Last night, Rep. Scott Perry (R-York) and Democratic challenger, George Scott participated in their second debate, televised on WGAL. The hour long debate, which the York Dispatch described as more tame than their first, detailed the candidates differences on a wide variety of topics including, immigration, healthcare, the minimum wage, and more. The candidates for Pennsylvania’s newly drawn 10th district were hosted and televised locally by WGAL, while C-SPAN carried the debate to a national audience.  

Healthcare has been the main focus in races throughout Pennsylvania and the nation and the candidates mostly disagreed on the path forward for it.

Perry detailed his dissatisfaction with the Affordable Care Act, saying he believes it is “failing” the country.

“We all knew we wanted to repeal Obamacare,” Perry said, according to the York Dispatch. “It’s so bad, even Democrats are running away from it.”

Scott explained that the Affordable Care Act had its flaws, but Congress should work to improve it, not repeal the bill. The Democrat touted the bills coverage for pre-existing conditions and tried to pin his opponent of trying to get rid of that, but Perry stated that those with pre-existing conditions should be covered as well.

The candidates certainly did not see eye to eye on whether the current minimum wage should be raised or remain the same.

Scott believes that gradually raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2024, after which it would be indexed to inflation, would help stimulate the larger economy and the “working poor.”

“We have an economy that’s expanding, and that’s great. But the economy is not expanding in a way that is lifting up everyone,” Scott said according to PennLive. “And for many people, they don’t have that boat for a rising tide to lift… They’re just stuck trying to tread water as the tide rises.”

Perry believes raising the federal minimum wage would be detrimental to the economy and compared New York City to the city of York in making his plea for keeping it at $7.25 per hour.

With more jobs, “as long as you’re willing to work hard and show up with a good attitude, I suspect you can get another job at a higher wage,” Perry said according to PennLive. “So I don’t think it’s the government’s place to homogenize that wage and determine that New York City is the same wage as York city.”

One of President Trump’s biggest promises while campaigning for the White House was the need for a wall on the southern border of Mexico to combat illegal immigration. Trump won the newly drawn district by 10 points.

Scott believes that there are better options for border security as opposed to building a wall, while Perry sees this as a necessary step.

“Static structures like a wall are not the most effective way,” Scott said according to the York Daily Record. “We have all kinds of different technological means which can and should be deployed along the border.”

Scott also states the estimated cost of the wall from $25 billion to $75 plays a factor in his opposition.

Perry acknowledged that the border wall would be a “fiscal challenge”, but is confident that Mexico would help financially in building the wall, according to the York Dispatch.

For further in-depth coverage, here are the links to the debate recap from various news outlets.

PennLive: Different visions: U.S. Rep. Scott Perry, challenger George Scott take big stage

York Dispatch: Rep. Scott Perry, George Scott bring civility to second 10th District debate

York Daily Record: Congress candidates Scott Perry, George Scott face off on immigration, other issues