Numbers and Dobson argue in a heated debate. Here are the key takeaways

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) – Congressional candidates Shomari Figures and Caroleene Dobson clashed in a contentious debate Thursday, exchanging verbal remarks about each other’s backgrounds and arguing about abortion, immigration and the economy.

Figures, a Democrat, and Dobson, a Republican, are running for Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District. The open seat sparked heated competition in November after it was redistricted following a protracted redistricting dispute. The two traded jibes as they tried to portray the other as out of touch with Alabama voters and questioning their opponent’s ability to address the district’s problems. The debate was sponsored by AARP Alabama and moderated by Al.com.

Here are some key takeaways from the debate.

Verbal swipes were exchanged during the debate

Dobson repeatedly referred to Figures as a “Washington insider.” Figures served as deputy chief of staff and counsel to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland and as an adviser in the Obama administration.

“My opponent argues that he should be elected because he understands how Washington works. “Well, the truth is, Washington didn’t work for the families in Alabama,” Dobson said.

Numbers responded that he was born and raised in Alabama, but he had the experience to “use Washington for the benefit of the people of this district.”

The characters, in turn, tried to portray Dobson, a real estate attorney for a large firm, as someone out of touch with the problems facing working families. He said Dobson “was born wealthy, grew up wealthy and married even richer.”

Both accused the other of being the political status quo

Both candidates accused the other of being the political status quo and said they represented an opportunity for change.

Dobson said Figures, who also served on the Biden-Harris transition team, wanted to “continue the policies of the last four years.”

“He was part of an administration that hurt families in Alabama,” Dobson said.

The numbers said that “the status quo here in the state of Alabama has been Republican leadership” before pointing out that the state lags behind the nation in rankings for education, income and life expectancy.

“As much as my opponent might just want to blame everything on the next Democrat she can find, the reality is that the state of Alabama has been under Republican leadership at almost every level for the last two decades,” Figures said.

Figures say immigration policy should not be based on “fear mongering”.

Both discussed the need for immigration reform but blamed the opposing political party for a lack of progress.

According to the numbers, some Republicans would rather run on the issue of immigration than deal with it. He said policy must prioritize protecting the border but should not be based on “fear mongering.” He invoked the personal and told the story of his wife’s parents, who immigrated from Haiti.

“They immigrated here from Haiti, and they did not come to this country to eat dogs and cats,” Figures said, referring to debunked claims amplified by former President Donald Trump and others that Haitian immigrants in Ohio have pets ate.

“What they came and ate was public service, Ivy League degrees, education and positive contributions to America,” Figures said.

Dobson said Figures is part of an administration that has “opened our southern border.”

“There is no question that our border crisis — and it is a national crisis — is negatively impacting Alabama families,” Dobson said.

Dobson said she did not vote for a bipartisan Senate agreement to tighten border security and improve the processing system for immigrants and asylum seekers because she feared it did not go far enough.

Significant differences to abortion

The debate continued to highlight their stark differences over the legalization of abortion. Thirteen states, including Alabama, ban abortion at any stage of pregnancy, while another four ban abortion around the sixth week of pregnancy.

“I don’t think it’s the government’s job to tell a woman what she can and can’t do with her own body,” Figures said.

Dobson said she was “pro-life,” but added that it was best to leave the matter to the states with “compassion, common sense and consensus.”

“We don’t need to federalize this issue,” Dobson said.

Dobson said she supports exceptions to abortion bans for pregnancies resulting from rape and incest and when necessary to save the pregnant woman’s life. Alabama’s abortion ban does not provide exceptions for rape and incest.

Dobson is trying to capitalize on inflation frustration

Similar to the presidential debate, both candidates sought to address the fact that most Americans remain dissatisfied with the economy.

Dobson said “reckless spending” by the Biden administration caused the prices of goods to “continue to rise.” Dobson also said the Biden administration’s energy policies — and particularly its policies on oil drilling on federal lands — have increased prices for average consumers.

The numbers said economic “struggles for the people are nothing new” in cities across the District and said elected Republicans at the state level in Alabama are responsible.

The figures also defended the Biden administration’s economic record and blamed “supply chain bottlenecks, labor shortages and job losses” for the fallout from the COVID pandemic. He said the latest jobs report and the stock market suggest the Biden administration’s policies are working.

Both discuss the need to address rural healthcare

Both candidates spoke of the need to address rural hospital closures. But they disagreed about the importance of Medicaid expansion.

Alabama is one of 10 states that did not expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. The numbers called for Alabama to expand its Medicaid program to cover more low-income people. He said he would support legislation that would give new financial incentives to states that refused to expand their programs.

Dobson said she would encourage state officials to “explore” the issue of expanding Medicaid, but said it is a matter of state funding. She said there was a need to create more “economic opportunities in these communities.”

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