Kaine responded:

For my entire career, I’ve rolled my sleeves up and worked across the aisle to do what’s best for Virginia. Whether it be working with a Republican-controlled legislature to increase Pre-K enrollment when I was Governor, working with the Trump administration to strengthen our Navy and bolster Virginia’s shipbuilding industry, working with Republican Leader Mitch McConnell to save lives by raising the federal age for purchasing tobacco products from 18 to 21, or working with the Biden administration and Senators from both parties to rebuild our infrastructure and bring good-paying jobs to Virginia — I am willing to partner with anyone if it means delivering for Virginians. We need more leaders in elected office who work together to pursue common-sense solutions.

Cao responded:

When I was in the Navy, I wasn’t thinking about Republicans or Democrats. I was defending the freedoms of all Americans. I will do the same in the United States Senate. For far too long, Washington DC has been broken. Our elected representatives don’t get things done on behalf of the people who sent them there, and they stay far too long on our dime. I’ll work with anyone in Congress, regardless of party, if they share our goals of securing the border, lowering prices, and preserving the freedom of Virginians to live as they choose.

Anderson responded:

I strongly believe that country comes before political party. During my time as a Green Beret, no one cared about political affiliation, and I’ll take that same approach to representing you in Congress. In contrast, my opponent is a down-the-line partisan. That’s one reason why he won’t debate me on TV – his positions are mired in the failures of the past, while I’ll work with anyone to improve the future of people in my home district. For example: I’ll work to get costs down; he’ll continue the same inflationary spending policies. High gas and grocery prices affect everyone regardless of political affiliation or beliefs, so that’s what I’m focused on. I will meet with anyone and talk about any issues in any setting. That’s how I campaign and that’s how I’ll operate in Congress, because I am there to serve the entire 7th district, no matter what party affiliation.

Vindman responded:

In my 25 years in the Army, I worked with folks of every race, religion, class, and educational level. In every instance, there was far more that we had in common than what made us different. As a paratrooper it never mattered if the soldier standing next to me on a jump was a Democrat or Republican, we saw the mission through. Labels just get in the way.

I’ve brought this same mission-first focus to my campaign for Congress, and every day out on the trail reaffirms to me that there will always be more that unites us than what divides us. I’m willing to work with anyone that will help move our community forward.

On this campaign, I have gone everywhere. I’ve joined Sunday services in one-room churches in rural Spotsylvania, toured immigrant-owned grocery stores in Prince William, knocked on doors in the Piedmont, attended NASCAR races in Spotsy and rodeos in Culpeper, chatted with folks at Black barber shops, and visited family farms. At every event I attend or voter I meet with, I listen more than talk. Frankly, that’s where I get some great ideas, from regular folks.

In Congress, I pledge to be a fighter for every person who calls our community their home, not just those who voted for me. I will work across the aisle to protect our freedoms, lower costs, and make it easier for middle-class families to thrive. I will keep visiting every corner of this district, holding accessible town halls, and making sure my office is working to deliver for Virginians.

This is my home. My wife and I are raising our two kids in public schools here. I’ll never stop fighting for our community.

Given the connection between border security and national defense, what specific policies would you support to enhance the protection of our borders while also ensuring that our military installations in Virginia remain secure from potential threats?

Kaine responded:

I am prepared to work with anyone to secure our southern border, restore order to our immigration system, and increase resources to combat the fentanyl crisis. In 2012, 50 Virginians died from fentanyl overdoses. In 2022, that number was nearly 2,000. That’s why I recently supported a tough bipartisan border security bill, which would have provided critical resources to combat the fentanyl crisis and impose order to a chaotic situation at the southern border. That bill failed when Donald Trump encouraged Republican legislators to oppose the bill because they would rather complain about the problem than fix it. The Republican failure to join in bipartisan solutions is nothing new. Over the course of my Senate career, I’ve voted for nearly $300 billion in funding for border security and worked across the aisle to pass the FEND Off Fentanyl Act and Disrupt Fentanyl Trafficking Act, which became law through the FY 2024 NDAA. But three efforts at more comprehensive reforms—in 2013, 2018, and 2024—fell apart when Republican leadership opposed even stronger bipartisan proposals. We need Republican leadership to work together to find solutions and quit using the issue as a political talking point.

As chairman of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support, I have used my perch to spotlight threats to our military operations and worked across the aisle to keep our servicemembers safe. Moreover, I have passed meaningful legislation such as the EMBRACE Act, which authorized the Department of Defense to carry out stormwater management projects at military installations to protect our military bases and environment from the effects of climate change.

Cao responded:

Our open border is a national security threat as tens of thousands of military-aged males from China, Yemen and Syria enter daily. When I’m elected, my first priority is to secure our border by supporting efforts to finish the border wall system. This wall system has integrated fiberoptic cables for ElectroOptical and Infrared (EO/IR) cameras and seismic sensors. We will root out terrorists who entered the U.S. illegally. As a 25-year Navy combat  veteran, I believe we also need to protect Virginia’s military installations from potential threats, and that begins with closing our border to terrorists, gangs, and military-aged males seeking to undermine us. Everything that’s going wrong in our country stems from our open border. Housing costs are at an all-time high because there’s millions who were not here a few years ago for which we need to provide housing. The Biden-Harris administration spends a billion dollars a day which includes free cell phones and gift cards upon arrival, driving up costs. We need to put the American people first and that begins with closing our border.

Anderson responded:

We need a complete overhaul of the current open borders approach, which has brought crime, drugs, and national security threats to Virginia’s 7th District. This is a big contrast in this race: my opponent supports the current open borders policies, and I oppose them. The list of actions we need to take is long: round up illegal border-crossers and deport them, with a particular focus on national security threats and criminals. Increase funding and support for Border Patrol — both in terms of agents and technology. Overhaul the gridlocked legal system. And our leaders need to make it clear that illegal immigration into the US will not be tolerated. Look at the fentanyl crisis in Virginia: 5 people overdose each day here. We have to recognize that the current policies have failed America, and we need change. Instead, my opponent wants to continue the failures of the past.

Vindman responded:

Our country deserves leaders who are committed to securing our border, and keeping our men and women in uniform and their families safe. In Congress that is exactly what I will do.

As a 25-year Army veteran and a former White House National Security Council advisor, I know how important it is to defend our sovereign territory. We must have a strong border, with the necessary investments in infrastructure, technology, and human capital to ensure that we know who and what is crossing our borders on land and at sea and stop illegal immigration and the trafficking of drugs like fentanyl in both domains. In Congress, I will be proud to support the bipartisan border security legislation that would invest over $20 Billion to strengthen our border and has been endorsed by the Border Patrol union. This proposal would hire thousands of additional border patrol agents, deploy state-of-the-art monitoring technology, and provide funding for border security infrastructure.

As a former Army JAG prosecutor, I worked all the time with law enforcement on military bases. There is a robust threat assessment and response mechanism at every military installation including the four installations within or on the borders of the 7th congressional district. Besides the sensitive military assets on these installations, there are thousands of servicemembers and families. Their security is a top priority. In addition to meeting with installation commanders and stakeholders on the installation, I would get a threat assessment brief from leaders in the Pentagon. If warranted, I would sponsor legislation to supplement security on our military installations. Our security must be sufficient to eliminate physical, cyber, and intelligence penetration or threats. In Congress, I will work across the aisle to ensure our military installations have the resources necessary to physically harden against threats both foreign and domestic, as well as the intelligence resources to stop these attacks before they happen.

In Congress, I will work with leaders from both parties and across the military and intelligence communities as well as state and local elected officials here in Virginia, to identify vulnerabilities and stop breaches or attacks before they happen. Recently Marine Corps Base Quantico had an attempted breach that was effectively stopped by base personnel – this attempted penetration was just another example of the need to provide our domestic military installations with the resources necessary to protect themselves.