is on the California ballot via Proposition 32, with both skirting a question to specify what a livable wage in California is, saying it depends where you live in the state and your economic situation.
Neither candidate supports rent control — an issue on the ballot through Proposition 33, which aims to repeal rules blocking rent control for a lot of the California’s housing.
“Rent control, unfortunately, although it sounds good, is a proven failure in terms of the marketplace,” Duarte said.
“I’ve talked about having the courage to stand up against those in your own party, and there’s certainly many in my party who support rent control,” Gray said. “I do not.”
Duarte and Gray are in a rematch for California’s 13th Congressional District, a race that nonpartisan election analysts say is a tossup. Their contest could help tilt House control, as Democrats need to flip just four seats nationwide to take the majority.
Gray lost to Duarte, a farmer and businessman, by four-tenths of a percentage point in 2022, one of the nation’s closest House races that year. The 13th district includes all of Merced County and chunks of Madera, Stanislaus, Fresno and San Joaquin counties.
On Thursday, both candidates disagreed with Trump’s assertion last month that disaster funding for California wildfires be tied to water allocations for the state’s farmers.
“These kinds of threats have no business in public policy,” Gray said.
Initially, Duarte answered the question of whether he supported Trump’s claim by touting his own moderate profile and bipartisan water efforts. Pressed again, Duarte said, “No, we can find better ways than that” on supplying water without withholding aid.
Each demurred on a question concerning abortion policy, a pivotal issue in the 2022 midterms nationwide after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the near 50-year precedent that had set federal abortion protections.
Asked if he would support legislation codifying Roe v. Wade into federal law, Duarte said, “I would look at it. That’s a hypothetical. So I can’t answer because I can’t see the bill.”
Duarte has previously said that he would not support a federal abortion ban and that states should govern abortion policy.
Gray said Roe v. Wade should be codified into federal law, but would not say whether he supported any limits on abortion when asked repeatedly by the moderator.
“That’s a conversation and a medical discussion between the appropriate people: a woman and her doctor,” Gray said.
In closing, asked about their favorite Halloween costumes from their youth, Duarte said mimicking being in an electric chair in college. Gray said dressing as Alfred E. Neuman of Mad Magazine.
This story was originally published November 1, 2024 at 6:49 AM with the headline "John Duarte, Adam Gray clash on who’s more moderate in debate for key California election."
