Congressional rematch heats up in North Valley as Duarte, Gray debate

MODESTO, Calif. (KFSN) -- With conscionable 9 days until polls close, voters volition determine connected a razor-thin contention -- a rematch -- for Congress successful the North Valley.

Republican incumbent John Duarte and Democrat Adam Gray are facing disconnected for the 2nd time. The 2 clashed successful a caller Modesto debate.

"I americium the lowest-ranked Republican successful Congress," Duarte said. "I bash basal against the extremes of some parties."

"The grounds is what matters, not the rhetoric," Gray said.

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Gray is trying to represent Duarte arsenic a staunch blimpish who voted to portion women of reproductive rights. But Duarte says helium is simply a mean who wants women to person choices and freedoms.

"Democrats accidental that you voted against protecting those choices successful the Born Alive Protection Act. So, what is your position?" Action News asked Duarte.

"It's calved alive. There's thing much I tin accidental astir it. I'm pro-choice," helium told Action News aft the debate.

Central Valley issues similar h2o and agriculture are besides becoming captious to some parties arsenic Republicans effort to support power of the House and Democrats effort to instrumentality it back.

Gray is moving connected his ten-year grounds successful Sacramento. He wants greater national concern successful h2o infrastructure and vigor to trim costs.

"We've got to beryllium superior astir uncovering our modulation to a cleanable vigor world," Gray said. "It's an contented that's excessively captious to agriculture to our communities (and) to our children and grandchildren."

Duarte says costs could travel down by cutting taxes.

"We've raised state taxes excessively much," Duarte said. "We're not gathering the freeway lanes (that) radical merit to find a amended job. We're chasing companies retired of California."

The North Valley contention could play an outsized relation successful the halls of Congress.

Democrats indispensable prime up 4 seats to summation power of the House. The 13th District could beryllium 1 of them. Democrat Gray mislaid by lone 564 votes 2 years ago.

"I don't request to archer radical however important this Congressional spot is to the full country," Gray said.

Recent models and polls amusement the contention is simply a dormant vigor adjacent 2 years later. It could each travel down to who turns retired to ballot successful the district.

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