Hear from candidates from the 50th Congressional District

Spanning from eastern San Diego County to the southwestern corner of Riverside County, the 50th Congressional District seat was previously held by Rep. Duncan D. Hunter until he resigned after pleading guilty to a corruption charge. In part one of Village News' coverage of the election for the seat, Village News spent time with three candidates from the field: Ammar Campa-Najjar, Nate Wilkins and Carl DeMaio. Read on to see what they had to say about their plans should they be elected to the 50th Congressional District.

Ammar Campa-Najjar (D)

What makes you uniquely qualified to hold the office you are campaigning for?

I was born in east county and raised by my working-class Christian mother. Growing up with a single parent, I worked as a janitor and groundskeeper at my evangelical church to help support my family. My mother and faith inspired me to graduate from San Diego State University and pursue a life of service.

Before running for office, I worked at the White House, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and as a federal official at the U.S. Department of Labor serving working families like the ones I grew up with.

I'm tired of politicians looking down at the people I've looked up to my whole life. I'm running for Congress to bring some east county grit to Washington, honor my mother's generation and help people live and retire with dignity.

Voters in my district want to live, work and retire with dignity. They want somebody who will protect their personal freedoms and individual liberties, and honor their traditions and values.

They want an independent voice in Congress who will fight for tax cuts for the middle class, veterans and small businesses – not the rich. Someone who will prioritize lowering prescription drug costs by holding pharmaceutical companies accountable; protect Medicare and Social Security; secure our borders and promote legal immigration and help hardworking Americans afford the cost of housing, health care and education.

I pledge to honor the American traditions and values handed down by our Founders. And as your independent voice in Congress, I'll always put people first.

What is the single most pressing issue facing the district you represent/hope to represent in the years to come?

The single most pressing issue facing the district is the cost of living, whether it is housing, health care, education and/or transportation. San Diego is home to the fourth largest homeless population in the country. While this situation is due in large part to a lack of mental health services and other resources, one of the main drivers to the cost of living and homelessness is the lack of affordable housing.

How do you intend to tackle/solve that issue?

California is the fifth largest economy in the world. One thing that really frustrates me, in addition to the state taxes we pay, is that Californians pay more federal taxes than any other state in the nation, and yet, we don't get back what we put into it. That's why, when elected, I'll fight to bring home long-overdue federal investments so we can address our district's needs, from housing, infrastructure, public education to wildfire relief and more.

If elected, I would start by investing in affordable mid-level housing, tax credits for renters and help homeowners refinance their mortgages.

One fiscally responsible way to address this problem on the federal level is by updating the HUD funding formula to reflect the needs of San Diego County. San Diego has the fourth biggest homeless population in the country, yet it's ranked 20th in terms of HUD funding when it should be ranked fourth commensurate with its overall homeless population. Reallocating HUD funding to the county, and working with the county government to ensure federal dollars are being properly spent will drastically help our people get off the streets so they can begin to lead self-sufficient lives again.

What are some of your key objectives when/if you are elected?

● Stand up to the health insurance and pharmaceutical companies. End corporate greed so we can invest in lowering health care and prescription drug costs while protecting Medicare and Social Security.

● Cut taxes for the middle class, veterans and their families and small businesses. End tax giveaways for the wealthy and corporations that send our jobs overseas.

● Invest in public schools, child care and vocational training, so workers get the skills they need to compete in today's economy.

● Protect the environment, defend women's rights and fix our failing immigration system.

● Fix our broken roads and infrastructure, secure federal funding to mitigate wildfire risk and prioritize climate change as a national security issue.

● Invest in affordable mid-level housing, tax credits for renters and help homeowners refinance their mortgages.

Carl DeMaio (R)

What makes you uniquely qualified to hold the office you are campaigning for?

I'm running for Congress because I'm fed-up with the direction of politics in California, and I'm tired of career politicians who are cowards and sellouts. We need more principled fighters who actually follow-through on the promises they make to voters.

Most voters know me pretty well already – most likely from my leadership of the fight to repeal the gas tax hikes in 2018. They know I'm a fighter who is willing to stand up and fight for the people when career politicians cave in on their principles or merely pay lip-service. On the San Diego City Council, I helped save the city from bankruptcy and got the landmark Pension Reform Initiative passed.

I founded Reform California – a grassroots campaign advocacy organization for government accountability and has blocked over $3 billion in tax hikes. Many others know me from my radio show on NewsRadio 600 KOGO-AM.

Before entering politics, I was in business. At 23, I founded my first company and my second by age 29. I sold both by age 33. I understand firsthand the struggles of our small-business owners and entrepreneurs and will work to cut red-tape.

People know I'm a proven fighter – and have been for years. Just look at the fight I led against the unfair and costly gas tax and car tax hikes. Since founding Reform California, I have blocked $3 billion in tax hikes and led the successful fight to strip California politicians of their lavish perks and pensions.

In addition to being a fighter, I'm a hard worker who is dedicated to constituent service. Since entering the race in August, we've held over 50 town halls. Contrast that with Darrell Issa who held only one town hall in his entire 18 years in Congress. I want my constituents to know I will be accessible to them on any issue they have a problem with. I may not be able to offer a perfect resolution to each issue, but I will always do my best to listen and fight for you.

What is the single most pressing issue facing the district you represent/hope to represent in the years to come?

The threat of socialism is the single-most pressuring issue facing us today – and the high cost of living, destruction of jobs and loss of personal freedom that goes along with that failed ideology.

How do you intend to tackle/solve that issue?

In order to Take Back California, I've proposed a comprehensive, 7-point Reform Agenda and I'm not waiting – we're already underway. By stopping tax hikes, addressing the homelessness crisis, fixing our schools, implementing pension reform and more, we can get California out of the decline it's in – and bring back a more prosperous, free California.

What are some of your key objectives when/if you are elected?

First, we must help President Donald Trump secure the border by building the wall, closing loopholes in the law, mandate and force eVerify, repeal Sanctuary State laws and end chain migration.

Second, I will implement my 10-point Fix Congress First Initiative, which will force Congress to live under the same laws as the rest of us – no exceptions – and will fundamentally shake up Congress and break through the dysfunction and corruption in our political system.

Third, I want to be the voice of opposition in California to fight back against socialism. Too many Californians are fleeing this state, and I'm prepared to lead the fight to take back our state from one-party Democrat control.

Nate Wilkins (R)

What makes you uniquely qualified to hold the office you are campaigning for?

The Constitution is an amazing document, with the minimum requirements to run for U.S. House of Representatives is anyone at age of 25 and a United States citizen for only seven years. I meet the basic qualifications that allow almost anyone the opportunity to hold public office. Now a little about my background: 116th Congress in 2019; Congressional Innovation Fellow for the United States House of Representatives; Energy and Commerce Committee; Republican; retired United States Navy SEAL. Through my experience in Congress and SEAL teams, I have developed the operational, strategic and policy education that makes me effective in making well-informed policy decisions. I hope my background and service to our country can give the voter the confidence that I am a trustworthy and experienced candidate. The narrative I would like to dispel, is that only the privileged, well connected and highly "educated" deserve a seat at the political table. Although this helps, it should not deter anyone from serving their Congressional District.

What is the single most pressing issue facing the district you represent/hope to represent in the years to come?

The most pressing moral issue facing the district is the character of the candidate. District 50 suffered a loss in ethical leadership, and I thought that the District could use a trustworthy and experienced candidate. As a faithful Christian, I am called to live a life of good works through service to my family, community and country. A father of two children and husband to an amazing wife, I must be a good example to them. Although I am not perfect, I do my best to live at the high moral, ethical and sacrificial example of Jesus Christ. I will uphold these morals and values for the rest of my life and to the best of my ability.

This world is extremely complex and to say there is a single most pressing policy issue would be irresponsible of me. However, I try to find the root cause in all problems, and the most important root issue facing the District 50 is the sanctity of life. Protecting the rights of the unborn is the most important policy issue because it increases the value of human life, given to us as a gift of God Almighty. When our society views a potential human being as merely a fetus; that devalues human life. When we devalue human life, we become more accepting of violent crime, unsafe communities, broken families and marriages, lack of empathy for human suffering, immoral education and lawlessness. I also want to iterate that my faith calls me to not condemn those that are impacted by abortion.

How do you intend to tackle/solve that issue?

At conception, life begins, and the unborn child needs to be classified as a "person," as defined under the 14th Amendment. Unfortunately, due to the confusion on when life begins, now Congress needs to establish that life begins at conception. I will do everything in my power to fight for the rights of the unborn, and make sure that they have the same rights as those that are born. We must establish that "personhood" starts at conception.

What are some of your key objectives when/if you are elected?

Pro-life; Second Amendment; traditional marriage; national, domestic and border security; empowering law enforcement; free enterprise; fighting overregulation; innovation; energy; commerce; homelessness; poverty; government oversight.

Note: Views of the other candidates for this seat will be published next week.

Will Fritz can be reached by email at [email protected].