1st District Rep. Chris Pappas, Karoline Leavitt clash in fiery debate - WMUR Manchester

The candidates successful New Hampshire's 1st Congressional District met successful a fiery statement Thursday, little than a week earlier voters caput to the polls.Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas is seeking different word successful Congress, but he's facing a beardown situation from Republican Karoline Leavitt.>> 1st Congressional District candidates connected the issuesThe 2 clashed connected respective issues successful the Granite State Debate, sponsored by WMUR successful concern with the New Hampshire Institute of Politics. Leavitt, a erstwhile White House staffer successful the Trump administration, sought to necktie Pappas to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and President Joe Biden, portion Pappas portrayed himself arsenic being capable to enactment crossed the aisle connected solutions, describing Leavitt's proposals arsenic "reckless.">> Read statement subordinate bios: Leavitt | PappasThere were respective moments successful the statement erstwhile the 2 candidates went backmost and forth, criticizing the other's stance connected abortion, migration and authorities spending.The archetypal question of the statement was connected Social Security, an contented the 2 candidates person divided on. Leavitt said she wants to support Social Security for those who are receiving benefits and for those who are presently paying into the system."However, I privation to prevention Social Security for aboriginal generations of Americans, elementary-school-age Americans, my nephews, who are 8 and 2 years old," Leavitt said. "The information is, this programme is not going to beryllium for them, truthful I privation to look for sustainable status solutions, and each options are connected the table."Leavitt didn't supply immoderate specifics, but Pappas said her ideas to privatize Social Security are dangerous."Now, Karoline Leavitt has a unsafe program to privatize Social Security, to gamble it connected the banal market," Pappas said. "New Hampshire can't spend a program similar that. She's besides supporting raising the status age."RE-WATCH THE DEBATE:See the afloat statement astatine this link, oregon presumption the statement by conception here:IntroductionsSocial SecurityInflationHousing costsImmigrationAbortionChild careDebt ceilingSupport for veterans2020 predetermination & aboriginal of FITN primaryCollege costs and debtLightning round: Conspiracy theories, aboriginal US location speakersUkraine aidEnergy costsGun lawsClimate changeDealing with adversity Closing statementsFull statement video >> Spin country post-debate reactions: Karoline Leavitt | Chris PappasPappas said helium wants a bipartisan committee to look astatine ways to proceed to enactment Social Security.When asked astir policies related to the confederate border, the 2 candidates offered strikingly akin solutions."We should beryllium investing much successful resources to enactment our instrumentality enforcement on the confederate border," Pappas said. "I've done that -- hundreds of millions of dollars for Customs and Border Patrol, arsenic good arsenic exertion astatine borderline checkpoints."Leavitt said the solution was besides to get much resources to the confederate border."We request to put successful borderline security," she said. "We request to put successful our United States Border Patrol, who are protecting america and who person been enactment done hellhole implicit the past 2 years to support the lives connected the radical of this state."The difference, Leavitt said, was that she believes the existent medication and leaders successful Congress haven't done enough.>> See the afloat statement here:"This borderline situation is having a nonstop toll connected Granite Staters, and frankly, you person done thing to lick it," she said.Pappas said helium has been pressuring the White House to bash more."We bash person a situation astatine the border, and I person stood up to the Biden medication and urged them to make a plan," helium said. "I was 1 of the lone voices successful my enactment to situation them connected Title 42, due to the fact that we person an unsafe concern connected the borderline for migrants and a information concern for Americans."The candidates besides clashed connected abortion, which became a apical contented successful 2022 aft the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, triggering respective termination bans successful states crossed the country. In New Hampshire, Gov. Chris Sununu earlier signed a prohibition connected abortions aft 24 weeks into law.The tribunal determination near termination laws up to idiosyncratic states, a presumption that Leavitt said she supports. She was asked successful the statement whether further restrictions connected termination would enactment women's lives astatine risk, with panelist Jean Mackin citing a peer-reviewed survey that showed that a nationwide prohibition connected termination would pb to a 7% summation successful pregnancy-related deaths the archetypal twelvemonth and a 21% summation thereafter.Leavitt refused to reply the question, alternatively saying that she doesn't favour a national prohibition connected termination and supports existent New Hampshire law. Asked the question again, she restated her erstwhile statements.Pappas was asked whether helium supported a Department of Defense argumentation to wage for proscription costs for work members who needed to question to different authorities for an elective abortion, and whether helium supports expanding that to different authorities workers.Pappas said helium supports giving servicemembers and veterans entree to the wellness attraction that they request earlier pivoting to onslaught Leavitt's position."She supported the overturning of Roe v. Wade and said she would ever beryllium a pro-life ballot successful Congress. The folks successful this state, the women of this state, merit a pro-choice ballot successful Congress. That's what I'll be," Pappas said. "Karoline Leavitt wants politicians to determine this contented for women. I privation women and families successful consultation with their doctors to determine it for themselves."Leavitt replied that the contented of termination successful New Hampshire should beryllium decided by New Hampshire lawmakers."I enactment those closest to the people, closest to the voters successful Concord, New Hampshire, to marque decisions not conscionable connected this contented but, frankly, connected each issue," she said.Pappas past reiterated that helium believes termination decisions should beryllium near to women and their doctors."I deliberation it's truly chilling that you basal up present contiguous and you deliberation that politicians successful Concord should beryllium determining this prime for women," helium said.Both candidates dodged a question related to weapon rights, erstwhile Leavitt was asked whether weapons similar AR-15s are needed to forestall authorities tyranny and Pappas was asked whether the intent of the Second Amendment was to springiness Americans the close to support themselves from the government.Neither addressed the circumstantial question, but Leavitt said she supports the close of law-abiding citizens to bargain guns. Pappas said people's law rights indispensable beryllium respected, but much indispensable beryllium done to code weapon violence.Leavitt didn't reply straight erstwhile asked whether she believes erstwhile President Donald Trump is telling the information erstwhile says the 2020 predetermination was stolen from him. "I person been precise wide connected my presumption connected this issue," Leavitt said. "I judge determination were irregularities successful the 2020 election. l speech to voters each azygous time who consciousness the same."Pappas said Leavitt has continued to dispersed falsehoods astir the 2020 election, nary of which are supported by evidence."She really said she was arrogant to person 'held the line' connected Jan. 6 by moving for a subordinate of Congress who voted to overturn the predetermination results that night," Pappas said. "That is conscionable chilling. We cognize the folks who were holding the enactment that day, members of the Capitol police, 5 of whom mislaid their lives arsenic a effect of the insurrection astatine the Capitol due to the fact that of the large lie, and you proceed to archer it successful your campaign, and that's conscionable shameful."The last Granite State Debate of this governmental rhythm volition beryllium held Friday nighttime with the 2nd Congressional District candidates. The debates aerial each nighttime astatine 8 p.m. unrecorded connected WMUR-TV, WMUR.com and wrong the WMUR app.