Sparks fly amid charge of lying in raucous Congressional debate in Modesto
Nearly 550 people packed Modesto’s State Theatre on Wednesday night for a debate among the six candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives, featuring their views on such issues as health care, immigration and the impeachment of President Trump.
The 90-minute debate sponsored by The Modesto Bee included one tense exchange between the Democratic incumbent, Josh Harder of Turlock, and his leading Republican challenger, Ted Howze, a veterinarian and former Turlock councilman.
It came when Howze said people were coming to his campaign for help he said they could not get from Harder’s office. Howze cited the example of a 100-year-old veteran he claimed Harder’s office was not able to help get treatment through the Veterans Administration.
But “we did,” Howze said. “We got him treatment through a local doctor. That’s what happens when you live here, and you’re local, and you’ve known people for two-and-a-half decades.”
Harder’s response: “That’s a lie if you are saying that we don’t actually help veterans in our office. That’s a blatant lie.”
Harder said when he entered office he wrote letters to every veteran in his district letting them know his office was available for them. Harder said his office has helped more than 300 veterans and also is ready and available to help constituents with problems with Social Security and Medicare.
Howze responded by saying he took exception to being called a liar, provided another example of someone his campaign had helped, and invited Harder to come to a Thursday meeting in which Howze’s campaign will talk to another veteran who needs help.
Harder, a former venture capitalist, defeated longtime U.S. Rep. Jeff Denham, R-Turlock, in November 2018, in one of the most closely watched races of that election.
Harder now is up for re-election to continue to represent California’s 10th Congressional District, which covers Stanislaus and southern San Joaquin counties. Besides Howze, he is being challenged by Democrats Mike Barkley and Ryan Blevins and Republicans Bob Elliott and Marla Sousa Livengood.
The six candidates appeared at Wednesday’s State Theatre debate ahead of the March 3 California Primary before at times a loud and boisterous audience. And dozens of people held campaign signs supporting the candidates outside the theater before the debate. The majority of the signs supported Harder.
The top two vote-getters among the six candidates, regardless of party affiliation, will face each other in the November presidential election.
The three Republicans said they don’t support impeachment and support Trump because of what he has done for the economy, among other issues. Howze also cited Trump’s picks to the U.S. Supreme Court as a major achievement.
Harder said he would rather focus on representing the Valley and his district on the issues that are important to them, including water and health care, but said he took an oath to support the Constitution, and the facts are clear Trump has placed his personal interests ahead of the national interest.
He also challenged the Republican candidates’ claims he was a captive of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, and Southern California U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff, the lead House prosecutor in the impeachment.
Harder said he is a fifth generation Valley resident, grew up in Turlock and graduated from Modesto High School, and he asked the audience to judge him based on what he has done. He said that includes sponsoring more legislation with Republicans than any other Democrat, holding 18 town hall meetings during his first year in office, and securing $14 million in federal funding for local water projects.
Howze was asked why Republicans recruited Elliott — a San Joaquin County supervisor, former Tracy councilman and retired Army colonel — to enter the race even though Howze had been in the race since the start.
Howze said he asked around and was told no one recruited Elliott. Elliott responded by saying while he was not recruited he was encouraged by members of the National Republican Congressional Committee to enter the race.
All of the candidates support help in some form for the so-called Dreamers, who came here as young undocumented immigrants such as being brought across the border as children by their parents, and health care reform. But those remedies ranged from Blevins’ support to expand Medicare to everyone to Howze’s support for fixing the private health care industry.
The candidates gave their top reasons why voters should support them.
Alluding to his military career, Elliott said he has a lifetime of serving and defending freedom, has the endorsement of 40 current and past elected officials in the district, who are leaders who know how to get things done, and offers common sense and responsibility in government.
Livengood said Valley families and the ag industry are struggling and need someone who knows how to work with others to get things done, skills she said she learned as a staffer to former U.S. Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Tracy.
Howze said his top three priorities are quality health care that is affordable, reducing the cost of living for Valley residents and securing our borders. He also pointed to his endorsements, including from the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, the Manteca Police Officers’ Association and 10 current mayors in the district.
Harder said he is frustrated by the polarization and corruption in our nation’s capital and is focused on the Valley’s needs and that means he is working with anybody and everyone to make that happen, and called himself an independent voice for the Valley.
Barkley said his priorities include bringing jobs back from overseas, strengthening labor unions, securing the region’s water future and balancing the federal budget, which he said would include providing Medicare for all.
Blevins wants to bring U.S. troops home and get them out of Iraq, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia and Israel. He said that would let the government pay for a universal basic income, health care and education for its people.
This story was originally published January 23, 2020 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Sparks fly amid charge of lying in raucous Congressional debate in Modesto."
