Democratic OB-GYN Kristin Lyerly clashed with Trump-backed businessman Tony Wied on Friday during the sole debate in the race for an open Wisconsin House seat that heavily favors Republicans.
The pair sparred over abortion, the U.S.-Mexico border and the economy, among other issues.
At stake Nov. 5 is the northeastern Wisconsin House seat previously held by Republican Rep. Mike Gallagher, who retired from Congress earlier this year before the end of his term.
Here are three takeaways from the debate at the the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay’s Mauthe Center:
Lyerly goes on offensive on abortion
Lyerly, an OB-GYN who commutes to Minnesota to provide reproductive care, went on the offensive on a key issue for Democrats.
She accused Wied of dodging questions about his stance on abortion as Wied suggested he supported the 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade, saying he believes the issue should be decided by individual states.
“The Supreme Court made the decision that the right of abortion is within the states’ hands. Where it was before, it is now,” Wied said. “And I believe it should continue to stay as a state’s right issue.”
Asked to clarify his position, Wied said it was “never the intent of our Constitution to be sorting these things out at the federal level.” He added: “If you’re so passionate about this, why don’t you run for state Assembly like you did once before.”
Lyerly said calling abortion a decision for the states is “a cop-out.” She listed statistics showing higher mortality rates for mothers in states with strict abortion laws.
“We all know the person who pulls Tony Wied’s strings is proud of taking Roe v. Wade down,” Lyerly said. “And yeah, I’m passionate about it because it’s killing my patients.”
On the border, a divide that mirrors Congress
The two candidates’ responses to the situation at the southern border largely mirrored the months-long debate that has played out on Capitol Hill.
Wied, who was endorsed by Trump before he officially announced his run for the seat, praised Trump’s handling of the southern border and attacked the Biden administration for leaving the border “wide open.” He called for reinstating the “Remain in Mexico” policy, which required asylum seekers to stay in Mexico until their immigration court date, and for finishing Trump’s border wall.
Lyerly, meanwhile, noted Republicans in Congress earlier this year killed a bipartisan border proposal led by a conservative senator and called for its passage, pointing out it provided for more border security agents.
“That effective immigration policy is sitting there just waiting to be signed, but we all know the people who pull my opponent’s strings said no,” Lyerly said in a shot at Wied.
Wied argued the border bill “didn’t go far enough.”
“You can’t have a country without control of your border,” Wied said.
Comments on polarization, bipartisanship
The current Congress is marred by division and inaction, how would the candidates attempt to change that?
Wied distanced himself from the bomb throwers on Capitol Hill, saying he’s “not one to scream and attack people. I’m one to attack problems.” He leaned on his business background — he led the Green Bay-based gas station and convenience store chain Dino Stop until 2022 — and said he’s willing to “sit down and work with anyone.”
“We worked with folks from all different races and all different economic backgrounds, and we loved each other,” Wied said. “You have to show more love towards each other and actually work together to solve problems because there’s too much at stake right now in this country.”
Lyerly said Congress has a “take my ball and go home mentality instead of sitting down, having a beer, figuring out — like the bipartisan border bill. That’s a great example of something that could have happened but didn’t because of politics.”
Lyerly said she grew up in the district as a Republican and didn’t vote for a Democrat until she was in her 30s and didn’t become a Democrat until she decided to run for office — she lost a bid for state Assembly in 2020.
“I’m an independent,” Lyerly said Friday. “I’m an independent thinker.”
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Kristin Lyerly, Tony Wied spar in 8th Congressional District debate
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