Im scott slayton. You are watching the Atlanta Press club Loudermilk Young the debate series. This is the general Election Debate for candidates running for the special election for the seat currently held by kelly leffler. We panelist for joining us from their homes or other remote locations. Candidates. Eet the they are doug collins, a republican from georgias ninth congressional district, a seat he has held since 2013. , a republicanfler appointed to the u. S. Senate in january, 2020, to replace a retiring senator. Slowinski, a real estate developer. Ander, a realist airmen. And Greg Bluestein is a political reporter with the atlanta journalconstitution. And the producer of morning edition. Secondses will have 60 to answer questions and 30 seconds to respond to rebuttals. If candidates feel they should get a rebuttal, they should raise their hand. When candidates are answering questions, i will hold up a piece of paper letting them know they have 10 seconds remaining. Now, lets get started. In the first round, every candidate will be asked one question. Lieberman, part of your platform rests on protecting voter rights. If elected to serve, what measures would you initiate after the special election to ensure everyone is heard and every vote is counted. Lieberman thank you. We have the john lewis Voting Rights act that we ought to pass. He was the icon of voting and democracy. Everything from automatic voter when you get your drivers license or interact with any state agency. Voting is our single greatest power. What we haveto seen in georgia lately, the government needs to empower and encourage that great right we have as citizens. I will be absolutely committed to fighting that fight for all of us. Lisa thank you. Greg, . Leaders from your own party have said you should get out of the race and make way for your rivals. What do you bring to the table that other candidates do not . Thank you for that question. If you look at my record of extremelyvice, i am qualified to represent georgia in the senate. Im an attorney. Of three terms in the Georgia State senate. I sponsored over 100 pieces of legislation. President obama nominated me to be the u. S. Attorney for georgia. , thee the preparation. Ackground, and the knowledge for those reasons, it did not make much sense for me to withdraw from the race, especially when there has not been a single vote cast. Collins, hours after death, youginsburgs tweeted rip to the 30 million babies who died due to her abortion law. You have a right to your opinion. Others call the comment extremely insensitive. Do you regret the timing of the tweet. Do you regret that tweet . Mr. Collins no, i do not, referring toi was was not about ruth bader ginsburg. It was about the laws we have seen coming out of the court. Name amy coneyo barrett to be on the Supreme Court because she has perspective. Have cost us a generation over many times. President said he was going to be good on life with his appointments to the Supreme Court. Prolife. Ays been i will never apologize for depending defending life. Greg reverend warnock, i want to start you off with a question about the economy. National and other democrats have proposed a tax hikes on households making more than 400,000. Do you support that and what other tax policy changes are needed . Rev. Warnock we are in the middle of a once in a century pandemic. What i support is that we ought to give middle class and your families a break right about now. Us to start thinking about things we can do to give people a living wage, to raise their wages. Now, we have 500,000 people in the medicaid gap. These are mostly the working poor. The fact that they cannot get health care in this state is a burden on their families and a drag on the economy. I think georgia deserves a senator who stands up for ordinary people to get them the support they need at a time like this. So, i am concerned about that and i want to relieve the people of georgia and give them a chance at a better life. You supportically, a tax increase on households making more than 400,000 a year . Rev. Warnock i would support any kind of relief for ordinary families. Abovek those making 400,000 a year can afford to some more to pay taxes. I am certainly opposed to the 2 trillion tax cut that republicans gave to the richest of the rich in 2017. Your time has expired. Thank you. Lisa senator leffler, you continue to support a president who continues to downplay the seriousness of the coronavirus. How do you support or justify you inpport, and would any way be a voice in washington for those who have suffered from a devastating loss of a loved one . Sen. Loeffler thank you for the question. Thank you for convening this important debate. It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as your u. S. Senator. I am a political outsider fighting for the American Dream, and that is why im so proud to stand with President Trump and help get the economy back on its feet. My let me be very clear, heart goes out to all americans, all georgians whose lives have been lost and cut short due to this tragic virus. I want to hold china accountable and help georgians get back on their feet. And careerical left politicians have kicked the can. Democrats blocked funding for schools to reopen, for Small Businesses to get ppe funds, and for vaccinations to be delivered. Thank you very much. Greg, you get the final question this round. Mr. Slowinski, how did you end up a Third Party Candidate . First of all, i started in politics in 1980. I was with the Democratic Party from 198019 94. A polish grew up catholic jfk democrat in a union household. I went through the democratic they were notthat supporting anyone who was not a yesman. In 1994, we left the convention because we were discriminated against for being prolife democrats. In 1994, i voted a straight republican ticket after that fiasco. Thanore of a republican republicans right now because i served at the Grassroots Level as a county chair, at the district level, at the state level. I was also chairman of the tea party. That concludes the first portion of the debate. The candidates will now ask a question to the opponent of their choice. Rev. Warnock my question is for senator Kelly LoefflerKelly Loeffler. ,ince the start of the pandemic georgia hospitals have closed. For three years, republicans have promised a replacement for the Affordable Care act. Where is that plan . The Supreme Court attempting to repeal the Affordable Care act . Thank you. Er this is a vitally important question. First of all, to many of our rural hospitals have closed. One of my first acts in the senate was to provide funding, one of my first bills i passed as a freshman senator was rural health funding. Another bill i passed was to help rural communities. I grew up on a farm. Up in a town with 600 people in it. I understand what it means when a tire explodes or when a Family Member has a heart attack. Has failed georgia. Over 100,000 georgians lift the exchange in the past couple of years. Premiums left the exchange in the past couple of years. Premiums have doubled. Legislation to not put the burden on taxpayers. And providet Additional Support for hardworking families. Rev. Warnock i dont think she answered the question about where the plan is that republicans have promised for the last three years. I look forward to hearing her proposal of how to replace the Affordable Care act. Sen. Loeffler i would be happy to followup if you would like. 20 seconds. Sen. Loeffler fantastic. Look, the best way to get americans good, Quality Health care is to provide jobs. We need to continue to create a jobs led recovery. That 50 million americans have Great Health Insurance through their employers, so i am working sidebyside with President Trump to make sure we provide those jobs that provide great benefits for hardworking families. Ver, a 62nd response if you would like. Mr. Tarver we all support finding jobs. That during the covid19 pandemic, Everyone Needs access to health care, and one person one way to get that is through the Affordable Care act. Sen. Loeffler my question is for rough ale warnock. Rafael warnock. You have called Police Officers thugs and gangsters and characterized them as a threat to our children. Will you apologize to georgia families for these dangerous and hurtful attacks . I have deep respect for Police Officers and Law Enforcement. I believe the senator knows this. Certainly, members of Law Enforcement knows this. I support Law Enforcement. They have come to my church many work together. I appreciate the work that Law Enforcement members do. At the same time, hold them accountable. We see abuse in all kinds of professions. We have seen officers abuse their authority, focused on. Heir own financial wealth i will continue to fight for safe communities and to ensure that we all have equal protection under the law. Myt is has always been goal, equal protection under the law. Sen. Loeffler i find it tragic that you will not apologize for these comments attacking our brave men and women in blue. They are on the blue line keeping our families safe. I think its vitally important that everyone understand the sacrifices they make every day to put on the badge and wear the uniform. That is why i have introduced legislation that the funds at cities that defund the police. These brave men and women know that i will always have their back and i will stand up to anyone who tries to diminish their role. Rev. Warnock i would like to rebut that comment. I dont think we should defund the police and i have never said that. I do think it is lamentable that the senator is using her power to politicize an issue. People are literally dying on the streets. What we could use is someone putting forward the kind of reform we need in our criminal justice system. Whened a review process many have died at the hands of police. We can do that and at the same time appreciate the brave work our Police Officers do. Sen. Loeffler i would like to respond. Well, we have to move on. We can get to some of that later. It isile, rafael warnock, your turn to ask a question of your opponent. Loefflerock senator was endorsed by Marjorie Taylor greene, an outspoken supporter uanon movement, a movement that pushes conspiracy theories and traffics in hate. , mr. Collins, will you speak out clearly and their hateful rhetoric . Rep. Collins thank you for the question. I do not agree with them and i do not support them. I never heard the democrats when they wanted to put a bill on the floor for political purposes a week ago, they wanted to talk non and conspiracy theories on the internet, which is fine, but they did not condemn and defend the people antifa and the people setting our cities on fire. Rev. Warnock first of all, i want to thank you, congressman, for condemning qanon, which is more than i can say for the senator, who has embraced the support of Marjorie Taylor greene. I condemn violence no matter whoe it shows up or endorses it. Tragic seen some flashpoints, george floyd and others. We have seen a multiracial, multigenerational generational coalition pouring into the streets saying we are better than this. And i am proud to stand with those who are nonviolent in standing up to violence. Sen. Loeffler i denounce hate groups on the left and right. I dont know anything about qanon, but i know we need people in washington who will stand up to the radical left who are pushing a socialist agenda. They are trying to pack the courts. I am always going to stand up for someone who is fighting for american ideals. We are going to move on. Kelly, can you name something that President Trump has passed or done that you disagree with . Sen. Loeffler no, because i am proud to be the only senator with a 100 percent voting record with President Trump. I have been named the most conservative senator in the u. S. Senate and im endorsed by national right to life. That is because i will always stand up for conservative values. That is what the president is doing. He created an economy that created record of employment for africanamericans, asian americans, hispanic americans. He created Energy Independence to support our farmers and the men and women of our military. President t what the has done during a pandemic when he is trying to fight the swamp, the radical left, china, and the news. I think its important we understand that we are blessed in this country to have a president who is fighting every single day for every american to have the opportunity to live the American Dream. Hang on just a minute. Response. Quick sure come a lot. Sure. Donald trump is an interesting guy. I can see how people might vote for him, but its hard for me to see how people could find no fault with anything he has said or done. It speaks to the extent to which the Establishment Republicans and establishment democratic race ares in this enthroned. What good is it to have a senator whos just going to agree with donald trump, mitch mcconnell, Chuck Schumer . We need someone who will fight for us. Sen. Loeffler i would like to respond. Mr. Collins, do you feel you were attacked . Rep. Collins i do. Number one, we started an investigation into big tech talking about antitrust. Voted for the bill President Trump said he would veto. She just voted against a resolution he said he would sign. Maybe your math is wrong. Trumpoeffler president supported the Senate Version of the ndaa and he did not put a remark out on the cr. Just like the president , i am a political outsider and a conservative. And back. This is amazing, for a six month senator who took 14 million in lobbyists to make sure bills came out their way. Lets get off the talking points and be honest. If i could. It was my question originally, if i could. They respond to each other by saying no, i am 100 aligned with trump, not you. Look at my contract with georgia and my facebook page. I feel it represents georgia well. I would like to weigh in on this point, if you dont mind. Lieberman, to mr. This is the whole point of me being here. I am not a republican or democrat. I am third party. I have been endorsed by the Libertarian Party as well as the constitution party. As well as georgia right to life. I am the one, if you want to send somebody to washington, d. C. , vote for me. My question will be to senator Kelly Loeffler. Youays talk about dont talk about the real problem, the communist chinese party. Putting a target on their back. Are you going to apologize to my children or are you just going to be a typical politician and just answer neither here nor there. Sen. Loeffler thank you for your question. I have deep respect for your adoption of children. I believe strongly in adoption and foster care, so thank you for that. , we have to hold the Chinese Communist party accountable. I want to bring innovation back to north america. But let me be clear. I will not be a shill for china. China brought this virus to the country. They made the who complicit and it spread around the world. They have stolen our intellectual property. They have spied on us. And just like President Trump said, we will hold them accountable. We have to find ways to address chinas growth in this world. ,e have to put America First and it has to be americanmade. Typical politician, she did not answer the question or apologize to my children. I have eight adopted children all over the world and this kind of hate is wrong. The chinesecall out communist party. Dont say it is chinas fault. It is the Chinese Communist we do have to hold china accountable. Without disrespecting anyone, we do have to hold everyone with regard. There is no place for discrimination or hate in this country. I will always stand up for america. Then apologize. Doug collins, you get the final question in this round. Rep. Collins kelly, you talk tough about china but you refused to deal with corporations owned by the Chinese Communist party. You still have a portrait of general mao hanging in yourself in your sailboat . It seems a little hypocritical after that last exchange. Sen. Loeffler i am glad you asked that question, congressman. I think georgians are tired of lies. They are tired of the campaign that has been filled with lies directed at me. Let me tell you the truth. I am at true i am the true conservative in this race. People say i am only here because of my husband. But you know what . You have attacked my hair, my makeup, how i talk, my clothing, where i am from. Youve lied about me. You have lied about my family. And let me tell you, here is the truth. I am here because i have earned everything i got. I am a true conservative. I dont have a record i have to lie about and coverup. Toncourage everyone understand he has one of the most liberal republicans in the that is whyand Governor Kemp appointed me. Im fighting fo