LYNCHBURG, Va. (WFXR) – WFXR News caught up with the candidates in the 5th District race for the U.S. House of Representatives.
Republican State Senator John McGuire is running for the House seat after beating incumbent Rep. Bob Good in the primary. McGuire grew up in Central Virginia, first in the foster care system and then with his grandparents. He served as a Navy SEAL and then founded his own business.
Democratic candidate Gloria Witt comfortably defeated her opponents in a three-way primary. Witt grew up on a farm in Amherst before working in global energy for three decades. She now runs a leadership coaching business and is president of the Amherst NAACP.
According to FEC data, McGuire has largely out-fundraised Witt, reeling in almost $1,700,000 since October 2023, while she pulled in just under $336,000. However, in this last quarter, the FEC reported that Witt took some ground back, out-earning McGuire with $218,000 in donations, compared to his $198,577.
ECONOMY
Consumers are seeing rising costs. What will you do in Congress to address them?
“Start drilling again, start fracking again,” said State Sen. McGuire. “Imagine you’re a farmer. You have to spend money on fuel to run your tractors, then you have to load it up in a vehicle to bring it to market, then they take it to market, and every step of the way you have to pass that cost of fuel on to your consumer.”
“I am of the opinion that there is some corporate price gouging that is happening simply because corporate America is making more profitability in this moment than ever before,” said Witt. “I’m in agreement with pressing in on that concept and figuring out what is happening at the corporate level.”
Witt also says she wants the federal government to negotiate to reduce drug prices.
To address housing problems, she plans to follow a policy that addresses hedge funds and developers that purchase housing supply and drive prices up.
McGuire says in addition to encouraging energy production, he would also support legislation that reduces taxes.
ABORTION
Voters on both sides of the aisle care about abortion and reproductive rights, even if their views on them are different. What kind of legislation do you want to see on the topic?
“I look at Roe v. Wade as reproductive health care for women, all-inclusive, not just pieces of it,” said Witt. “Because what’s happening now is, you’ve got women bleeding out in the bathrooms, sitting in cars waiting to get more septic before the doctors would wait on them.”
“In the general assembly I’ve been endorsed by all the pro-life groups,” said McGuire. “I think life is a miracle and it must be protected, and I’ll support legislation as I have in the past that will protect as many moms and as many babies as possible.”
IMMIGRATION
Some residents are concerned about how border issues impact Virginia. What are you planning to do in Congress?
“First of all, every county, city, and town has become a border county, city, and town, so build the wall. You’ve got to stop that, number one, and we can do that right away. Remain in Mexico. They stopped that as soon as Biden got into office. We’ve got to reenact that,” he said about the Trump-era Remain in Mexico policy. He adds that more support should be given to law enforcement on the issue.
“Passing the border act which puts people technology and processes at work,” is Witt’s priority at the border. “We know the border is being overrun because we don’t have people and judges and processes in which to process people that are desiring for an opportunity.”
Election day is Tuesday, November 5.