Orange County congressional candidates Katie Porter and Scott Baugh on inflation, abortion, immigration

Rep. Katie Porter and former state Assemblyman Scott Baugh.

Los Angeles Times

Published Oct. 20, 2022 Updated Nov. 4, 2022 9:35 AM PT

Democratic Rep. Katie Porter and Republican former Assemblyman Scott Baugh are vying to represent the 47th Congressional District, a coastal swath of Orange County that extends from Laguna Beach to Seal Beach and inland to Costa Mesa and Irvine.

The race is one of 11 key California contests in the Nov. 8 midterm election that could determine the balance of power in the House of Representatives.

Porter was part of the blue wave in the region’s congressional contests in the 2018 midterms. Baugh is a veteran of Orange County’s Republican establishment. Both oppose oil drilling off the California coast and support expanding state and local tax deductions on federal returns. However, they differ on key issues such as abortion access, gun laws and how to tackle inflation.

Porter’s answers are drawn from a questionnaire sent to candidates in competitive California congressional races, as well as her voting record. Her responses have been lightly edited for length. Baugh did not respond, so information about his views was collected from his campaign website, voting record and news coverage of the race.

Experience and priorities

UPDATED Oct. 20, 2022 | 12:29 PM

Why should voters choose you?

Porter
“In Congress, I have a track record of working hard to stand up for families. I’ve gained national attention for my efforts in congressional hearings to call out corporate abuse and do rigorous oversight of government officials. My legislation this year has aimed to bring down costs for families.”

Baugh
Baugh’s campaign website says he’s “running to be a voice for limited, constitutional government. He believes in lower taxes, more freedom and strong borders.”

What about your experiences makes you most qualified?

Porter
“Before I came to Congress, I was a consumer protection attorney and law professor who held the nation’s big banks accountable during the foreclosure crisis. Now, I consistently show families that I put them first, ahead of Washington special interests. I reject donations from corporate PACs, lobbyists, and executives with the big banks, Big Oil, and Big Pharma — one of only a handful of Congress members to do so. I have delivered results for Californians in times of crucial need, including getting the CDC Director to make COVID testing free in March 2020.”

Baugh
Baugh’s campaign website lists his roles in various political and community organizations, including as a former assemblyman, former chairman of the Orange County Republican Party and chairman of the Orange County Gang Reduction Intervention Partnership and his involvement in foundations focusing on environmental research and suicide prevention for veterans.

What would be your top legislative priorities?

Porter
“Congress has consistently low approval ratings from Americans, no matter which party is in control, and this is bad for our democracy. I have and would continue to prioritize legislation that restores faith in government: banning Congress members from trading stocks, strengthening judicial ethics, increasing transparency over spending of taxpayer funds, and reducing the influence of dark money in politics. When government officials are more accountable to the people, they are more willing to stand up to corporate abuse to bring down costs for families.”

Baugh
Baugh’s campaign website lists supporting charter schools, reducing crime, lowering taxes and reducing government regulation on businesses, ramping up border security and diminishing government spending as among his priorities.

“We’ve had a lot of irresponsible spending, and so one of the issues that I want to address is balancing our budget and living within our means. Somehow we’ve forgotten that it does matter, and eventually it will come back to haunt you if you don’t live within your means,” he said during a candidates forum in Newport Beach in October.

On what committees would you seek to serve in the 2023-24 Congress?

Porter
“I currently serve on the Oversight and Reform Committee, where I work to guard against waste, fraud and abuse of taxpayer dollars. I am also a member of the Natural Resources Committee, where I work on preserving our public lands and protecting our coasts from offshore oil drilling. I hope to continue serving on these committees.”

Baugh
Baugh did not answer, but of the paragraphs on his website’s “positions” section, education, crime and spending top the list.

Policy

UPDATED Oct. 20, 2022 | 11:43 AM

On access to abortion:

Porter
“All Americans should be able to decide for themselves when and if they’d like to become parents. The freedom to seek abortion care is essential to the financial well-being of our nation’s families and our workforce. Politicians should not come between patients and their doctors when it comes to these healthcare decisions, and I have voted for legislation that would create a statutory right to abortion.”

Baugh
Baugh told the Orange County Register in an interview that he believes “life begins at conception.”

“Others may disagree as to precisely when life begins, but there should be no disagreement as to whether it is OK to abort children who have reached the point of viability. We need to promote a culture of life in America — not a culture of termination,” he told the newspaper.

Should former President Trump face charges for his role in attempting to overturn the 2020 election?

Porter
“The January 6th Select Committee has outlined evidence that former President Trump knew that there was no evidence of election fraud and that the crowd that amassed to storm the Capitol was armed with dangerous weapons. It is appropriate that the Department of Justice open a criminal investigation to further examine these allegations and the substantial evidence that the bipartisan January 6th Committee has identified.”

Baugh
Baugh told NBC News in an interview that the House Jan. 6 committee hearings have been “a bit of a sham show.” He told the outlet that he believes Biden was legitimately elected president.

“He won the Electoral College, and the election was certified. That makes him the president of the United States. Does that mean it was a perfect election? No,” he told the outlet.

What is the federal government’s role in trying to stop mass shootings?

Porter
“The federal government has a duty to keep Americans safe. No one should fear going to the grocery store, to school, or to houses of worship. I have supported legislation to ban assault weapons, strengthen background checks, and allow our justice system to hold gun manufacturers accountable. Gun violence solutions should be research-based and effective at reducing gun deaths by suicide, accidental gun deaths, family-based violence, and mass shootings.”

Baugh
“You’re not going to solve the gun violence issue in this country by taking away constitutional rights of law-abiding Americans,” Baugh told NBC News.

What is your opinion about efforts to overhaul police funding?

Porter
“I know from firsthand experience the difference it makes when a law enforcement officer responding to a call has effective training. I was a strong advocate for passage of the Violence Against Women Act, which provides funding and training to local law enforcement. My bipartisan Mental Health Justice Act supports local police by sending trained medical professionals to help people in mental health crises. This approach delivers urgent healthcare to people in need and allows police to focus on tackling the crime they were trained to take on.”

Baugh
Baugh does not support overhauling police funding and opposes Proposition 47, a 2014 voter-approved law that reduced some theft and drug felonies to misdemeanors, he said during a candidate forum in October.

“Guess what happens when you don’t enforce the law? People start breaking the law and they break it more and more. We need to tighten that down. We need to enforce our laws,” he said during the forum. “We need to keep our communities safe. We need to keep our police fully funded.”

Would you try to modify the Affordable Care Act, and how would you tackle prescription drug costs?

Porter
“Medicare should be able to negotiate drug prices. This will bring down costs for patients and save taxpayers billions of dollars, which could be used to expand Medicare to cover dental, hearing, and vision or for other healthcare priorities. I have also introduced legislation that would prevent drug manufacturers from profiting off unreasonable price hikes. Ultimately, I think the Affordable Care Act should be replaced by a healthcare approach similar to Medicare, with its huge provider network that expands patient choice, its lower costs for coverage of more health needs, and most importantly, its improved health outcomes.”

Baugh
In 2017, Baugh wrote in an opinion piece in the Orange County Register that he supported the American Health Care Act, which sought to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.

“The government’s priority should be how best to offer the most choice to patients in every state in our nation, reducing costs and protecting those with pre-existing conditions. Washington politicians, however, have for too long told us that mandating coverage, no matter the cost, is in the best interest of those we care for. They’re wrong,” he wrote.

On immigration:

Porter
Porter said her perspective has been shaped by trips to the border while in office and that she has supported added funding for immigration judges so the process can move fairly and more efficiently.

“I have twice supported legislation that provides a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who were brought to this country as children, who have no criminal history, and who are in school or serving in the military.... While many Orange County families feel that migrants should ‘wait in line,’ the problem is that there is no line for them to get into because of failed policies. The federal government must create a lawful and orderly immigration system that respects Congress’ designated immigration priorities for workers, family members, and refugees, rather than forcing local communities to shoulder the burden of that work.”

Baugh
Baugh writes on his campaign website that he “opposes California’s crazy sanctuary city laws that defy the U.S. Constitution and tie the hands of law enforcement” and is against allowing those who have “intentionally” violated immigration laws to obtain citizenship.

“I believe in a very tall fence, a very secure border and a very wide gate. If we need people coming and going let’s facilitate that, but by God, let’s be sure we know who’s coming and going,” he said during a candidates forum in Newport Beach in October.

What is the federal government’s role in dealing with the homeless crisis?

Porter
“I have supported policies at the federal level to invest in affordable homeownership. Three-quarters of people experiencing homelessness in Orange County lived and worked here for years before experiencing homelessness. Bringing down the cost of housing is key to preventing homelessness. In the shorter term, a permanent supportive housing approach will help our communities save money by reducing what we have to spend on medical care and law enforcement.”

Porter added that the government should provide funding to programs to prevent homelessness similar to an existing program in Orange County that helps children as they exit the foster care system.

Baugh
Baugh writes on his campaign website that he “insists on respect of private property” and “opposes opening homeless camps in local neighborhoods.”

“Scott believes public safety must remain the number one consideration when addressing the problem. He supports increasing care and early intervention for the mentally ill. Certainly the homelessness is not going be solved from Washington, D.C. We need real community-based solutions to this tragic problem,” his campaign website says.

On the 2017 SALT deduction cap that disproportionately affects residents in high-cost states like California:

Porter
“President Trump’s tax law raised taxes on California families by limiting how much state and local taxes we could deduct. My Supporting Americans with Lower Taxes (SALT) Act levels the playing field across states in terms of federal taxation by restoring the ability to deduct most state and local taxes. By creating a stable approach in future years to state and local taxes, the SALT Act would actually raise revenue over the next decade. I am a proud Vice Chair of the bipartisan SALT Caucus, which brings Democrats and Republicans together to address this issue.”

Baugh
Baugh told NBC News in an interview that he supports bolstering the amount of state and local taxes that can be deducted on federal returns, according to the outlet.

Where do Rep. Katie Porter and Scott Baugh stand on abortion, inflation, immigration?

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