The candidates vying to represent Washington in the U.S. Senate went head-to-head on Oct. 9 at a debate in Spokane, sparring over affordability, immigration, foreign affairs and fentanyl.

Democratic incumbent Maria Cantwell and Republican Raul Garcia, a Yakima emergency room doctor, met at the Myrtle Woldson Performing Arts Center at Gonzaga University for a debate hosted by The Spokesman-Review in partnership with Gonzaga University, KSPS, the Black Lens and the Washington State Debate Coalition.

It was the first debate between the two candidates. They will face off again on Oct. 17 in a debate hosted by the League of Women Voters of Washington and KIRO 7.

Garcia, who’s been a physician for 26 years, is hoping to unseat Cantwell, who’s held the position since 2000.

As of July, the most recent filing to the Federal Election Commission, Cantwell has raised more than $11.7 million and spent more than $5.2 million. Garcia has raised nearly $597,000 and spent about $428,000.

At the debate, voters heard how different their views are. Here’s a look at where the candidates stand on four key issues this election.

Affordability and inflation

Both Cantwell and Garcia agree that Americans are facing high costs, but their approaches to lowering them are different.

Cantwell said she wants to bring manufacturing back into the United States to bolster the supply chain. She also said she wants to continue fighting to lower prescription drug costs by negotiating prices at a federal level and building more affordable housing.

“I know that things still cost too much,” she said.

Cantwell also touted her support for the large investments included in the Inflation Reduction Act, which she said helped bring down high costs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Garcia pushed back on her characterization of the legislation, which he said only resulted in Washington residents paying more and getting nothing in return.

Garcia said the federal government needs to audit its spending and cut programs that are deemed expensive and ineffective. The money cut from those programs should go back to citizens who can spend it in their communities and grow the economy, he said.

Fentanyl and homelessness

Addressing the growing number of fentanyl overdoses has been top of mind for both candidates.

Garcia wants to push legislation that would require felony charges and significant prison time for fentanyl dealers while also mandating those with substance abuse disorder receive treatment.

“This is a crisis and we need to make harsh decisions,” Garcia said. “You need an iron fist, you need to end this or we’re going to lose our country.”

In her response, Cantwell highlighted her effort to create “health engagement hubs,” across the country. These hubs offer low-barrier drop-in services and free treatment resources. The Legislature funded two of them last year. The health hubs are the best way to fight the crisis, Cantwell said, citing research from the University of Washington that found the method to reduce overdose deaths by 68%.

Cantwell also pointed to her work on legislation to increase funding to fight international drug trafficking at the U.S.-Mexico border.

When asked about addressing homelessness, Garcia was quick to tie his response back to fighting drug addiction. He said the state needs to focus on drug rehabilitation and mental health services first before providing housing to people living on the streets.

“The third step is housing, not housing first,” he said. “This is why this has been so ineffective.”

Cantwell pushed back.

“It’s a mischaracterization to think that everyone who is homeless is on drugs,” she said. She added that the country needs to focus more on building housing to address the homeless population.

Abortion

Cantwell has made protecting abortion access and reproductive health a key issue for her since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, introducing legislation to codify abortion access, protect health care data and increase access to contraception.

She said Tuesday she would not support legislation that would allow states to continue to make their own decisions about abortion policy, which has resulted in a patchwork of laws.

“The confusion that is here today is not tolerable,” she said.

Garcia said he would not vote for an abortion ban because he believes doing so could result in doctors being unable to perform life-saving procedures for miscarriages or other complications. He said he would continue to support laws that keep abortion legal because that is what Washington voters want.

“I’m not asking you to trust every Republican. I’m asking you to trust me,” Garcia said. “I am going to defend this state as a pro-choice state everyday.”

Immigration and border security

Garcia is an immigrant, having come to the United States from Cuba when he was 11 years old. He said he will always be a champion of immigrants but that there needs to be more leadership and discipline at the country’s southern border.

“If you come to this country to commit crimes, you’re out,” he said.

Cantwell boasted about her voting record for bipartisan immigration policies and said she supports allowing a legal process for seasonal workers from Mexico, which many farms in Washington rely on. She added she will continue to push for more money for border security, but criticized the rhetoric used by former President Donald Trump and other Republicans when it comes to immigrants.

“Demonizing the backbone of who built America is not the way to go,” Cantwell said.

Voters in Washington will soon get their ballots in the mail for the general election, with voting opening on Friday. About half of the statewide races in Washington are open contests this year. That includes the governor’s race where Democratic candidate and Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson is facing Dave Reichert, a former U.S. Representative and sheriff of King County. Reichert is emphasizing his law enforcement credentials on the campaign trail, while trying to shore up support among voters who identify as moderates. During the second gubernatorial debate last month, the two candidates clashed over crime and public safety, the state’s abortion protections and education policies.

Four statewide initiatives are also on the Washington ballot this year. They include I-2117 which if passed, would repeal Washington’s landmark Climate Commitment Act. The law, which went into effect last January, establishes a cap-and-invest program that requires refineries and other polluters to pay for their greenhouse gas emissions with a target of phasing them out by 95% by 2050. The CCA has raised $2 billion so far to fund statewide efforts to mitigate climate change, including making free bus rides for youth, issuing $200 utility credits for low and middle-income households, and expanding electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

Jeanie Lindsay is the Olympia correspondent for our partner station, KUOW. She joins us to talk about the Washington governor’s race, the initiatives on the ballot and the issues that are top of mind for the state’s voters.

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PORT WASHINGTON, Wi — There was a tornado siren malfunction in Port Washington on Tuesday. Residents reported hearing the alarming sound at least two separate times.

“It sounded like a horror movie,” Rickey Tartaglia said.

Tartaglia heard the sirens shortly after 2:00 Tuesday afternoon outside of his work. He said the sirens lasted about two hours.

“It sounded very annoying. It was almost scary. It sounded like the purge,” Tartaglia said.

The alarming noise typically warns people of weather emergencies.

Watch: People in Port Washington react to hours-long tornado siren malfunction

People in Port Washington react to hours-long tornado siren malfunction

However, Ozaukee County Emergency Management posted on Facebook that the Port Washington sirens going off were errors.

“The Outdoor Warning Sirens in Port Washington are the responsibility of the City. They are owned by the city and the management and maintenance is their responsibility. Ozaukee County dispatch only has the ability to make them sound during a tornado warning. We do know that the failure causing this is not within the controls at dispatch. It is somewhere in the cities system. We have not been given any information on when the sirens will be shut down or how long repairs may be. Check the City of Port Washington’s Facebook or the Port Washington Police Facebook page for updates.”

“It was kind of going on all day,” Port Washington resident, Todd Stowell said.

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Stowell was one of many neighbors who heard the alarming sound.

“Nothing really exciting happens in Port Washington. I was like, ‘Huh, what’s going on?’” Stowell said.

The Port Washington Police Department alerted residents to stop calling dispatch as the city worked to fix the problem.

PWPD posted this statement on Facebook:

“We at the police department are aware that the tornado siren on the west end of the City is actively going off. A call for service has been made and we hope it can be rectified soon. Unfortunately, this activation is of no fault to anyone turning it on; therefore, can not just be turned off. We ask that you do not call Dispatch or the Police to notify us that the siren is active and have patience with the process.”

“I mean we’re a pretty quiet, quiet town. A little noise goes a long way around here,” Stowell explained.

TMJ4 reached out to the city for a comment on the incident and didn’t hear back yet.

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