The debate in the 4th Congress focused on the family — and how the candidates view it

If there was a commonality between the candidates in Utah’s 4th Congressional District during their time in office Debate on October 24thIt was that everyone made Utah families the focus of their campaigns. However, what it looked like for each of them was slightly different.

For the Republican incumbent Burgess OwensUtah is a “unique place” with values, and “it’s not that easy to hold on to them.”

“We raise our children to learn how to serve, how to get out of their comfort zone, how to be entrepreneurial and take risks, and then the key is also to pass on a legacy that is very, very unique.”

The whole reason Democrat Katrina Fallick Wang The choice to run was to represent the district’s hard-working families as one of them – a working mother and mother of four.

“I know firsthand how difficult it is to balance family and business, healthcare and mortgage, and I want to be the candidate who puts Utah families first.”

During the hour-long and largely civil debate, organized by the Utah Debate Commission and held at the PBS Utah Studios at the University of Utah, the candidates presented their positions on social media, abortion and LGBTQ+ rights – which were well received Fallick Wang.

LGBTQ+ rights

Utah lawmakers have passed a number of restrictive laws Transgender participation in sportsMinor Access to gender-equitable care And Access to bathroom in recent years.

At the national level, several conservative-led states have done so passed similar laws. And have transgender rights become an attack The Trump campaign has spoken out against Vice President Kamala Harris.

Fallick-Wang, who is a member of the LGBTQ community and has a transgender son, said this was a central reason for her entering the race. That “even though there are some legislators in the state who behave in a very hateful manner,” she wanted to run to show “that most Utahns love and support her.”

“Utah is a place full of people who care deeply about their children, who care about their neighbors, who love unconditionally, and I want to show that to every child in Utah.”

While he believes the country is accepting of same-sex relationships, Owens said transgender issues are “something completely different.”

“It’s when they move on to this next transgender step, when you suddenly can’t define what a man is and what a woman is, when there are men competing against women, when you talk to our children, to yours little 5- or 6-year-olds about transitioning when you can’t go to school without having this indoctrination of sex that shouldn’t belong in those spaces,” he said.

Beyond education, he also framed the debate in terms of women’s sports. For him it was a question of common sense.

A visibly emotional Falick-Wang said Owens and other Republicans’ stance on the issue “hurts me, and it hurts.” [my son] so deep.”

“I understand the high-level discussions about sport, but with young children it hinders their future.”

Owens appreciated Fallick-Wang’s point but limited the topic to sports and competition between the sexes. He insisted that “one of the things we can teach our young people is what fairness is, it is important.”

abortion

Owens and Fallick-Wang expressed significant differences of opinion on the issue of abortion.

On the question of a national ban or restriction, Fallick-Wang said: “The federal government has no place in my doctor’s office, it has no place in my bedroom, it has no place in my bathroom.”

“I have daughters, I have sisters and whether you like it or not, abortion is life-saving health care,” she continued. “We must keep the safety and health of all women in our country in mind.”

Since the US Supreme Court in 2022 Dobbs decision Although Roe v. Wade was repealed and the issue of abortion access was returned to the states, Republicans have become somewhat more moderate on the issue. Vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance said the American people “just don’t trust“Republicans on abortion right now during his Oct. 1 debate with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.”

For Owens, the Supreme Court went too far in Roe vs. Wade in 1973 and the decision should be in the hands of the state. Him too co-sponsored a bill In 2023, life would have been defined as beginning at the moment of conception.

“We can make sure we try to change minds if we can, but that’s the only way it works, if we, the people, are part of the solution and not some bureaucrat or justice in Washington who dictates everything for all of us,” he said. “Let it pass to the states. Let’s have the opportunity to talk about it. And if you don’t like what the state is offering, guess what? Well, you could always move.”

Fallick-Wang didn’t like this comment and countered by pointing out the number of gynecologists Leaving behind states with restrictive abortion laws.

“I don’t believe that the women of Utah and the families of Utah deserve a lower standard of care, that they deserve less choice in their health care providers just because they happen to live in Utah.”

Owens responded that “women in Utah have different values.”

“They love their babies and think they should support them in any way they can,” he said.

“If you don’t want to do that, maybe Utah isn’t the right place for you and you have to make that decision because at the end of the day we believe in life and we’re willing to fight for life and that’s important to us.” here in Utah.”

Social media

Social media and children have been a hot topic in the Utah Legislature in recent years.

Owens and Fallick-Wang presented dueling philosophies on the federal government’s role in social media. Utah is currently in a protracted crisis Litigation with companies like TikTokabout alleged “fraudulent practices” that harm the state’s youth.

Owens said he is “fully” in favor of the federal government joining this fight.

“Our children are now being attacked by people who don’t like our country, don’t like our values, and as a result of that we’re seeing an increase in suicides, kids who just have no vision or no way to move forward.”

When discussing what federal action might look like, Owens pointed to grants the government could provide to school districts to combat social media use.

Fallick-Wang, on the other hand, insisted that the federal government should not regulate how people communicate, adding that any federal action would likely violate the First Amendment.

“I don’t know how we went from a small government trusting families to know what’s best for themselves and their children to this big government oversight where someone up in Washington who doesn’t know me, mine doesn’t know children, “I now have the power to really control how I raise my children,” she said. “That’s something I think we need to stay very far away from.”

Absentee ballots must be postmarked by November 4th or may be dropped off at a ballot drop box by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, November 5th.