RIVERTON, Wyo.—Candidates for Wyoming’s lone U.S. House seat discussed federal spending, Social Security and immigration enforcement during a Wyoming PBS debate, while Republican nominee Chuck Gray declined an invitation to participate.
Democrat Lisa Kinney, Libertarian Shawn Johnson and Constitution Party candidate Jeff Haggit participated in the forum, outlining their priorities for Congress and discussing how they would approach federal policy as first-term lawmakers.
Kinney repeatedly raised Gray’s absence during the debate, questioning why the current Wyoming secretary of state had declined to participate in the televised discussion.
The candidates addressed concerns about the long-term financial stability of Social Security, the growing federal deficit and the role of Congress in overseeing the executive branch.
All three expressed support for reducing federal spending, including cuts to the defense budget, and limiting U.S. involvement in foreign conflicts. They also discussed strengthening congressional oversight of presidential authority.
When asked which congressional committees they would seek to join, Kinney and Johnson pointed to their legal backgrounds and expressed interest in the House Judiciary Committee.
Haggit said his experience and interests would make him well-suited for a committee dealing with outdoor issues and natural resources.
Immigration enforcement was another area of agreement among the participating candidates. All three called for changes to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, although their specific approaches to reform were not detailed in the account of the debate.
The race follows Republican Rep. Harriet Hageman’s decision to seek Wyoming’s U.S. Senate seat after Sen. Cynthia Lummis announced she would retire at the conclusion of her current term.
Hageman, serving her second term in the House, is running against Democrat James Byrd in the Senate race.
Wyoming PBS did not hold a Senate debate because Hageman declined its invitation to participate.
The congressional debates are part of Wyoming PBS’s election coverage ahead of the Nov. 3 general election, providing candidates an opportunity to discuss their policy positions and priorities with voters.