By admin 
In their second meeting in as many days, Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, and challenger Eric Jones went back and forth on a range of issues including Social Security, supporting farmers, campaign contributions and foreign wars.
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The candidate forum, held on Thursday night in Woodland and moderated by League of Women Voters of Yolo County, was a more confrontational showdown than their debate just one day earlier. The two Democrats are facing off for Northern California’s 4th Congressional District, a primarily blue seat that has been won by Thompson mostly with ease since 1998.
Thompson lodged criticisms for Jones’ Silicon Valley donors, shifting policy positions and associations with healthcare companies that were fined for denying care. Jones, a former venture capitalist and fellow Democrat, targeted the incumbent for accepting major corporate donations, following the establishment party line and tied Thompson’s congressional record to under‑investment in the district.
Aside from their attacks on each other, here are some of the main agreements and points of contention in the debate.
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Removing money in politics
The two candidates agreed that there is too much money in politics.
Jones, who has committed to not accepting corporate donations, highlighted legislation to prohibit corporate spending in Hawaii and Montana as examples that can be passed on the federal level.
“We need to get money out of politics so that we can move towards a world of 12-week elections,” Jones, 35, said. “We can all go about our days in sanity, not the insanity.”
Thompson said the focus should be on campaign finance reform that ends “dark money” for all, including wealthy self-funders. Jones has out-raised his opponent thus far using much of his own money.
Thompson cited his efforts to reverse the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United v. FEC decision, which prohibited the government from restricting independent political expenditures by corporations.
“We can’t have a situation where rich people can air drop into a district and try and buy a congressional seat, a Senate seat or an Assembly seat,” Thompson, 75, said.
Agriculture and housing
Both framed the district as a major agricultural region needing strong support. The newly drawn 4th District has swept some more conservative and agricultural dominant areas into its boundaries under Proposition 50.
Thompson pointed to his recently introduced legislation with California Republican Rep. James Gallagher to provide tax credits to farmland owners who sell their land to young farmers or to family members.
Jones proposed permanently subsidizing farming in California and offering “sustainable regenerative agriculture grants.” The grants would provide $100,000 to family farmers who turn their farm in two years from a CO2-emitting operation into a CO2-capturing operation.
On affordable housing, Thompson cited his American Affordability Act, a broad tax relief bill he introduced in December, and The 21st Century Road to Housing Act, which was signed into law in April and seeks to speed up housing construction across the nation.
“When my bill passes, it’s going to supercharge that bill (21st Century Road to Housing), and you’re going to see a real blooming of house-building across the state,” Thompson said.
Jones said his plan to address the shortage in housing would be a $1 trillion “national housing construction bank” for small- and medium-sized developers to build affordable housing. He also supported 0% down mortgages for first-time homebuyers.
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“It’d be huge in reigniting the American dream, getting young families into homes, and making sure that people who grew up in this community can afford to stay and live in this community,” Jones said.
Ending endless wars
The two men also emphasized their opposition to “endless wars,” particularly the current conflict in Gaza.
Thompson, who voted against the war in Iraq during the early 2000s, said he supports legislation to prevent any offensive weapons from going to Israel and called the “regime” of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “terrible.”
“We need to move beyond and work for and achieve a two-state solution between those two areas,” Thompson said.
Jones blamed decades of Middle East wars for the nation’s growing financial debt. He proposed a freeze on military spending until the Pentagon can show that “they can fight a modern war.”
“I’m still trying to figure out the difference between an offensive bomb and a defensive bomb,” Jones said. “They both kill kids.”
Allegations of privatizing Social Security
Perhaps the debate’s sharpest disagreement came during a question about how to ensure the long-term solvency of the nation’s Social Security program, which is projected to face significant shortfalls in the coming years. Both candidates portrayed their opponent as a threat to the program’s future.
Jones said the program should be permanently funded by increasing taxes on the ultra-wealthy and corporations.
“We’re going to make everyone in America pay their fair share, so that we can fund Social Security forever,” Jones said.
Thompson disagreed, arguing that Social Security is “funded by itself” and that removing the cap on taxable earnings would bring in more revenue.
“Social Security has never missed a check and it never will miss a check,” Thompson said.
Thompson then warned that San Francisco venture capitalists like Jones want to sunset federal programs and privatize Social Security.
Jones denied supporting such a move, calling Thompson’s remarks “fear-mongering.” He then turned the accusation back on Thompson, saying the congressman had previously been quoted as expressing a desire to privatize Social Security. Thompson denied that allegation as well.
Thursday evening’s debate was the last scheduled matchup between the two Democrats before Election Day.
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