Wittman – Williams debate heated as candidates spar on health care, training

Team Coverage 

FREDERICKSBURG — A heated Congressional midterm race in Virginia’s First District between incumbent Rob Wittman (R) and challenger Vangie Williams (D) took part in a debate at Mary Washington University in Fredericksburg on Monday night.

Both candidates answered controversial questions that came from moderators or the audience who wrote questions on index cards before the debate started.

Both Wittman and Williams alternated who would answer questions first. Each candidate was given two minutes to answer each question. The candidate that answered the question first was allowed to rebuttal the claims made against them.

There was no easy or warm-up question. The debate started controversially as moderator and Political Science Professor Dr. Steven Farnsworth asked about the Affordable Care Act.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) or more widely known as “Obamacare” enacted by Congress in 2010 and signed into law by President Obama. The ACA was the largest expansion of Medicare and Medicaid since both programs passed in 1965. Obamacare allowed more access to health care for people who previously couldn’t afford it.

“As I talk with the people across the first district they do not want a government take over [of healthcare],” Wittman said.

“Congressman Wittman has been in office for 11 years and his party has been in control for the most part,” Williams claimed. “They have done nothing.”

Illegal Immigration has become a hot topic over the past few years with the Trump Administration wishing to “build the wall” and Democrats strongly opposing the wall.

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) has become a hot topic and poker piece for both Republicans and Democrats during the budget process earlier this year.

DACA is an American immigration policy that allows some individuals who were brought to the United States illegally as children to receive a renewable two-year period of deferred action from deportation and become eligible for a work permit in the U.S.

“If an immigrant comes to America they must do so legally,” Williams said, drawing a few groans from her supporters.

“Our current immigration system is broken […] We are a country of laws,” Wittman said.

With the debate taking place at a college a question, the candidates were asked about the issue of student loan debt.

About 44.5 million former and current college students have some form of student loan debt. They owe about $1.5 trillion in debt. The average college student that graduated from college in 2016 owes $28,446 in student loans.

“The debt crisis has gotten out of control,” Williams said. “There are no incentives for colleges to help their students out. We [Congress] are going to find a way to help pay off student debt.”

“We have to emphasize Career and Technical Education. (CTE)” Wittman said. “Both should be equally represented, CTE and college education.”

Williams’ tagline of the night was “We Deserve Better” when she was referring to her statements against Wittman.

Following the debate, Wittman stayed at the debate center an hour after the event to talk to anyone who wanted to continue the conversation about current issues.

Williams stayed for about 10 minutes for photos then left and was spotted at a nearby restaurant with a small group of her supporters.

Wittman was first elected during a special election in December 2007 after the death of former Congresswoman Jo Ann Davis. Wittman was reelected in 2016 for his fifth full term in the U.S. House of Representatives. Wittman has also served on the Monnstrass Town Council, Westmoreland County Board of Supervisors, and Virginia House of Delegates.

Williams has never run for political office but is a longtime resident of King George County. Williams is a strategic planner and a mother of six daughters. Williams currently works full-time for a government contractor as a Strategic Planner/Senior Project Control Principal.