Bacon, Vargas speak of major differences in first 2nd District rematch debate • Nebraska Examiner

As in 2022, Vargas emphasized his support for reproductive rights and Bacon defended his belief that new life deserves protection.

But on Friday, neither gave his opponent an inch to add nuance or explain the subtleties of their positions on abortion access, its restrictions or its exceptions.

Bacon defended his position that he has long supported exceptions to any federal or state abortion ban to protect the mother’s life if she is endangered by a complicated pregnancy.

He said he supports Nebraska’s Protect Women and Children ballot measure because of “reasonable restrictions” and “exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother.”

Current Nebraska law prohibits abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy. The “Protect Women and Children” ballot measure, Initiative Measure 434, would ban abortions after the first trimester, with those exceptions.

Vargas did not give any consent, emphasizing that a proposed constitutional amendment that Bacon had co-sponsored would have banned abortion nationally, and that the language contained no exceptions.

“He co-sponsored a complete abortion ban … three different times, with no exceptions for the life of the mother, for rape or incest. There are no exceptions for IVF,” Vargas said.

Vargas said he supports a ballot measure proposed by Protect Our Rights, Initiative Measure 439, to codify the right to abortion in Nebraska until the fetus is viable, as defined by a treating health care provider.

The current scientific standard for viability is approximately 22-24 weeks of gestation. Bacon and others have argued that language creates opportunities for abortions later in pregnancy.

“He has been asked for years what restrictions he would support,” Bacon said. “Only seven countries in the world… have abortion on demand up to birth. That is where this man stands.”

Vargas said he does not support “abortion on demand” and has said so before. He said his position on the issue stems from concerns that his daughter will have fewer rights than his wife.

Immigration remains a hot topic

As in the last race, Bacon said Vargas and every Democrat who supports the Biden administration’s approach to immigration and border security have lost voters’ confidence on the issue.

Bacon said Democrats have not been serious about the importance of deterring illegal immigration and called former President Donald Trump’s “Remain in Mexico” approach effective.

That policy required applicants for U.S. asylum to wait weeks, months, or sometimes years in Mexico until a U.S. immigration court could hear their case.

“We need a ‘stay in Mexico’ policy that is vetted for human rights … but we simply cannot let the president do this arbitrarily without the consent of the House of Representatives.”

Vargas criticized Bacon and other Republicans for killing a bipartisan border security bill from U.S. Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma after Trump urged it.

Many Republicans and Democrats have said Lankford’s bill was the closest Congress has come to making changes in a generation. It included increased funding for border enforcement and immigration courts.

Vargas called this “the most ineffective Congress … in all our generations” and said Nebraskans deserve members of Congress who will “solve problems” and not listen to Trump.

Although Bacon has endorsed Trump three times, he said he spoke out when Trump deserved it, leading to criticism from Trump and a primary challenge.

Gun Restrictions vs. Criminal Justice Reforms

On guns, Vargas said Bacon and House Republicans seem more interested in protecting gun owners and the National Rifle Association than in protecting people and police in their communities.

Vargas said he supports “common sense gun safety legislation,” including expanded background checks, red flag laws and efforts to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people.

“The majority of Nebraskans and Americans would also support common-sense gun safety legislation,” Vargas said. “It is members of Congress … who are voting against bipartisan solutions.”

Bacon said he supports the Second Amendment and wants to keep violent criminals behind bars longer. He criticized Vargas’ support in the Legislature for criminal justice reform.

Bacon said law enforcement officials tell him that Vargas’ support for a state law that makes it harder to keep violent juvenile offenders behind bars has made the Omaha area less safe.

He said the change in the law has forced police to arrest the same youths multiple times and has led to more crime.

“The best way to do gun control is to keep violent people behind bars,” Bacon said. “Don’t let them out early…. The best we can do is make sure people serve their time.”

Vargas and other supporters of Bill 50 have argued that the change was needed to give children involved in gangs and crime a better chance at rehabilitation.

Vargas highlighted his support for $37 million in law enforcement funding from the Legislature as evidence that he is interested in public safety and a balanced approach.

Bacon pointed to Tony Conner, a former leader of the Omaha Police Officers Association and state chairman of the Fraternal Order of Police, and said police and prosecutors supported him.

Ethical struggles become personal

On the topic of ethics, the two candidates debated the role of outside money in the 2nd District campaign, which typically involves spending millions of dollars on outside advertising.

Both criticized the tendency of outside groups to distort the truth about their data in advertisements. Both also said their campaigns would not stop amplifying their opponent’s voices and decisions.

Bacon highlighted a Washington Examiner article that accused some swing-state House candidates and former candidates, including Vargas, of participating in an interim fellowship program.

He questioned why Vargas accepted the $60,000 grant between races from a dark money group aligned with Democratic donor and attorney Mark Elias.

An outside group has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission about the Elias group and the fellowship, but election lawyers said it was unlikely to succeed. The Washington Examiner story cited an FEC complaint alleging that the grants were intended for candidates who were between races or who needed time to recover and recharge after a recent campaign.

The newspaper reported that the candidates were expects her to examine policy positionsconsider political strategy and consider how they can better connect government policy with people’s needs.

Vargas accused Bacon of following the orders of dark money groups behind the FEC complaint, saying people who want to defeat him are “trying to make something out of nothing.”

He criticized Bacon for a ProPublica report that said his office acted unethically by helping a Trump Media executive get visa assistance after an old friend called.

The group reported that a local Republican had asked Bacon’s office to help North Macedonia’s Vladimir Novachki, who helped build the backbone of what would become Trump’s Truth Social platform.

One employee told ProPublica she felt pressured by her boss to speed up the process for the Trump-related candidate. Bacon said he does that kind of visa work for hundreds of people calling for help, not just political allies.

Financing conversation

Vargas said Bacon’s corporate donors and special interest groups have outsized influence over how he governs, and said Americans need to “get money out of politics.”

Vargas said he would like to see people organize to overturn the Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United, which essentially made campaign spending a free speech right.

Bacon said he understands people’s problem with the increased amounts of campaign spending since Citizens United, but said he respects people’s right to have their voices heard.

Bacon has raised more than $4.3 million and had $2.2 million in campaign cash on hand, federal campaign finance filings show.

Vargas has raised $3.5 million and had $2.5 million in cash on hand.

Additionally, outside groups have spent nearly $8 million on the race, according to OpenSecrets.org, which oversees Congress’s race financing.

National interest in the swing district race is high because it is one of about a dozen politically divided districts.

As Bacon noted during the debate, another reason is the national interest in the presidential campaign between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.

But, he said, Republican candidates face an uphill battle against tens of millions of dollars in spending on advertising in the 2nd District and on campaigning by Democrats to help Harris, and very little — hundreds of thousands of dollars — spent in the district by the Republicans are spent to help Trump.

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