With less than a week to go before Election Day, Republican incumbent Rep. John Duarte and Democratic challenger Adam Gray debated live from KTXL FOX40 in Sacramento as they seek the 13th Congressional District, a race that could help determine which party controls the U.S. House. The race for the 13th Congressional District is a rematch of the 2022 race, which Gray lost by 564 votes, the second-closest House race in that election. The district encompasses the communities between and along the I-5 and Highway 99, from the Tracy area in the north to the Coalinga area in the south. Immigration / Border Security Duarte said he’s one of the few Republicans who say amnesty “with a smile” and fixing DACA but that the border needs to be secured. The incumbent congressman touted the immigration bill he recently introduced into Congress.  Duarte said he supports amnesty for people who have been living in the United States for more than 5 years and who haven’t otherwise broken any laws.  Gray blamed the Republican-controlled House, as he would for much of the night, for the lack of progress on immigration but did not directly answer whether he thought President Biden made the right decision to rescind Trump’s executive orders on immigration. Neither candidate supported E-Verify being required for all private employers. Economy A recent poll found that 37% of Californians have had to choose between food and paying for utilities.  Gray said he does not support raising the minimum wage to $18/hour as is proposed in Prop. 32.  Duarte said he wouldn’t want to live off $18/hour but that young people and immigrants need lower-paying jobs to start their careers. Duarte said high minimum wages kill jobs.  Gray said the investments in transportation infrastructure, water infrastructure and education from the federal government are key to making California more livable. Duarte said the state was being made unlivable through taxes, business regulations, and regulations around building housing. Agriculture / Water Duarte said he’s already making efforts on federal funding for water projects such as dredging and that he is challenging federal agencies on inefficacies.  Gray said that when he was an Assembly member, the state Legislature passed a bipartisan water bond that is currently helping build a new reservoir. Duarte and Gray both highlighted their bipartisan efforts and both rejected former President Trump’s suggestion that the state should be denied federal funding if leaders do not cooperate with him on water rights.   Home Prices / Insurance Gray again called for more spending on infrastructure from the federal government and streamlining building. Gray said he did not support Prop. 33, which would allow cities more power to implement rent control.  Duarte said regulations such as solar panel requirements and air board fees are to blame for high housing costs. The congressman also said he does not support Prop. 33. Gray did not reject the idea of creating a federal reinsurance program to help residents afford insurance as insurance companies leave the state. Duarte said factors such as climate change, poor flood control and poor forest management are to blame for high insurance rates and that the state was better off addressing those than with a federalized insurance program. Abortion Both candidates dodged questions regarding abortion. Duarte said he was pro-choice but declined to say whether he would support a federal bill codifying Roe v. Wade into law saying he would want to see a specific bill before answering. Similarly, when asked if he supported any limits on abortion, Gray did not answer directly, instead answering that abortion was a decision between a woman and her doctor. High-speed Rail Gray said the high-speed rail project needed to be brought on time and on budget but that he would support more funding for it along with funding for other forms of transportation.  Duarte said he would kill California’s high-speed rail and that he would take the money from high-speed rail and give it to county governments. Duarte said he wanted to see highways like  Interstate 5 and Highway 99 expanded in places. EV Mandate Neither candidate said they support the state or federal government’s electric vehicle mandate. Foreign Policy Duarte said sending money and weapons to allies was the best way to support them without sending American soldiers.  Gray said the United States’s inconsistency on global affairs contributed to global issues that put American troops at risk.  Party Leaders Both candidates said they fully supported their party’s respective candidates for president. Political Ads Defending himself against an attack ad that said he missed 157 key votes as an Assembly member, Gray pointed to his record of the many state laws he did have a hand in. When accused by Gray of not living in the district he is running to represent, Duarte pointed to how much of his life was spent in the district but did not refute that he did not live in it.  Duarte did deny that he voted to cut Social Security as suggested by a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee ad.  Gas Tax Duarte said gas prices were high as a result of the state government’s policies and that these policies limit the importing of fuel from other states that may not meet California’s standards.  He also supported drilling more “American oil” and “American gas,” emphasizing that the production of domestic energy would help bring prices down.  Gray stood by his vote on the 2017 SB-1 which initially increased the state’s gas tax from 18 cents per gallon to 30 cents per gallon with annual raises because it was to pay for infrastructure. Duarte said he would not vote to suspend the federal gas tax because he approves of how the federal government spends the money the tax raises. Halloween Candidates were asked about their favorite Halloween costumes they wore as children.  Duarte said, “When I was in college, not quite a kid but I was still acting like a kid at times, I made myself a guy in an electric chair, (with) a battery, helmet, foam legs, a whole chair and electric switch I could make it buzz and light up. That was the most fun costume I ever did.”  Gray said, “When I was a kid, I loved Mad Magazine, and one Halloween I dressed up as Alfred E. Neuman, and it was a pretty good costume and a pretty good look. That’s one of my favorites that comes to mind.” Closing Statements Gray:  “President Bill Clinton said there’s nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what’s right with America. I’m proud of my record over 10 years in the state Assembly, where I founded the California Problem Solver’s Caucus, I worked with my Republican and Independent colleagues to do infrastructure, to solve California’s water problems, to build a medical school in the San Joaquin Valley so that we can have better health care.” “People elect you to government to solve problems, not to go and fight and blame others and point fingers, and that’s all that this Congress has given us, the most unproductive in U.S. history, and that’s true whether you watch FOX News, MSNBC, CNN or FOX40. You can find that headline everywhere and it’s because these people are not working for us.” “The San Joaquin Valley is one of the hardest working places in the world with some of the hardest working people, and we deserve a Congress that works just as hard for us every day.”  “I respectfully ask for your ‘aye’ vote and I give you the commitment that if I’m elected I will work hard every day for you.” Duarte:  “It has been an absolute honor to represent you, the families of California’s 13th District, the Central Valley families. I’ve gotten to know your mayors. Democrat and Republican mayors up and down the Valley are endorsing me because I am delivering for your communities. I’ve gotten $26 million in streets, sidewalks, sewer lines already delivered, and we’re working on $60 million more in this year’s Appropriation Bills.” “We are going to make the Central Valley a great place to begin the American Dream, a great place to extend the American Dream, by getting water in the farms, water in the faucets, and a healthier environment, both air quality and water quality for all of our families up and down the Highways 5, 33 and 99 corridors.” “It’s been my honor to do this. I will work with Democrats, Republicans, local leaders, state leaders, anybody who will talk to me, to make the Central Valley a better place to live and to make sure that the American Dream is alive and well and that the exodus we’ve seen over the last 20 years turns around and comes back to the Central Valley, back to California, and back to buy a home and enjoy the American Dream.” “Thank you so much for this opportunity tonight. Thank you Adam for giving me the opportunity to have the debate. We always have a bit of fun, and thank you hosts, Brian and Nikki for having us here tonight. It’s my honor to serve and I hope to keep serving.”