Pappas, Leavitt tangle over inflation, energy in first debate
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Oct. 20—CONWAY — U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas and Republican nominee Karoline Leavitt traded shots over inflation, abortion, Social Security, energy and the war in Ukraine during their first debate Thursday morning.
Throughout the one-hour exchange, the tone between the two rivals was respectful, but spirited as polls show this to be a neck-and-neck race that may help determine which party controls the U.S. House of Representatives after the midterm elections.
A former Trump administration press aide, Leavitt said Pappas's support for excessive federal spending has families coping with soaring prices at the supermarket, gasoline pump and to fuel home energy systems.
"Unfortunately, the reality for Mr. Pappas is Joe Biden. Nancy Pelosi and Chris Pappas own this inflation crisis and it's going to take new leadership to change the direction of this country," Leavitt said.
Pappas, a two-term congressman, said the Inflation Reduction Act he voted for will cut the deficit, lower prescription drug charges and offer homeowners energy tax credits.
"It's a tough environment but whatever we can do to provide solutions, I want to work with folks on that," Pappas said.
Leavitt said Pappas's spending programs have done little to help Americans.
"The reality is health care costs have increased under Chris Pappas," Leavitt said. "Respectfully, you are a day late and a dollar short, people are already paying more for their prescription drugs."
Pappas tried to turn the tables on Leavitt when it came to increasing the federal deficit.
"Karoline supported all the new spending in the Trump administration that added $8 trillion to the debt," Pappas said.
On abortion, Pappas said women's reproductive freedom would be at risk if the GOP takes control of Congress and pursues a national ban on abortion.
"This is about privacy; this is about personal rights. People know what's best for themselves," Pappas said.
Leavitt said Pappas would have Congress override state laws on abortion since the Supreme Court has overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade decision.
She supports New Hampshire's ban on abortion after 24 weeks of pregnancy.
"It is Mr. Pappas who wants to have the people of Washington, D.C. involved" in personal health care decisions.
Pappas: Leavitt would 'gamble' Social Security's future
Pappas said Leavitt's support for privatizing Social Security for young people as they enter the workforce would threaten the future of the retirement benefits program for seniors.
"She said she would write a bill to privatize Social Security and gamble it on the stock market," Pappas said.
Leavitt said the program will be insolvent in 12 years and Pappas's only solution is to raise taxes on wealthier people to try and shore it up.
"The only person in this race who is hurting these seniors and retirees is Mr. Pappas," Leavitt said.
Later she alluded to inflation passing on higher costs to seniors, adding, "He is hurting you by stealing from you $600 every single month."
Pappas defended voting for federal aid packages in support of Ukraine in its war with Russia.
"We should be supporting Ukraine at this pivotal moment. If Putin is allowed to take over Ukraine, other countries will be next as he attempts to build an even greater Russia," Pappas said.
"It is time to take sides," he said.
Leavitt did not expressly say she would have voted against past Ukraine aid, but argued Putin was waging war on Ukraine, and China was threatening Taiwan due to Biden's weak foreign policy that emboldened our enemies.
"We need to exude peace through strength here on the homeland again," Leavitt said.
Leavitt: Tapping oil reserve a 'short-term gimmick'
The two strongly disagreed over President Biden's moves throughout 2022 to tap into the strategic oil reserves to lower energy prices.
"Tapping the strategic reserve has lowered prices at the pump by 30 cents a gallon," Pappas said, charging Leavitt would support continued lucrative taxpayer subsidies for the fossil fuel industry.
"Instead of being in the pocket of Big Oil like my opponent, I will hold the industry to account and demand lower prices," he said.
Leavitt said using these reserves posed a national security risk.
"Mr. Pappas just bragged about releasing our national reserve that is supported to be there for wartime to lower prices just before an election," Leavitt said.
"This is shameful, I'm sorry, that is a short-term gimmick; we need long-term solutions," she said.
Leavitt said Biden has presided over a "massive immigration, economic and humanitarian crisis" that has contributed to the flood of more illegal drugs into New Hampshire.
Pappas said the U.S. needs short- and long-term answers to the chronic rise in undocumented immigrants into this country.
"We need to be thinking about how long term we can get to comprehensive immigration reform," Pappas said, adding later, "We need to have a laser-like focus on this issue of fentanyl and other substances coming into this country."
Leavitt answered, "All of that sounds great, but the reality is none of it has passed because Nancy Pelosi and the Congress he supports favors wide-open borders."
The Mount Washington Valley Economic Council sponsored the debate at a local cable TV studio.
The two will face off next Tuesday afternoon for a debate before the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics.
