The major party candidates in Iowa’s second congressional district disagreed on topics like tariffs and the war in Iran as they debated tonight in the KGAN television studio in Cedar Rapids.
Democrat Lindsey James, a state representative from Dubuque, said it’s time to end the war. “We have seen upwards of $47 billion…go to this impulsive, chaotic war that is actually not just hurting our lives in our pocketbooks, we’ve lost the very lives of Iowan soldiers in this war,” James said.
Republican Joe Mitchell of Clear Lake, a former state representative, said Iran cannot be allowed to have a nuclear weapon, but Mitchell said he doesn’t want endless wars. “I would like to have a…larger, bipartisan discussion about what’s been happening between a number of administrations — not only this one, but also the Bush Administration, the Obama Administration, the Biden Administration,” Mitchell said. “…War powers have gotten too expansive for the executive branch and I think we need to reel that in.”
Mitchell described Trump’s tariff policies are an appropriate response to countries that have taken advantage of the U.S.. “This is ultimately is something where I think the President has the right policies. He wants fair trade,” Mitchell said. “I think he’s done a nice job. I think ultimately he’s bringing manufacturing back to the United States. He’s reshoring manufacturing jobs and that’s a good thing for Americans.”
James said the tariffs are harming farmers in particular. “They have caused unstable markets. They have caused exponentially high input costs,”James said. “They have caused our manufacturing companies here in Iowa to send jobs overseas.”
Libertarian Rick Stewart and independent candidate Dave Bushaw are also running in the second congressional district, but did not meet the criteria for the debate, like a showing of at least 10% in a public opinion poll. Bushaw says polling firms are not including his name when questioning voters in the district.
Republican Ashley Hinson, who is running for the U.S. senate, current represent Iowa’s second congressional district in the U.S. House.