Horsford, Peters Debate Abortion, Inflation In Race For CD4

By Michael Lyle, Nevada Current

October 13, 2022

In a campaign year with unusually few debates between contenders for high-profile offices, candidates running in Nevada’s 4th congressional district faced off in two debates within one week, sparring over abortion access, inflation and priorities moving forward.

Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Steven Horsford and Sam Peters, a retired U.S. Air Force major, answered a range of questions in one debate held by KNPR and Vegas PBS and another on KLAS-TV Channel 8.

With the future of abortion access hinging on the outcomes of the midterm electionsin the aftermath of Roe v Wade being overturned by the United States Supreme Court this summer, both candidates were asked to reaffirm their positions.

Republicans in Congress have introduced a federal legislation banning abortion while Democrats have vowed to codify Roe into law if they retain Congress and secure enough votes to overcome a Republican filibuster in the Senate.

A national ban would supersede Nevada law, which protects abortion up to 24 weeks.

Peters, who describes himself as “pro-life,” said he supports exceptions for rape, incest and to protect the life of the mother. He also said wouldn’t vote for a national ban.

“I disagree with the comment that a federal ban or limitation would overrule state law because the Supreme Court just decided in the Dobbs decision that it’s a states right,” Peters said.

Several questions in both debates focused on abortions in the third trimester, which are rare and occur when the fetus isn’t viable or when the life of the mother is at risk.

According to his campaign website, Peters supports legislation that would criminalize performing an abortion after 20 weeks.

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that around 1% of abortions are performed after 21 weeks.

“Women who are pregnant who have a very serious or threatening issue toward the end of their pregnancy sometimes have to make difficult choices,” Horsford said. “That’s something that no politician in Washington will ever understand. So I don’t want anything to stand in the way of a woman’s right to make that decision with her doctor. It’s not my job to decide what week that is. It’s my job as their representative to fight to protect that right.”

Gas prices

Poll after poll shows the most important issue to most voters this election cycle is the economy and inflation, particularly rising gas prices.

The United States isn’t the only nation experiencing inflation, which has been driven by multiple factors including the aftermath of Covid-19 lockdowns as well as disruptions to energy and food markets as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Peters blamed inflation in the United States on government spending and laid it “on the feet of this administration and administrations past.”

“If (Horsford) continues to have this seat going forward, the inflation, the gas prices aren’t coming down,” he said.

When asked specifically if by past administrations he meant former President Donald Trump, who signed into law a tax package and two Covid relief packages, Peters said he “meant all administrations as far back as (President) Carter.”

Horsford lambasted Peters for decrying government spending over the last two years while also applying for and receiving a Paycheck Protection Program forgivable loan, which was included in the initial Covid relief package to help businesses hurt by the pandemic to afford payroll costs and other business expenses.

Horsford also noted that Peters also applied and was approved for $10,000 in a small business relief grant, which was introduced by Gov. Steve Sisolak in 2020 using Covid relief dollars.

Peters said the money was used to keep his employees afloat and was needed to cope with government shutdowns to mitigate spread of Covid-19.

“I took a loan for $72,000,” Peters said. “It allowed me to pay everyone of my employees. None of my employees lost a single hour of pay. Yes I took these funds because in a shutdown scenario my business lost over 25% of revenue for two years straight.”

Horsford pointed to corporate greed as a contributing factor of inflation.

He also said the Inflation Reduction Act passed in August will target the deficit and lower other costs, including reining in some prescription drug prices and capping insulin for people with Medicare at $35.

Peters attacked the IRA as well as the American Rescue Plan, a nearly $2 trillion relief package passed in 2021 that infused states and households with money to address issues exacerbated by the pandemic, as another example of reckless spending that added to inflation.

Economists disagree over ARPA’s contribution to inflation. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, a former chair of the Federal Reserve Board, said the relief bill prevented economic disaster.

The legislation also increased access to health care and expanded the child tax credit, which reduced childhood poverty.

Peters has pushed a balanced budget amendment in order to prevent deficit spending.

The two also fought over skyrocketing gas prices, which Congress has little authority over.

“Does the government decide the price of oil or does big gas companies?” Horsford asked Peters.

Peters said “no the market does” while arguing that the government needs to get out of the way.

According to AAA, gas prices began to fall over the summer but recently jumped nearly $1 in a month in Nevada and the far West, due to maintenance shutdowns at several California refineries. Prices have begun to dip again over the last week.

Horsford said he has worked on legislation to hold corporate oil companies accountable for price gouging, but the bill, which passed the House in May, failed to overcome a Republican filibuster.

Voting – including by mail

Though 2020 election results have long been scrutinized and shown President Joe Biden was duly elected, some candidates in and outside of Nevada are running on false claims of widespread voter fraud influencing the results.

During one debate, Peters said he accepted that Biden won 2020. Horsford tried to ask him about past comments promoting election falsehoods.

In 2020, Peters said multiple times that Trump won and tweeted “Trump won Georgia. And likely NV. And definitively PA.”

Trump lost all three states in the 2020 election.

“I have the responsibility as a citizen to question my government,” Peters said to Horsford.

Moderators moved on without following up.

In a question about voter confidence, Peters criticized vote by mail and said “shotgunning ballots across the state is not the right answer. It’s not safe or secure.”

Horsford pointed out Peters voted by mail and Peters responded “I actually dropped it off in a box,” referring to the ballot that was mailed to him.

Nevada has experienced an affordable housing crisis long before the pandemic. Since 2020, rent prices have increased more than 20%.

Housing groups called on elected officials to invest in housing development – Nevada pledged $500 million from ARPA funding for affordable housing – to help increase supply and aid developers to overcome financial barriers.

Legal groups and housing justice advocates have also pressed for expanding tenant protections and advocated rent stabilization to help renters in the meantime.

Horsford said newly introduced legislation, the HOME Act, seeks to rein in corporate investors from buying up properties, which limits affordable housing and drives up rents.

Peters said rent increases are a symptom of “too much government control and too much government overreach.” He argued holding of federal lands also prevents the creation of housing.

Both were asked what proposals they would support to reduce mass shootings, the vast majority have been carried out by people using assault weapons and high capacity magazines.

Horsford pointed to recent modest legislation passed over the summer, which helped close the “boyfriend loophole” and requires people under 21 who want to purchase a firearm to undergo the background check.”

Peters said he wanted to “keep criminals in jail and stop the cash bail system” as a way to prevent mass shootings.

Nevada Current, a nonprofit, online source of political news and commentary, documents the policies, institutions and systems that affect Nevadans’ daily lives. The Current is part of States Newsroom, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported by grants and a coalition of donors and readers.