Takeaways: Congressional debate between Scott Perry and George Scott

(Undated) — The race between Democratic challenger George Scott and three-term U.S. Rep. Scott Perry, R-York County, has been flagged as one to watch.

The men are competing for the 10th Congressional District seat. And because of a recent Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision to redraw the state’s congressional map, it’s a district that has a chance of flipping in the November General Election. 

The newly created district helped split York County in two for congressional representation. The 10th encompasses York and Harrisburg and areas in-between.

The two went head-to-head on Wednesday in the first 10th Congressional District debate at a meeting of the Rotary Club of York at the York Country Club. 

WATCH THE FULL DEBATE BELOW.

Here’s what the candidates had to say about current issues:

On the issue of gun violence

Both candidates agreed that our country has a major issue with gun violence that needs to be addressed. The ways they would choose to address it are a bit different though.

Scott’s approach: Scott believes the first thing that needs to be done is have the Center for Disease Control and Prevention conduct a study that will provide an explanation for why this “epidemic of gun violence” has occurred. He also believes that universal background checks would be a necessary measure to ensure that someone who receives a weapon doesn’t have a history of violence or mental illness.

“Above and beyond that there are ways to reduce the lethality of these weapons,” Scott said. “At the end of the day we need to protect our schools, but I’m not in favor of arming our teachers. We already ask our teachers to do enough.”

Perry’s approach: “Every single one of us knows children or has children and none of us want to imagine that they won’t come home safely to us,” Perry said.

He then noted meetings he had with school superintendents around the country about this issue.

He said their suggestions included:

• Funding for more school counselors
• Using money to “harden” and update school facilities
•  Bringing in more resource officers

“The answers are local among each school and school district and what they think is best for them,” Perry said.

Who should be the next House Speaker?

Perry’s response: Perry announced his support of Jim Jordan of Ohio earlier during the campaign. He provided his explanation as to why. 

He’s been in Congress under two speakers — John Boehner and Paul Ryan.

“Both were fine individuals,” Perry said. “Each had their strengths and weaknesses, but there’s something much bigger than that…too often the power is decided at the top. They decided what bills we’re going to vote on, what bills will be amended. I came to congress to participate.”

And Perry believes that Jordan, a Republican, will open up participation to anyone — Democrat or Republican.

Scott’s response: “We need change in the Democratic party,” Scott said. 

And he doesn’t think that Nancy Pelosi, who served as Speaker of the House from 2007 to 2011, is the best person to accomplish that.  

“I find it a little ironic because Boehner left because the Freedom Caucus has been obstructive in nature,” Scott said. “Rep. Jordan is a leader in the Freedom Caucus and I’m surprised that’s who we want when bipartisanship is really what we need.” 

Perry’s rebuttal: “Freedom caucus is a process organization,” Perry said. “It is not an ideological organization.”

“What we want is for the bills to go through committee; have a chance to amend them; bring them to the floor; have a chance to amend them. And then vote for them or vote on them — that is what we ask for.”

Talking about borders

Both Perry and Scott referenced their immigrant backgrounds and agreed that immigration reform needs to be made in the country.

Perry’s response: “We are mostly a nation of immigrants,” Perry said, “but legal immigrants. Illegal immigration is a problem, and you don’t have a country if you’re not going to secure your borders.” 

Perry said he supports a legal immigration effort for the country — “we can’t let people wander in and out of our country without knowing what their intentions are.” 

Scott’s response: He believes that the country needs to secure borders and make comprehensive immigration reform.

“But there’s a way to secure our borders and do it compassionately. We can enforce our border security in a humane matter.”

This story comes to us through a partnership between WITF and The York Daily Record.