PHOENIX, Arizona – U.S. Senate candidate Jim Lamon appeared Thursday with four of his fellow Republicans at a debate to address a broad range of issues important to Copper State Republicans. Hosted by FreedomWorks, the gathering marked the last opportunity for the candidates to confront one another on stage as they vy for the Republican nomination to go on to face Democratic incumbent, Senator Mark Kelly.
“Arizona holds the key to the United States of America in the Senate race. We must beat Mark Kelly in this race. You need to pick someone who’s a fighter. You hear a lot of talk up here tonight. You hear a lot of talk in the campaign. Pick someone who does things, who’s gotten stuff done in this country, who’s been a veteran, who’s built billion-dollar companies. Someone you can trust,” said Lamon in his opening statement.
Event moderator Kim Quintero asked the candidates questions ranging from border security, social media censorship, foreign relationships, and election integrity.
Border Security
The forum started with a question about one of the biggest issues Arizona faces today: the border crisis.
“My fellow patriots, I think you would agree with me that this invasion of our country is intentional. Correct,” Lamon said.
Border patrol agents attended the event representing Brandon Judd, president of the border patrol council. Lamon said border patrol agents interviewed all of the present candidates and supported Lamon unanimously.
“My job is to do everything in U.S. Senate to shut down business in U.S. Senate until we get back to ‘Remain in Mexico’ being enforced,” Lamon said, sharing his plans to shape up the border. “Save the sovereignty of our country. Put me in, and I’ll go make it happen, guys.”
Government Spending
“I believe it is immoral to put more debt on our kids and on our grandkids in this country. The only person on this stage, myself, who has created tens of thousands of jobs in this country, building billion-dollar companies, and we built those on no debt, it is very possible,” Lamon said to start his position.
Lamon told the audience he would never sign a debt increase for the country. He listed off ways he plans to “live within our means” in America, including saving social security and Medicare, stopping payments to illegal immigrants living in the country, closing unnecessary departments like the Department of Education, and bringing back American manufacturing.
Quintero moved from the problems within America to the one looming over it, China, and how the candidates would deal with this foreign power while keeping American trade in mind.
Lamon spoke on the business he created and how this company, through hard work, brought more manufacturing back to America and dollars back to American companies.
“Send somebody to D.C. who’s got the credentials, not talk, not ever been in business, not ever created thousands of jobs. I’ve been very fortunate to do that. I know industry. I know how the Chinese play. They do not need to be in this country,” said Lamon.
Lamon also mentioned mining in Arizona and the opportunity it presents to bring jobs and money back to the American people.
Social Media Censorship
With Social Media giants seeming to target conservative voices online, Quintero asks what role the federal government should play in this issue.
“This is criminal to our country. It’s tearing us apart. Having two systems of justice and two systems of First Amendment has got to stop,” said Lamon.
He said the time for talk is over, and he plans to be the one to bring some action to Washington.
Election Integrity
One of the biggest talking points in the Republican party is election integrity and ensuring only legal votes get counted. Quintero asked the candidates how they plan to uphold this idea if elected.
Lamon spoke on being the largest financial support for conservatism in Arizona, including aiding the audit.
“In the course of being an elector, when we saw what was going on before the boxes were put away, all the people that came out from the Trump group and other organizations to say, ‘look at this, we saw the fraud,’ and so, your electors then sued [Mike] Pence and [Doug] Ducey to stop and say ‘Woah, Woah, Woah.’ It takes guts to stand up and do that, guys. That’s not talk. It’s action that’s going to get stuff done,” said Lamon.
Lamon further mentions founding the largest private voter registration project in Arizona that has registered 20,000 new Republicans.
Lightning Round
Quintero fired off a few more questions, and candidates only had 30 seconds to answer. Starting with should Mitch McConnell should be the majority leader?
“I will vote for the most conservative new majority leader in the Senate,” said Lamon.
Another question, should DACA recipients be given a path to citizenship?
“This is a very large issue. No amnesty. Certainly, no amnesty. You can never be a U.S. citizen, you never can vote, you can never get benefits in this country if you came here anyway other than legally,” said Lamon in response.
Next, should the United States keep supplying Ukraine with military and economic aid?
“I say that any freedom-loving country that wants to buy our weaponry, we’re going to sell it to you and make a little profit on it to help pay down our debt. But we’re not going to give it away,” Lamon said.
To round out the night, Quintero asked if each candidate pledged to support whoever the nominee is in November. Lamon responded yes.
“We must beat Mark Kelly,” Lamon said.
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Neil Jones is a reporter for The Arizona Sun Times and The Star News Network. Follow Neil on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
