John O'Connors Campaign Luncheon

The Sunset Statement: Kyle Van Horn and Allred appeal to different Republican Parties in tonight's GOP Debate by: John Baker New York City - In the Republican Primary Debate hosted by Fox News between Kyle Allred (R-UT), Klye Van Horn (R-Ky), and Levi Koenig (R-FL). This is the only Republican Primary debate and so this was the best chance for voters to learn about these candidates. There were no opening statements in the debate. The first question was directed to Kyle Van Horn and was about Venezuela. Kyle Van Horn pushed for a limited response with no boots on the ground, but building a coalition of Venezuela's neighbors. However, his comments about the happens in Venezuela being bittersweet caused some confusion. It is hard to say that civil unrest and a tyrant refusing the peaceful transfer of power is in anyway a sweet situation. Allred response talked about making sure that Maduro goes. He would not eliminate a military response but tried to highlight examples from the eighties as something he would try to replicate. He would not eliminate a military response. Whereas Senator Koenig seemed to pledge that he would consider having a military response. I admit that I'm confused exactly by the wording "No foreign nation should be in the Western Hemisphere. Period." Either he is pledging to create a Pan-American empire, or he simply means that no non-Western hemisphere nation should have territory here. Which might be a bit concerning to American allies like Britain with the Falkland Islands. Overall, for a question with limited cross talk the two Kyles did the best on the topic with clear answers that largely could be understood by the people at home. The second topic of the night was about the Aid deal and the question was directed at Senator Allred. Allred. His response was a tight one where he called on loosening the restrictions placed on Ukraine when it comes to using American weapons. He also said that he would support admitting Ukraine into NATO upon the conclusion of the war. Kyle Van Horn and Koenig repeated their standard Kremlin fed lines on Ukraine aid. Kowtowing to Moscow over putting American interests first. Koenig and Van Horn showed that they are far too trusting of Russian oligarch who we've seen time and time again see how much he can get away with when it comes to American leadership. Anyone who things that appeasing Russia should take a look at the career of a man named Neville Chamberlin. The debate moved to discussing the Israel and replenishing US military stockpiles. Allred called his opponents irresponsible for their votes. With Van Horn pivoting to domestic issues where he seemed more comfortable during the night. While Koenig tried to ineffectively shrug off the line from Allred. Overall, on the aid deal Allred won the topic when you view it from an objective style and substance, and you consider the average viewer. However, when you consider the target audience of Trump delegates, I think you could say that Koenig won this section. The next question was from me. I asked Senator Koenig about comments he made in a Vox interview about hurricane relief. Koenig dodged the question trying to instead pivot back to Israel. A topic that immediately drew a response a strong response from Allred. He called Koenig's foreign policy completely incoherent. Which to be fair it kind of is. We have a no vote on aid to Israel, but statements that he stands behind Israel one hundred percent. Then no troops in Gaza but an attack on Israel is an attack on the United States. The u-turns are giving me whiplash. Van Horn remained on the sidelines for this exchange only calling for disaster relief to be non-partisan. A solid answer though careful I believe to not offend either side of the prior exchange. Koenig insisted that Allred had run against aid for Ukraine. Which seems odd as Allred seems to have been on the side of Ukraine since the start of the war. I would say nobody particularly won this exchange as Allred and Koenig were speaking strongly to their bases and Van Horn was unwilling to enter into the exchange. My second question of the night concerned Healthcare and was directed that Allred. Allred kind of danced around the issue. While he doesn't support privatization he still complains about the cost and talks about starting from ground zero which is confusing. How can you start at ground zero if you are not going to touch two of the most important programs in healthcare? This is one of the few questions that drew a flash point between Van Horn and Allred. Van Horn came out strong in support of Medicare and Medicaid. Completely eliminating the idea of supporting reforms to Medicare. Koenig's response backed Medicare and Medicaid but still blamed government for rising costs despite evidence that the blame is corporate greed, extensive administrative costs in private insurance sector, and higher utilization. Koenig's company is also complicit in the rising costs of healthcare being deeply involved in private healthcare system. Van Horn's answer is the safest amongst general election audiences who are worried about rising costs of healthcare and largely oppose reforms that would reduce coverage from Medicare and Medicaid. It was also an answer that best spoke about the people behind the policies. The next question returned to Bret Baier and covered Roe V. Wade. Kyle Van Horn answered the question first and took the typical line of Republicans these days about eliminating Roe V. Wade was about giving abortion access to the States. He also stated that he supported IVF. The one head scratching part of his answer when considering trying to rebuild the GOP's relationship with suburban women is that he seemed to suggest that the exceptions of rape, incest, and life the mother should be decided by the states instead of just being set as a national protection. Levi answered next repeating the line about giving the issue to the states. Koenig on IVF said he would leave it to the states, so I guess that Alabama judge gets to decide that people who really want kids but are having fertility struggles are going to be completely unable to achieve their dream of children. Allred's answer was a direct appeal to the GOP evangelical base. He stated that he is troubled by IVF but is unwilling to go as far as banning it. Considering the part of the base that has strong enough opinions on abortion wants it completely banned Allred's position is much more in line with that section of the base. However, Van Horn's answer is likely going to be better for a general election audience. However, all candidates are going to have to deal with the turn of suburban women against the GOP in the wake of the Dodds decision. My final question of the debate was about the Working-Class Tax relief act. Van Horn defended his swapped votes on cloture vs. passage. As stated, that he believed it was a worthy proposal and while he supported the goals with the bill it was not the direction that he wanted to go. Van Horn said he would eliminate income taxes up to the median income. We will be following up on clarification on household size in our questionnaire. This is another major flashpoint between Allred and Van Horn. With Allred stating that Van Horn was using Bernie Sander's talking points. Allred likely appealing to a more middle class, well-educated audience used a number of accurate figures about taxes to justify current tax policy. Allred would also state that he opposes class warfare appeals. Whereas Van Horn was strongly pitching towards making the GOP a working peoples party. Levi Koenig seemed very confused on the question instead talking about how he opposed the minimum wage altogether. I guess someone is not actually working very hard for the people of Florida if he isn't sure which bill he is voting on. When you consider the states likely to be the most important in this election Van Horn likely did well with his working-class appeal. Whereas Allred is trying to rebuild the old GOP and appealing to their typical middle-class supporters. The next question focused on inflation and their secret plans to fight it. Iykyk. Kyle Van Horn started with talking about supply chain resiliency and strengthening buy American requirements. Which likely would not affect inflation and if perfectly affective would make the US more resilient to supply shocks. However, as any economist worth their salt will tell you. You cannot produce everything, and tariffs are only going to lead to higher prices for consumers in your country and force retaliatory tariffs that hurt other sectors of your economy by reducing exports. Something Midwestern soybean farmers saw firsthand with the Trump tariffs. Levi Koenig called for more tax cuts despite voting against working class tax cuts just months ago and practically called for eliminating every regulation on the books despite a lot of them existing to protect workers and American people from unsafe products and business practices. Allred talked about out-of-control spending attacking pandemic era policy forgetting the alternative was an economic recession if not a full depression. The exchange about extending the Trump Tax cuts drew some agreement across the board but Van Horn took the time to attack other Republicans about the few tax cuts for working class Americans not being permanent versus the corporate taxes being permanent. Allred stated he wants to manage the deficit before extending the Trump tax cuts. However, Koenig stated that he wants imports on every good that comes into the United States despite how much that will drive up the goods on every single product in America. Koenig's policy isn't to fight inflation it's to cause more inflation. The exchange once again saw an argument break out about the new lockbox Ukraine. This section of the debate was a battle of philosophy between the Reaganite and the Trumpites. With neither side really trying to appeal more broadly but instead to their base. The next topic was immigration. Allred answered first and supported Trump's policies on immigration and blamed Biden for the current situation despite fmr. President Trump killing the immigration deal that congress had been working on. Despite President Biden being on pace to match the Trump deportation numbers. Allred's early position in the debate being willing to stick with the facts instead pivots to repeating lies in order to bolster his immigration pitch to Republicans. Kyle Van Horn takes the Trump position on the walls. However, Van Horn did state that he cannot support separating families like Fmr. President Trump did. However, Koenig once again gave a complete headscratcher of an answer stating that walls work and citing China and the Mongols. I'm pretty sure anyone who paid attention in their history class would know a guy named Genghis Khan who conquered China despite the Great Wall being there. He also promises to completely close the southern border and continues making up lies about illegal immigrants. He can give Coleman some tips for his debate tomorrow. Koenig seemed to suggest that he would support the child separation policy. Allred was the only candidate that suggested he would support amnesty in anyway but only after the border is secure. The section featured another blow up about Ukraine leading to an audience member to ask if they will just stop talking about Ukraine. Allred won this exchange when considering Koenig's incoherent comments and Kyle Van Horn's short response. None of the candidates mentioned bringing back the immigration deal now that fmr. President Trump is out of the picture. The final topic of the night was concerned January sixth. It was a short question that the two Kyle's confirmed that they believe that Trump lost the election. Allred's simple yes was likely the best answer to get the issue behind Republicans. No qualifications or room for discussion. Whereas Van Horn's comments about Pence doing anything would've been illegal was a bit odd. But the two of them answered that they would accept the results of the election. Whereas the slippery billionaire who is not used to be told no. Was quick to weasel around the question and gave a non-answer that would've made the former President proud. He refused to say that he would accept the results of the election and tried to appeal a bit to the Jan sixth crowd. When considering the maga base is the one section that doesn't completely despise January sixth. One noticed that Koenig probably won over support from that block here despite setting himself up for a harder general election. With the debate recap mostly over. I believe that overall, Kyle Van Horn comes out on top of the debate with Kyle Allred in a close second, and finally Levi Koenig in a distant third. But that's only when you consider it from a general election perspective. Where a working-class appeal of Van Horn is going to have a broad appeal with Obama-Trump voters, and Allred's calm belongs in the eighties Republican party could win back some suburban men who are tired of Trump's style of politics. Finally, if you remember this is not about appealing to Americans at home but instead to Trump loyal delegates at the RNC Levi Koenig could have position himself very well in this debate. Thank you for reading folks.

Tour Name: American Stories Artist: Aloysius "Mud" Devadander Abercrombie City/County: Shelby County (TN) - Memphis Song #1: Divided We Stand Song #2: Living on the Highway Song #3: Our Stand View full gig