Baumgartner, Conroy both say no to tariffs

With only two weeks left before the Nov. 5 election, Republican Michael Baumgartner and Democrat Carmela Conroy met on the debate stage Monday night in Pullman.

Both hope to succeed Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers to represent Eastern Washington in Congress.

Hosted by KHQ, Washington State University and the Foley Institute, the debate offered one of the last opportunities for both candidates to reach voters.

Most of the questions from Monday’s debate had been asked at prior debates or in other forums, such as rising housing costs, abortion, student debt and the Israel-Palestine conflict.

The debate did touch on several topics not addressed elsewhere, including tariffs, the regulation of artificial intelligence, xenophobic rhetoric about immigrants, as well as a single question each candidate drafted to ask the other.

Neither candidate supported tariffs, with both Conroy and Baumgartner highlighting the risks that retaliatory tariffs could have on the trade-sensitive economy of Washington, which imports much of its agricultural products such as wheat across the Pacific Ocean. Baumgartner made an exception, however, for China, which he called a strategic adversary on whom the U.S. can not afford to be economically dependent.

On regulating artificial intelligence, Conroy focused her answer on the threat that artificial intelligence could pose for misinformation and swaying politics, as well as the potential threat to workers. Baumgartner was largely concerned with its use in weapons systems and “control by adversaries like China,” adding that he hoped that its use domestically would boost economic productivity.

Baumgartner largely turned a question about xenophobic rhetoric about immigrants into a discussion on border security, arguing that it was necessary to the sovereignty of the U.S. and calling for a return to the Trump administration’s Remain in Mexico policy.

“Refugees should not be demonized, but too many people coming to America now are taking advantage of America’s goodness,” Baumgartner said.

Conroy agreed that border security was a pressing issue, criticizing Republicans in Congress for sinking an initially bipartisan border security bill. But she also referred to much of the rhetoric about immigrants as “hate speech,” arguing that immigrants are a boon to their communities and necessary to the economy.

“If you think things are expensive now, wait until we do not have our immigrant population living in our communities, supporting our communities,” Conroy said.

For Conroy’s question to Baumgartner, she noted the skepticism the Spokane County GOP showed Baumgartner while he sought the party’s endorsement, asking why voters should trust Baumgartner more than the grassroots of his own party. Baumgartner dismissed this concern, saying that party politics could be “strange” but noting that voters had strongly backed his candidacy.

Baumgartner, perhaps confident in his chances in a district that leans heavily Republican, lobbed Conroy a softball: What was her favorite moment on the campaign trail?

Conroy responded that it had been the opportunity to hear the “hopes and dreams” of voters.