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WATCH FULL: Jon Ossoff, Mike Collins in Georgia US Senate debate — Transcript

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0:01This is debate night live, the race for
0:04Senate, hosted by Gray Media and Atlanta
0:07News First.
0:11Tonight, with just days until the polls
0:13open across Georgia, the first meeting
0:16of the two candidates at the top of the
0:18ballot [music] in Georgia, Democratic
0:20Senator John Oaf and Republican
0:23Congressman Mike Collins. We're
0:25broadcasting live across the state from
0:27Gray Mediaowned assembly studios in
0:30Durville D to Cab County. Good evening.
0:32I'm Rick Fulbound, [music] moderator of
0:34tonight's US Senate debate. The
0:36questions asked during tonight's debate
0:38will come from a panel of gray media
0:40journalists representing [music] every
0:42region across Georgia. Tonight's
0:44broadcast will run 60 minutes with four
0:46segments, each about 15 minutes, in
0:49order to have a [music] thoughtful and
0:50civil debate. These are the rules that
0:52both campaigns have agreed to. Panelists
0:54will ask their questions to one or both
0:56candidates. The candidates will be given
0:5960 seconds to answer with 30 seconds
1:01allowed for rebuttals at my discretion.
1:04We'll begin with a 60-cond opening
1:06statement and we'll end with a 60-cond
1:08closing statement from each candidate.
1:11To read the complete debate rules, go to
1:13atlantenewsfirst.com/debate.
1:16And I will be here to enforce the rules
1:17tonight. We begin with opening
1:19statements from each of the candidates.
1:21We held a coin toss prior to the debate
1:23to decide who would go first.
1:25Congressman Collins won the toss and
1:26elected to have the final word tonight.
1:28Senator Osaf, will you begin your
1:30opening statement? Well, Rick, thank you
1:33so much for bringing us together. Thanks
1:34to Gray Media and Congressman, good to
1:36be here with you.
1:38Democrats, independents, and Republicans
1:41are uniting behind my Senate campaign,
1:43just like we united Georgians to cap the
1:46cost of insulin at $35 to take on big
1:50tech companies and force them to report
1:52online predators who target our kids.
1:56And tonight, a united Georgia will hear
1:59the trial of Mike Collins.
2:02Mike Collins has brought dishonor to our
2:05state through his personal bigotry and
2:08his widely documented ties to white
2:10nationalists. And he's sold out Georgia
2:13in his pathetic childlike devotion to
2:16Donald Trump, voting for the tariffs
2:19that have sent groceries soaring, voting
2:21for the health care cuts that have
2:23doubled your insurance premiums, and
2:25voting for the war that sent diesel to
2:27its record high. We'll hear tonight if
2:29the congressman can defend those votes.
2:31I doubt he'll have the courage to do so.
2:35>> Thank you very much. Congressman
2:36Collins, your opening statement.
2:39>> Good evening. I'm Mike Collins and I'm
2:41asking for your vote because right now
2:44Georgia doesn't have a voice in the
2:45Senate. You see, Georgia is where I
2:47built my business. It's where I raised
2:49my family. It's where I learned the hard
2:51lessons that help me to deliver every
2:53day in Washington. But my opponent is a
2:57radical, and he has left our state less
3:00safe, more expensive, and worse off.
3:03He's an extremist who's voted for men to
3:06go in girls sports. He's opposed the
3:08forgotten men and women who just want to
3:10keep more of their tips, their overtime,
3:13and their social security. In two years,
3:15I worked across the aisles to get two
3:17bills signed by two presidents of
3:19different parties. One to fight these
3:21synthetic drugs that are killing our
3:23kids. the other Lake and Riley Act that
3:25has has removed over 20,000 illegal
3:28criminals from our streets. If you send
3:30me to the Senate, I'll work with whoever
3:32I need to to get results and I won't
3:35sell out our values doing it.
3:38>> Gentlemen, thank you both. Let's move on
3:40now to questions. The first one comes
3:42from Savannah's WTOC anchor Mike Cila.
3:45Mike,
3:45>> Georgia families are stuck paying high
3:48prices for groceries, utilities, and
3:50everyday essentials. People are putting
3:52in the work but still falling behind.
3:54Congressman Collins, if elected to the
3:56Senate, what is your plan to help
3:58families make ends meet? And Senator
4:00Oaf, if Democrats take control of the
4:02Senate, what is your plan to bring
4:04immediate relief to Georgia families?
4:06>> Congressman, you have 60 seconds.
4:08>> Yes. Uh, first of all, let's look back
4:09and see where this came from. My
4:11opponent voted for those Biden nomics
4:14that caused this historic inflation. Not
4:16just on gas and gas is too high and
4:17we're bringing that down, but on
4:19everything that you purchase out there.
4:21He's the one that voted for that Green
4:22New Deal. He doesn't want your gas to go
4:24down. He doesn't even want you having
4:26gasoline automobiles. He wants you
4:27riding on mass transit. But what we need
4:30to do is continue to make sure that we
4:32become energy independent here. We we
4:34continue to make sure that young people
4:36have opportunities. make sure that that
4:38port down there is widened and deepened
4:40in Savannah so that we can bring goods
4:42in as well as export goods out for other
4:45countries.
4:47Senator Senator Oaf, excuse me, you have
4:5060 seconds.
4:52These tariffs are crushing our state and
4:56we'll repeal those tariffs. And I'd like
4:59to hear the congressman explain why he
5:01voted for them over and [clears throat]
5:03over and over again. It costs more today
5:07than at any time in American history to
5:11stock your fridge, to fill up your
5:14truck, to power your home. Diesel is up
5:1770% since Donald Trump was elected
5:21president. Ground beef and coffee are up
5:2430%. These tariffs have crushed families
5:28and small businesses and Georgia
5:30agriculture. The war in Iran has sent
5:33gas prices near their all-time high.
5:35Unled it's $4 in Georgia. Diesel $6 in
5:40Georgia. Coastal Georgia relies on
5:43trade. I'd like to hear the congressman
5:45right now explain to Georgia voters how
5:48these tariffs are helping us.
5:50>> Thank you, gentlemen. I just want to
5:52remind you both of the rules that your
5:53campaigns have agreed to. The candidates
5:55will not ask questions of each other.
5:57Those questions will come from our
5:58journalists here. And the next question
6:00comes from anchor Rosyn Giles with WTVM
6:03in Columbus.
6:05>> Thank you, Rick. Congressman Collins,
6:07you've pointed to the Biden era
6:08Inflation Reduction Act, which Senator
6:10Oaf voted for as the root cause of
6:13inflation, but that law passed four
6:15years ago. Last year, you voted for the
6:17Working Families Tax Cut Act, also known
6:19as the One Big Beautiful Bill. Can you
6:22point to one measurable outcome from
6:24that bill that's helping alleviate cost
6:26of living concerns for Georgians?
6:28Congressman, 60 seconds.
6:30>> Yes, ma'am. You know, I believe in
6:31keeping more money in the private sector
6:33in people's pockets. That one bill
6:36allowed families to keep over $3,000 a
6:39year. Child care credit wasn't gone. It
6:42didn't go away. They kept that 100%
6:45depreciation on equipment on capitalized
6:48equipment. Those things funneled back
6:50into our economy and cause this economy
6:52to grow. that Bidenomics, that Green New
6:55Deal that my opponent voted for, that's
6:58where all this inflation came from.
7:00We've got to continue to to get back to
7:02energy independence. The first thing
7:04that the Biden administration and my
7:05opponent and the Democrats did was kill
7:07the Keystone pipeline. That alone would
7:10have helped keep this energy cost down,
7:12but he didn't. You know, instead, he
7:15wanted to keep the borders wide open so
7:16that we had fentinel coming across this
7:19border. No one has ever asked or held
7:22John Osaf accountable for any of his
7:24votes or the reasons why. Why did he I
7:27had to write a bill to fight these
7:30synthetic drugs because he left that
7:32border open and allowed this stuff to
7:34just funnel into our country killing
7:36these young people.
7:37>> Congressman, thank you. Senator Oaf, you
7:39voted against the big beautiful bill.
7:42What is your plan to bring financial
7:43relief to Georgians?
7:45>> We're going to repeal the tariffs. We're
7:47going to end this disastrous war in
7:50Iran. We're going to repeal those
7:52Medicaid cuts that have defunded
7:54hospitals and nursing homes across
7:56Georgia. If you want to understand
7:58whether the Trump Collins budget has
8:01helped you, just go fill up a tank of
8:04gas. Go to the grocery store. Try to buy
8:06food for your kids.
8:09Look at your electric bill this week.
8:12Look at your health insurance premiums.
8:14They've doubled for more than a million
8:17Georgians. The predictable results of
8:19these disastrous policies. And Rick, I'm
8:22not asking the congressman a question.
8:25I'm making a statement. Georgia voters
8:27deserve to know why he voted over and
8:31over and over again for those tariffs.
8:34Georgia voters deserve an explanation.
8:37How have these tariffs helped us? That's
8:40a question that Congressman Collins
8:42should answer right now if he has the
8:45courage to do so. Let's hear it.
8:47>> Thank you, Senator. Congressman Collins,
8:49Republicans campaign on cutting wasteful
8:51Washington spending, but the
8:53Congressional Budget Office reported
8:55just tonight the federal deficit climbed
8:57to$2 trillion this past fiscal year, up
9:00more than 200 billion from last year. If
9:03tax cuts and deregulation are the
9:05answer, why is the national debt and the
9:08federal deficit continuing to balloon on
9:11your party's watch?
9:13You know, tax cuts are the answer to
9:15keeping more money back in people's
9:17pockets. That in turn, when you keep
9:20money in the private sector, it turns
9:22over another five, six, seven times. And
9:25what that does, what does that do? That
9:26that creates more taxes. it it more
9:29taxpaying people and businesses grow.
9:33But my opponent doesn't get that. My my
9:35opponent's a trust fund kid who's never
9:37had a job in his life. He doesn't
9:39understand that. He doesn't understand
9:41business. That's okay. You know, and
9:44it's we continue to become more
9:46independent as we we continue to make
9:48sure that we have a fair shot for
9:50America. Should be America first. it it
9:54we have bowed down to the rest of this
9:56world and took it from from companies or
9:59countries charging us tariffs over and
10:01over again. We shouldn't be doing that.
10:04We should set it up to where we have the
10:06advantage and you should always have
10:07America first, you know. But I think I
10:10think that people in this this state
10:12need to know some things about my
10:13opponent, why he left that border wide
10:16open.
10:16>> Congressman, I'm going to have to stop
10:17you there. We'll get to that. I want to
10:19give Senator Oaf a chance at a rebuttal.
10:21There were some charges leveled at you.
10:22You have 30 seconds.
10:23>> Well, the ch the question was about the
10:25stewardship of tax dollars. And as we
10:29stand here today, Rick, Congressman Mike
10:31Collins is under federal investigation
10:33for the illegal misuse of tax dollars
10:36for illegally funneling public money to
10:40his violent staffer's girlfriend. And he
10:43refused to testify in that matter. The
10:45Office of Congressional Conduct had to
10:47recommend that he be subpoenaed. We
10:49haven't gotten an answer on the tariffs.
10:51I'd like an answer. why he refused to
10:53testify.
10:53>> Congressman Collins, you have 30 seconds
10:55for a rebuttal there.
10:56>> That ethics complaint is bogus. Anybody
10:59can file one. It is a nothing burger. It
11:01is It is election season and and and my
11:04opponent, the Democrats, they wanted to
11:06ride this thing through the election.
11:08Matter of fact, I look forward to the
11:09day they need to release all of that. Go
11:11ahead and release the ethics committee
11:13needs to release the the information and
11:15clear my name now because that's all
11:17they're doing. He he can't talk on his
11:19record, y'all. You don't hear him talk
11:21about his record. All he wants to do is
11:22slander and try to slam me.
11:25>> Senator Oaf, you criticize Republican
11:27tax cuts for driving up the debt. But
11:29during your first two years in
11:31Washington, you voted for trillions of
11:33dollars in spending as the national debt
11:35climbed past 31 trillion. If debt is a
11:38threat to our economic future, why did
11:40you vote to expand it when your party
11:42controlled the budget?
11:44>> Thank you so much for the question,
11:45Rick. Look, one of the things that we
11:46did was pass the bipartisan
11:48infrastructure law to pull lead pipes
11:51out of drinking water systems across
11:53Georgia, expand broadband internet,
11:55upgrade every seapport and airport in
11:58the state of Georgia, that's the kind of
12:00program that supports our economic
12:02development. But right now with this
12:05distasturous war in the Middle East,
12:08Congressman Collins voted seven times
12:10for the war in Iran. Seven times. With
12:13these tariffs crushing international
12:15trade, driving grocery prices to
12:17all-time highs, these health care cuts
12:20that have doubled health insurance
12:21premiums for more than a million
12:24Georgians. Our economy is being
12:26strangled by Donald Trump and Mike
12:28Collins economic record. We're now
12:31almost 12 minutes into this debate. We
12:33still haven't heard an explanation of
12:35how the tariffs are helping Georgia
12:38families. Georgians deserve to know why
12:41someone who wants to serve them in the
12:43Senate voted over and over for these
12:44tariffs.
12:45>> Thank you, Senator. Up next, anchor Will
12:48Rio from WRDW in Augusta. Will,
12:52>> well, this question is for both
12:53candidates. Georgia has lost 1.2 million
12:56acres of farmland since 1985, and
12:58farmers in East Georgia faced weather
13:00related losses from Hurricane Helen. If
13:02elected, what farm bill priorities would
13:05you fight for to help family farms stay
13:07profitable and keep food prices stable
13:09for consumers?
13:10>> Senator Oaf, you have 60 seconds. You
13:13>> know, just a couple weeks ago,
13:15the Republican chairman of Georgia's
13:18Peanut Commission endorsed my campaign.
13:21I've delivered for Georgia farmers. When
13:23Georgia pecan growers came to me, they
13:25told me that India had put a 100% tariff
13:29on Georgia pecans. I got to work and got
13:31the Indians to cut that tariff by 70%.
13:36But right now, family farms in Georgia
13:39are getting crushed. A third of the
13:42world's fertilizer
13:44flows through the Strait of Hormuz.
13:48Diesel prices are at their all-time high
13:51in American history. Under Mike Collins
13:53and Donald Trump, it costs more than
13:56ever to buy a tractor for your farm or
13:59to plant an acre of cotton. We still
14:03haven't heard an explanation for the
14:05tariffs. I'd like for the congressman
14:07also to explain to the folks across
14:10Georgia how this disastrous war has been
14:12a success.
14:14>> Congressman Collins, you have 60
14:15seconds.
14:16>> Thank you. You know, uh, agriculture is
14:18the number one industry in this state
14:21and, uh, nobody works smarter or harder
14:24than our American farmer and and they
14:26deserve our help because a lot of times
14:29the playing field is not fair. We put
14:31them in bad situations. We sure do. We
14:34don't produce our own stuff here. We
14:36don't produce our own fertilizer here
14:37because they've been chased overseas and
14:40we had to import it. You know, when I
14:42think about our farmers and I look back,
14:44it was just this time last year, last
14:47year that John Osaf shut the government
14:50down for 48 days. He shut it down,
14:53y'all. Right when we were trying to get
14:55that emergency money out for Hurricane
14:57Helen so that our farmers and our small
14:59communities could could repair and
15:01prepare for this year's this year's
15:03harvest. Oh, no. He he he didn't care
15:06about that. He shut it down because he
15:09wanted to defund border patrol and ICE.
15:13And in Georgia, we deserve to know why
15:14he left that border wide open so that
15:17child trafficking could could come
15:18across that border.
15:20>> Thank goodness we didn't shut our border
15:22patrol down in ICE because they have
15:23been out there collecting those young
15:25people, give them back to their
15:26families.
15:27>> Sir, I want to give the senator 30
15:28seconds for a rebuttal.
15:29>> Well, the question was about Georgia
15:31agriculture. And if you go to South
15:32Georgia right now and you talk to any
15:34farmer in our state, they will tell you
15:37that diesel prices are crushing them.
15:39They will tell you that they are bearing
15:41the brunt of global retaliation
15:45for this trade war. These tariffs are
15:48crushing Georgia's economy and they're
15:50crushing Georgia agriculture. It's the
15:53war and the tariffs destroying our farm
15:55economy and Georgians deserve answers
15:58[clears throat] from the congressman.
15:59That concludes our first segment. Debate
16:01Night Live is just getting started. We
16:03will be right back with more questions
16:04and answers from Senator John Oaf and
16:07Congressman Mike Collins.
16:16Welcome back to Debate Night Live.
16:18Democratic incumbent Senator John Oaf
16:20and Republican Congressman Mike Collins
16:22taking center stage in the race for US
16:24Senate. Our next question comes from
16:26Atlanta News First Statewide reporter
16:28Abby Casures. Abby,
16:30>> rural hospitals across Georgia are on
16:32the financial edge. In Hawkinsville,
16:34Taylor Regional asked for a city loan
16:36just to stay afloat, and doctors are
16:38reportedly leaving for Warner Robbins,
16:40more than an hour away. If you're
16:42elected, what is one specific action
16:44you'll take to keep ERS like Taylor
16:46Regionals open statewide?
16:49>> Senator Oaf, you have 60 seconds.
16:51>> We're going to repeal the disastrous
16:53Medicaid cuts that Mike Collins voted to
16:56pass. Look, when you all elected me to
16:58the Senate, I took on the drug companies
17:00to cap the cost of insulin at $35.
17:05Mike Collins and Donald Trump passed the
17:08biggest Medicaid cut in history. A
17:10hospital in Mike Collins own district
17:13had to shut down its labor and delivery
17:15unit, citing those Medicaid cuts.
17:19How can a sitting congressman vote to
17:22shut down a labor and delivery unit in
17:25his own district? Delivering mothers in
17:28Mike Collins district now have to drive
17:30an hour to get to a labor and delivery
17:32unit while they're in labor when we
17:33already have a maternal mortality
17:35crisis. Not to mention, health insurance
17:38premiums have doubled for more than a
17:41million Georgians. 300,000 have lost
17:44their insurance altogether. And
17:46Georgians deserve an explanation why the
17:48congressman voted to double your health
17:50insurance premiums.
17:51>> Congressman Collins, you have 60
17:53seconds.
17:53>> Yeah, a lot to unpack here. Rural
17:55hospitals, major problems. That's why in
17:58the uh the the bill, the working
17:59families tax cut plan, we put $218
18:02billion in there for rural hospitals. 93
18:05million of us already been submitted or
18:07to Georgia through 87 counties. You
18:10know, the problem is and and John Isaf
18:13won't understand this because he doesn't
18:14have to worry about health care. He he
18:16doesn't have to worry about trying to to
18:18to buy health care insurance for his
18:20family. He never will. But the problem
18:23started way back under Obamacare, the
18:25Affordable Care Act. Y'all, I was in the
18:27private sector then. I remember that
18:30first year my insurance going up 62%.
18:33And from that day forward, I saw our our
18:35rural hospitals start to close or swap
18:38over to swing beds because they couldn't
18:40handle the mandates that were being
18:42pushed on them. When you let the federal
18:44government take over health care, which
18:46is what at the end of the day, John Oaf
18:48wants to do to you, then this is what
18:50you get. You get high insurance,
18:53inflated prices, and you get hospitals
18:56that are closing every day.
18:57>> Thank you, Congressman. Senator, you
18:58have 30 seconds. You know what's tragic
19:00about this is that we were warned.
19:03The Congressional Budget Office warned
19:05us that if they passed this bill, health
19:08insurance premiums would skyrocket. That
19:10if they passed this bill, rural
19:12hospitals would have to close down
19:13services. It's a hospital in your own
19:15district, Mike. And now a delivering
19:17mother has to drive an hour to get to a
19:20facility where she can deliver safely.
19:22It's a disgrace. You still haven't
19:24explained it. And you haven't explained
19:25why you voted to double your own
19:27constituents health insurance premiums.
19:28Congressman, 30 seconds for
19:30>> 30 seconds is all the Affordable Care
19:32Act is what has caused your insurance to
19:34go skyhigh. Our premiums have gone
19:37through the roof and the coverage has
19:38gone through the floor. John would never
19:40understand that though. I get it. He
19:42doesn't He doesn't have to worry about
19:44paying for that. But I have been out
19:46there with my rural hospitals. That's
19:47why he voted against giving these
19:49hospitals that that much needed money.
19:52He he if anybody should answer for
19:54anything John Asaw should answer for why
19:56he was not willing to help out these
19:58rural hospitals survive because at the
20:00at what happens is if you don't have
20:03rural hospitals in these rural
20:04>> Congressman we're out of time
20:06>> I'd like to respond
20:06>> congressman we're out of time uh we're
20:08going to stay on this topic gentlemen I
20:10want to go to Rosen
20:11>> all we need to do is just raise our
20:12hands and
20:13>> excuse me pardon me sir we're going to
20:15move on to the next question Rosalyn
20:16Giles has it go ahead Rosalyn
20:18>> Senator Oaf voted to extend Affordable
20:20Care Act subsidies nine times. But what
20:23is your plan to lower the underlying
20:25cost of care and insurance premiums, not
20:28just subsidize existing costs?
20:30>> It requires price transparency. It also
20:33requires Medicaid expansion here in
20:35Georgia. It's why we need a Medicaid
20:38expanding Governor Kesha Lance Bottoms
20:40here in Georgia to address our state's
20:42healthc care emergency. But what you're
20:44talking about are the Affordable Care
20:46Act benefits that Congressman Mike
20:48Collins voted to let lapse. And again,
20:52we were warned. Members of Congress like
20:54Mike, they knew exactly what that vote
20:56would do to you.
20:58So, when you get home and you get that
21:00letter from your insurance company and
21:03you just came from the grocery store
21:04where you couldn't buy ground beef for
21:06your kids because of the tariffs and you
21:08could only fill up half a tank of gas
21:10because of the war and you open the
21:12notice from your insurance company and
21:14your premiums have doubled. This man is
21:17responsible for that and he still
21:19refuses tonight to explain why he voted
21:23to double your health insurance
21:24premiums. and I think that's
21:25disqualifying for a candidate for US
21:27Senate. Let's see if he has the courage
21:29to explain his votes.
21:31>> Senator, thank you. Congressman Collins,
21:32what is your plan to lower the
21:34underlying cost of care and insurance
21:36premiums?
21:37>> Yeah, you know, when you talk about
21:38these subsidies, the the only people
21:40getting rich on these subsidies are our
21:41health insurance carriers out there.
21:43We've we've seen their their stock go
21:45through the roof thousands of percent.
21:47Uh what we need to do is make sure that
21:49there is more transparency. We need make
21:51sure that people pay a fair price for
21:53drugs. That's uh drugs. The Trump RX is
21:56doing a great job with that. You also
21:58need to make sure that we're most
21:59favored nation status with pricing that
22:01we're not subsidizing the rest of the
22:03world with our drug prices out there.
22:06But uh you talk about me these Medicaid
22:08subsidies, all that was passed uh under
22:11the Biden administration with John Oaf.
22:13That was to cover the the co the co
22:16period. If they wanted it permanent,
22:19they could have voted for it right then.
22:21But they didn't. And that's because they
22:24realize, they know this, that all that
22:26ever happens is the only people that get
22:28subsidized are our insurance companies
22:30and they make more money off of you and
22:32me while our insurance coverage goes
22:35down.
22:35>> We have a lot of ground to cover. We're
22:36going to move on to the next question.
22:37Mike Cila from WTOC. Go ahead, Mike.
22:40>> Well, this question is for both
22:41candidates. Massive new data center
22:44projects are receiving a lot of
22:45backlash, including the proposed 20
22:48billion open AI facility in Effingham
22:50County. They require immense amounts of
22:53energy and water. How will you ensure
22:55that the massive strain on our power
22:56grid does not result in higher monthly
22:59utility bills for Georgia families and
23:00small businesses?
23:01>> Congressman Collins, 60 seconds.
23:03>> Yeah, sure. You know, I've I've said
23:04this from the from the beginning. I'm
23:06very much in favor of local control.
23:09Local people know what needs to be in
23:11their communities and what doesn't. And
23:13and and we need to make sure that their
23:15infrastructure is not destroyed, that uh
23:18either that's electric or water. They
23:20know that if if you want a data center
23:23in your in your area when I'm a US
23:25center, I'll help you fight to get one.
23:27If you don't, I'll help make sure that
23:28you don't get that. But you know what?
23:31John Oaf, he's got a his major donor,
23:34one of his mega donors, his data center
23:36billionaire Reed Hoffman, also one of
23:38Epstein's buddies out there, has has
23:41funneled money into his campaign. He's
23:43got to answer to those people. He
23:45doesn't have to answer to local people.
23:47>> Senator Oaf, you have 60 seconds. First
23:50of all, no Georgia family or small
23:52business should pay a dime more to
23:54subsidize the energy consumption of
23:55these data centers. No local community
23:58should have these data centers imposed
24:00on them. But that same budget bill we've
24:03been discussing all night, the one that
24:05slashed Medicaid, the one that doubled
24:07your health insurance premiums, it also
24:09gave $70 billion of your money to data
24:14center developers. Just think about
24:16this. When you are paying more for your
24:19health insurance, when a hospital in
24:22your community is closing down,
24:25Mike Collins voted to take that money
24:27out of your pocket and out of your
24:29community and give it instead to data
24:32center developers. And that's the
24:33problem, Mike. It's not just that you've
24:35hired half the Third Reich to staff your
24:37congressional office and you have
24:39promoted neo-Nazi content online. It's
24:41that you're robbing your constituents to
24:43subsidize your donors. I want to know if
24:45you will commit to voting to repeal that
24:47data center tax scam that you voted for.
24:49Let's hear an answer.
24:50>> Congressman, 30 seconds.
24:51>> Rick, you know, I'm I'm all for the
24:53rateayer protection plan. We need to
24:55make sure that that whatever happens
24:56that those local communities don't take
24:58an impact. These data centers need to
25:00pay. They need to make sure that they
25:02support the communities that they're
25:03going in. And we're seeing that and and
25:06we're seeing good results from that. But
25:07where they don't need to be, they the
25:09people don't want them. They don't need
25:10to be there. But you talk about data
25:12center developers getting money. My
25:15goodness. Reed Hoffman. Reed Hoffman big
25:18billionaire data center developer turned
25:20around and funneled money right into
25:22John Oaf's campaign maxed that to him
25:24and then put over a million dollar.
25:26>> We're gonna move on to the next
25:27question. We're going to move on to the
25:28next question from Telmundo Atlanta
25:30anchor Adamar Montana. Adamar.
25:33>> Thank you Rick. Senator Off. Uh police
25:35use automated license plates readers
25:37across Georgia. What federal privacy
25:39guard rails must exist to prevent
25:41unwarranted tracking?
25:43>> Thank you so much for the question. We
25:45urgently need a federal privacy law to
25:50protect our privacy from big tech
25:52companies who spy on us on our phones
25:54and social media to protect us from
25:58flock cameras that are being improperly
26:00accessed by folks who are using that
26:02information to target innocent people.
26:05Artificial intelligence makes it even
26:07more important that we pass a federal
26:10privacy law. But I don't know if you saw
26:13just this week, Donald Trump said he
26:15likes flock cameras. He wants them
26:16everywhere. He wants you to be spied on.
26:19He doesn't care about your privacy. He
26:21put a flock camera on every block if he
26:23could. Maybe tonight Mike Collins will
26:26have the courage to buck the president
26:28on this. Does he agree with Donald Trump
26:31that we want flock cameras everywhere?
26:33or will he join me in demanding respect
26:35for Americans privacy and constitutional
26:38rights?
26:39>> Congressman, I'd like to give you 30
26:40seconds to respond.
26:42>> Uh yeah, I thought I had a minute.
26:44>> All right. Okay. Well, anyway, 30
26:46seconds.
26:46>> Uh flock cameras. Uh if they're being
26:49abused, they're they shouldn't be out
26:50there and they are being abused. If
26:52we're going to use them, then we need to
26:53have a warrant to access that
26:55information. Uh otherwise, we don't need
26:58the flock camera system. I I'm a firm
27:00believer in in privacy laws out there
27:02and protecting your private rights. But
27:05uh you know, I I think the the senator
27:07has a lot to answer for, too. You know,
27:09he's he's still yet to answer for
27:10farmers on why he shut this government
27:12down right when they needed that that
27:14that Hurricane Helen money.
27:16>> Congressman, thank you. Our next
27:17question comes from reporter Mariah
27:19Norman with WB in Albany. Mariah,
27:23>> this question is for Congressman
27:24Collins. There are safety concerns with
27:27artificial intelligence, but AI also
27:30leads to tech growth here in Georgia and
27:33nationally. How would you balance
27:35regulation of AI while allowing
27:37Georgians and Americans to benefit from
27:40this emerging technology?
27:42>> Congressman Collins, now you have 60
27:43seconds.
27:44>> Yeah, thank you. I got it now. Uh, yeah,
27:46sure. We're in a race with AI. We're in
27:49a race against China for AI. uh you know
27:52what what China actually wants is
27:54domination over the entire world. It
27:57doesn't matter if it's economically, it
27:59doesn't matter if it's military, it just
28:01whatever. And and to have the the
28:04potential that AI can can provide for
28:07Americans, and it already is, is great,
28:10but we we need to make sure that we we
28:12protect our citizens. We need to make
28:14sure that there's not an overreach uh
28:16with these AI centers that are out there
28:18and make sure that they're not they're
28:19not prying on you and and spying on you.
28:23Uh that it that what happens is what
28:25they need to do and that's make our life
28:27uh more efficient and more productive.
28:30Thank you, Congressman and candidates.
28:32That's all for this particular segment.
28:33We are going to move on after a quick
28:35break. Debate Night Live continues right
28:37after this.
28:46Welcome back to the US Senate debate
28:48between Republican Congressman Mike
28:50Collins and incumbent [music] Democratic
28:51Senator John Assaf. The next question is
28:54for you, Senator. Yesterday was the
28:57three-year mark since the October 7th
28:59terror attack in Israel. Israel's
29:01response has led to a major divide in
29:03your party with many prominent Democrats
29:05accusing Israel of committing genocide.
29:08You yourself voted to block a shipment
29:10of arms to Israel, seen by many in
29:12Atlanta's Jewish community as a
29:14betrayal. Do you believe Israel is
29:16guilty of committing genocide? Are you
29:19alarmed by the growing anti-Israel
29:21sentiment within your party? And will
29:23you vote yes or no on the
29:24administration's latest $2.8 billion
29:27weapons package for Israel? And you have
29:2960 seconds.
29:31>> Thank you, Rick. The question of
29:33genocide is a question of whether a
29:36government has the specific intent to
29:39destroy a national or ethnic group. And
29:42that is a question for the international
29:44criminal court. There is no doubt in my
29:47mind that Israeli forces prosecuting the
29:49war in Gaza violated the law of armed
29:52conflict and international humanitarian
29:55law. And I care deeply about the
29:58security of the Israeli people among
29:59whom are members of my family. I also
30:02care about innocent Palestinian life and
30:05make no apology for my votes. But
30:09Congressman Mike Collins wants to
30:11sanction and defund the International
30:13Criminal Court. His view is that there
30:15should not be accountability
30:17for crimes against humanity, no matter
30:19who commits them. And that's because the
30:21congressman is deeply disconnected from
30:24our state's tradition of civil rights
30:27and human rights.
30:29>> Thank you, Senator. Congressman Collins,
30:30I'd like to give you 30 seconds to
30:32respond.
30:32>> Yeah, you know, George, I think I'm
30:34putting this puzzle together pretty good
30:35for you. You know, oh, John Assaf has
30:38been out there and recruited, supported,
30:39and endorsed this Abdul El Say he hates
30:43Israel, loves Iran. That's his pick.
30:46He's moved as far left as he can go. As
30:48a matter of fact, is Hassan also
30:51the same way. He's out there and he's
30:53he's endorsed John Assaf for president
30:55for 2028. So, that's where his stance
30:58is. Don't let him fool you. He talks one
31:00way and he votes another way.
31:02>> Congressman Collins,
31:03>> I I need to have the opportunity to
31:05respond to that.
31:05>> Excuse me, Senator. I'm sorry.
31:07Congressman Collins, your opponent
31:09rarely mentions your name without
31:11calling you a bigot, though many feel
31:13you have not adequately addressed the
31:15fact that your son-in-law is a white
31:17supremacist social media influencer and
31:20several members of your staff have been
31:22linked to racism and anti-semitism. Take
31:25Georgia voters to your family dinner
31:27table. What specifically have you said
31:29to your daughter and son-in-law about
31:32his posts? And will you once and for all
31:34denounce white supremacy? You have 60
31:37seconds.
31:37>> You know, Rick, that's my family. That's
31:40uh the the the craziness that John Oaf
31:44has been spewing out there. Actually had
31:46a crazy person get put in jail this
31:47weekend because he not only wanted to
31:49kill my son-in-law, but he wanted to
31:51kill me. And you're exactly right. I've
31:53got a daughter and grandkids there as
31:55well as my wife. I've condemned racism,
31:59anti-semitism, hate. I don't care where
32:02the source is. And I tell him that, too.
32:04It's wrong. We have no no place in this
32:07world for that. But I've never heard him
32:10say a word about his DSA pick up there.
32:12Abdul El Say Hassan How about
32:15Reed Hoffman? None of those. He doesn't
32:18denounce anybody or anything or condemn
32:20them because he's part of them. But yet
32:23he wants to take that and spew that on
32:25me. That's not me. When I had things
32:27happen, I'm a businessman. I fired them.
32:30I got rid of them. Don't need them.
32:33Senator, 30 seconds. Imagine running for
32:35the US Senate while neonazi propaganda
32:39is disseminated to an audience of
32:41millions from your home. That's Mike
32:43Collins. And it's not just those around
32:45him. Mike Collins himself has amplified
32:48neo-Nazi propaganda online. Mike Collins
32:51office intervened at the Department of
32:53Justice on behalf of a Holocaust denier
32:56while his office was in cahoots with
32:58some of the nation's most notorious
32:59white supremacist. Mike Collins is a
33:02bigot and it's disqualifying for a
33:04candidate for the US Senate.
33:05>> Congressman, 30 seconds.
33:06>> Yeah. Imagine being a US senator and out
33:09there recruiting, endorsing, and
33:11supporting these people that want to see
33:13Israel wiped off the map that would say
33:15that they would rather be for Iran than
33:17for Israel. Now, that's who John Oaf is
33:20supporting. He has yet to say anything
33:22about that. Just like John Oaf has yet
33:24to say anything about why he voted to
33:26raise your taxes. He wanted to see your
33:28taxes double. Matter of fact, he he
33:31wants to see all your taxes at the end
33:33of what they're looking for is to have
33:35control over your life. Why does he feel
33:37like that you don't have to have your
33:39money in your pocket that they can spend
33:41it better than
33:41>> Congressman? Thank you very much.
33:43Atlanta News First statewide reporter
33:44Abby Casurus has our next question.
33:46Abby,
33:47>> this question is for both of you.
33:49Georgia has been at the center of fights
33:51over voting rules and election
33:52administration. What voting rules should
33:55be left to Georgia to decide and when,
33:57if ever, should the federal government
33:59step in?
34:00>> Senator, 60 seconds.
34:02>> Well, look, Georgia has voter ID, and
34:05that's good. Mike Collins and Donald
34:08Trump, they're still obsessed with
34:09overturning the 2020 election. Mike
34:12Collins still believes the 2020 election
34:14was stolen. Mike Collins has supported
34:16Donald Trump's effort to overturn the
34:18election and he wants to give your tax
34:21dollars to the violent thugs and
34:23criminals who sacked the US capital on
34:26January 6th. Mike Collins is attacking
34:29your voting rights. But that's not a
34:31surprise when you consider who Mike
34:33Collins is. This is a man who cheered on
34:36a group of young men who were mocking a
34:38black woman on a college campus with
34:40monkey sounds. If John Lewis were
34:43marching today from Selma to Montgomery,
34:46Mike Collins would be grabbing a billy
34:49club. His office has been in cahoots
34:51with some of the most notorious white
34:53supremacists on the country. He himself
34:56has amplified neo-Nazi propaganda. He's
35:00never apologized for it and he should
35:02tonight.
35:02>> Congressman Collins, you have 60
35:04seconds.
35:04>> Yeah. You know, I'll say this. Voters
35:07need confidence. They they need to know
35:10y'all. We live in the the the best
35:12country in the world and and there's no
35:15reason that we shouldn't have the most
35:17secure elections in the world. John Oaf
35:20has voted against the Save Act numerous
35:22times.
35:24Georgia, you're right, has has a voter
35:26ID law and and we've seen historic
35:28people amounts of people that have voted
35:30since that has been in place. But we
35:33need that across the country. There's no
35:35reason that you shouldn't have to show
35:37an ID to go in and vote. My goodness,
35:40John Oaf requires you to show an ID to
35:42show up at his rally, but he doesn't
35:44think you need to do that to go vote.
35:47People will go vote when they have
35:49confidence in our elections. Until then,
35:52it is hard and they just want to make
35:54sure that it is a fair, equitable
35:56election out there. Congressman, thank
35:59you very much. Mike Cila is up next. Go
36:01ahead, Mike.
36:02>> This question is for both candidates.
36:04How should the United States handle
36:06trade tariffs and economic competition
36:08with China without hurting Georgia's
36:10manufacturing sector and the cargo
36:13volume at the port of Savannah?
36:14>> Congressman, 60 seconds.
36:16>> Yeah, you know, uh Savannah Port and
36:18Brunswick Port both have been uh have
36:20been uh on my mind. As a matter of fact,
36:22I'm chairman of water resource
36:23environment subcommittee. One of the
36:25first things I did was go down to
36:26Brunswick and make sure that that that
36:28place has not been fully dredged since
36:302015.
36:31Make sure that they got that done. and
36:33they've gotten that now we don't have to
36:35bring in half loads or take out half a
36:37loads went up to Savannah made sure that
36:39they got that study to where they could
36:41widen and deepen that. that is such a
36:43huge impact on the state of Georgia and
36:45it it's causing where we'll have an
36:47economic boom not only just bringing
36:50goods in but being able to ship goods
36:52out because the tariffs now are making
36:55it fair and and making sure just like
36:57the fell I talked about two with two
36:59days ago that said he was getting his
37:01brains beat in because China was
37:03bringing in the same goods he was
37:05manufacturing right here in Putham
37:06County and he couldn't compete with them
37:09because they don't care if they don't
37:10make money. See, John Oaf doesn't know.
37:13He still won't answer why he voted to
37:15raise your taxes and not let you keep
37:17more money.
37:18>> The federal government is
37:19>> Thank you, Congressman. Senator Oaf, you
37:21have 60 seconds.
37:22>> What? You just heard Mike Collins say
37:24the tariffs are working.
37:27>> Go buy groceries.
37:29No one in this state seriously believes
37:31these tariffs are working. Congressman,
37:33it's been a disaster.
37:36And so has this war. A war, by the way,
37:38that we were lied into. They told us
37:41last year that they'd obliterated Iran's
37:44nuclear program. This year they told us
37:47it posed an imminent threat. So on top
37:49of the tariffs now we have eight months
37:51of war. 18 Americans killed in action.
37:56Hundreds wounded.
37:58Iran still has its uranium. Iran still
38:01has its drones and missiles. Diesel's at
38:04an all-time high. Unled gas is at $4.
38:08So, we've heard from the congressman
38:10that he thinks the tariffs are working.
38:13I think the congressman deserves an
38:15opportunity to say whether he believes
38:17this war has been a success.
38:20>> Thank you very much. Let's move on. Will
38:22Rio has the next question. Go ahead,
38:24Will.
38:24>> Senator Oaf, you sit on the Senate
38:26Intelligence Committee. How do we
38:28counter foreign adversaries without
38:30triggering retaliatory trade embargos on
38:33Georgia farm exports?
38:35Well, thank you for the question and it
38:37is Georgia farmers who have been crushed
38:40by retaliation for these tariffs. I
38:42mentioned earlier that when Georgia
38:44pecan growers faced those massive Indian
38:46tariffs, I sat down seven times with
38:49India's ambassador to the United States.
38:51I led a trade delegation. I got them to
38:53agree to reduce those tariffs. But as we
38:55speak right now, it's Georgia farmers
38:57bearing the brunt of the Mike Collins
39:00Donald Trump tariffs. Just like it's
39:02Georgia farmers bearing the brunt of
39:04these high diesel prices, it costs more
39:07of an ever to buy a tractor for your
39:08farm. Family farms are going under. And
39:12this also was predictable. Just like it
39:15was predictable that his votes would
39:17double health insurance premiums for
39:18more than a million Georgians. We knew
39:20what the consequences of these tariffs
39:22would be. And still he voted for them.
39:24And I'll tell you why. It's because
39:25whatever Donald Trump says, Mike Collins
39:28does. Doesn't matter what it is. doesn't
39:30think for himself. I'd like the
39:32congressman to say if there's a single
39:34time he has voted against Donald Trump.
39:37>> Thank you, Senator. Abby Casurus has the
39:38next question for the congressman.
39:40>> This is a question for Congressman
39:42Collins, and it's a long one, so bear
39:43with me. But after the Hyundai battery
39:45plant raid last year, Governor Kemp and
39:47business leaders said that the incident
39:49exposed a problem with the US visa
39:51system and called for change. A year
39:53later, that system has largely remained
39:55the same. If you're elected, what
39:57specifically would you change about the
39:59federal visa policy to make sure
40:01companies investing billions in Georgia
40:03can bring in specialized workers legally
40:06without creating a loophole for
40:07employers to replace American workers?
40:10>> 60 seconds, Congressman.
40:11>> Sure. You know, and and and here's what
40:12I want the American people to know.
40:14There are so many parts of our federal
40:16government are just antiquated. And and
40:18the reason is it's because we don't do
40:20our job up there. We don't pass
40:22appropriation bills and you don't hold
40:24them accountable and you don't make the
40:25changes necessary. And that's why you
40:27still see problems. We we we don't go in
40:30and tell the federal government you got
40:32to fix it and they just continue down
40:33the same road. We need people coming
40:36into our country. We need them coming in
40:37legally. You know, John Asaf just
40:39mentioned on on service members out
40:41there. You know, he comes to Georgia and
40:43he talks about does does press
40:45conferences on on VA home mortgages. Had
40:47nothing to do with that piece of
40:48legislation. He goes on and says that he
40:51he helped get the pay raise for our
40:53current active military. Y'all, he voted
40:55against that bill. He also said that he
40:58was responsible, voted for the the uh
41:00infrastructure improvements at Fort
41:02Benning and Fort Stewart. He voted
41:04against that bill as well. He's coming
41:06to Georgia. He's telling you one thing
41:09and he's going right back up there and
41:10he's voting a different way. Senator, 30
41:13seconds. You know, when I talk to
41:14military families across the state, they
41:16want to know that their government is
41:17being honest with them about why we go
41:19to war.
41:21So, let's honor those service members as
41:23public officials and tell them the
41:25truth. This war has been a disaster. 18
41:30Americans have been killed. Hundreds
41:33have been wounded. The president
41:35declared victory on day four of this
41:38conflict. You want to support the
41:39troops? Why don't you explain to
41:42Georgians right now, Congressman, how
41:45this war has been a success? This is
41:46your chance.
41:48>> Congressman, I'll give you 30 seconds if
41:49you'd like to defend the war.
41:53>> President had every right to go in there
41:55and make sure that Iran does not get a
41:57nuclear weapon. John Assaf knows this.
42:00The IAEA, they had already sounded the
42:02bells, the alarms that Iran was close to
42:05getting a nuclear weapon. And and and
42:08the thing is Iran doesn't only want to
42:10decimate and kill Israel. They want us
42:12as well. We've been at war with this
42:14regime for 47 years. They've been
42:17killing American service members for 47
42:20years and they were this close to
42:22getting a nuclear weapon and they would
42:24have used it and we would have lost the
42:26>> Thank you, Congressman. Thank you,
42:27gentlemen. We're going to take one more
42:28break. We will be right back with more
42:30questions and answers in this 2026 US
42:33Senate debate.
42:40Welcome back to Debate Night Live, the
42:42race for Senate. [music] Our final
42:44segment begins with a question from
42:45Adamar Montana.
42:47>> This is both candidates. Immigrant
42:49households generate more than 52 billion
42:52dollars in annual income and fill
42:54critical roles in Georgia's agriculture,
42:56construction, and manufactural
42:57industries. Analysts estimate
43:00large-scale deportations could cost
43:02nearly $930 million in state and local
43:05taxes. How do you secure our borders and
43:08deport violent offenders without
43:10starving Georgia's farms and
43:12construction sites of needed labor?
43:14>> Congressman Collins, 60 seconds.
43:15>> Yeah, sure. You know that border has
43:16been secure. It is secure now, people.
43:19And then the lowest rates ever that's
43:21coming across and that's the way it
43:22should be. You should come into this
43:24country legally. Period. Do we need
43:27help? Yes, we do. You know, we need H2A
43:30visas to be fixed. They need to be
43:32there. It gets back to this federal
43:34bureaucracy. It needs to be proved to
43:36where it's more efficient and more
43:38productive to get these people in and
43:39out. Illegal immigrants though that John
43:42Oaf led into this country, not only were
43:45coming over here killing people,
43:46murdering people like Lake and Riley and
43:48he wouldn't shut the door on it. human
43:50trafficking that he just let continue to
43:52flow, but they were also taking the jobs
43:55that young people, young Americans could
43:57go out there and get and and hampering
44:01them. You want to give job, give jobs to
44:03Americans and then you'll see your taxes
44:05continue to flow into this country and
44:07all their paychecks won't be going back
44:09to the country that they came from to
44:11support their families back here.
44:12They'll support the young American
44:14families that are here. Senator, 60
44:16seconds. Georgians do expect and deserve
44:19secure borders. And that's why I worked
44:20with Senator Cornin of Texas to rush
44:23drug detection equipment to ports of
44:26entry, but Georgians also expect their
44:28government to uphold basic standards of
44:31decency and human rights and [snorts]
44:34civil rights. And what have we seen this
44:35last year and a half? You know, they
44:37promised to go after the worst of the
44:38worst. Instead, they've rounded up
44:41people at job sites with no suspicion of
44:44any criminal history.
44:46They've ripped breastfeeding infants
44:48from their mothers. They've unleashed
44:50federal agents to kill Americans on the
44:52streets of our cities with impunity.
44:54That's Mike Collins immigration policy.
44:57And that's what you would expect from
44:59the bigot congressmen who called for
45:02executing immigrants by throwing them to
45:04their deaths out of helicopters
45:08who still won't apologize for personally
45:12amplifying neo-Nazi propaganda and
45:15allowing it to be disseminated from his
45:17home.
45:17>> Senator, thank you. Congressman, 30
45:19seconds.
45:19>> 30 seconds. Yeah. Last year, this time,
45:22farmers, think about this. John Oaf shut
45:25the government down. Right. When we were
45:27trying to get you that money out cuz you
45:30needed help. Hurricane Helen had
45:32decimated your farms and you needed help
45:34to make sure that you could get next
45:36year's crops out. What did he do? He
45:38shut it down cuz he wanted to defund. He
45:41wants to defund all law enforcement. But
45:43he wanted to defund Border Patrol and
45:45ICE, the people that are out there
45:47keeping us safe and getting these
45:49illegal criminals off our streets and
45:50out of our country. Senator, 30 seconds.
45:53You know, to hear Mike Collins talk
45:55about honoring law enforcement
45:57when Mike Collins supports taking your
46:00tax dollars and giving it to the people
46:03who assaulted police and sacked the
46:06United States capital on January 6th to
46:09overturn that election. Mike Collins is
46:12one of the most extreme members of
46:14Congress. He's a Trump puppet election
46:16denier. I want to hear if Mike still
46:18believes the 2020 election was stolen.
46:20What do you say, Mike?
46:23Senator, thank you. Abby Casurus, you
46:25have the next question.
46:26>> Congressman Collins, you authored the
46:28Lake and Riley Act, which requires
46:29detention of certain immigrants charged
46:31with crimes. As a US senator, what more
46:33would you do to ensure those who are
46:35legally subject to removal are actually
46:37deported and communities aren't forced
46:39to pay for extended stay in Georgia
46:41jails?
46:42>> You know, it's been amazing. I was uh
46:44let's see, I was I've been, man, we've
46:46been clocking 2,000 miles of weeks for
46:48the past couple of weeks. I'm out across
46:50the state seeing people. I'm not holed
46:52up in Atlanta, Georgia, and run out and
46:54do a little press conference and uh
46:56talking about the Lake and Riley Act. Uh
46:59talked with a couple of DAs and
47:00assistant DAs and and they said, "Mike,
47:03because of the Lake and Riley Act, that
47:06one little four-page piece of
47:07legislation, which John Is never helped
47:10lift a finger to get me pushed and kept
47:12that get across the finish line. He
47:14could have passed it when John when Joe
47:15Biden was the president, but he didn't.
47:17I mean, at the end of the day, he voted
47:19for it. But what they're telling me is,
47:21Mike, we have people in our jails right
47:23now on ICE detainers that otherwise we
47:27would have had to have let go and they
47:29would be right back out there in the
47:30public committing crimes and and
47:32continuing their criminal trades. So,
47:35it's been a great success. We need to
47:37continue that to make sure we need to
47:38continue to make sure that that border
47:40stays stays
47:43closed down.
47:44>> Thank you.
47:44>> You come in the right way.
47:45>> Roslin Giles, you have the next
47:46question.
47:47>> Thank you, Rick. Senator Oaf.
47:48Congressman Collins says you never
47:50supported the Lake and Riley Act and
47:52only voted yes once passage was already
47:54assured. Pointing to your March 2024
47:57vote against a related procedural
47:59measure, was your position genuinely
48:01evolving or was this a political
48:03calculation timed to your re-election?
48:06And what specific changes do you want to
48:08see in the bill that you didn't get?
48:11>> Well, Mike Collins knows that's a lie.
48:15But listen, folks, again, what did they
48:16tell us? They told us they were going to
48:17go after the worst of the worst. They
48:20told us they were going to target
48:22hardened criminals and immigration
48:24enforcement should focus on those who
48:26pose a threat to public safety. But
48:29that's not what they've done. My office
48:31has been investigating abuses and ICE
48:33detention for the last year and a half.
48:35We've documented more than 1,000
48:37credible reports of human rights abuses
48:40in ICE detention facilities.
48:44There was an infant who had to go into
48:46intensive care because that child's
48:49mother was deported while that child was
48:53still breastfeeding. These are human
48:55rights abuses that Mike Collins and
48:58Donald Trump bear responsibility for.
49:01Remember, they unleashed federal agents
49:04in American cities wearing masks who
49:06killed American citizens. And Mike
49:09Collins and Donald Trump should answer
49:10for that.
49:11>> Thank you, Senator. That concludes the
49:12question portion of tonight's debate. We
49:15will end now with closing statements
49:17from each of you. Congressman Collins,
49:19since you won the coin toss and elected
49:21to get the last word. Senator Osaf, will
49:23you begin your closing statement?
49:25>> Well, Rick, thanks for having us. Thank
49:27you again to Grey Media. You know, each
49:29time Mike has called himself a trucker
49:31tonight, you'd think he's cruising down
49:3485 behind the wheel. This is a
49:36congressman's son who inherited a seat
49:39in Congress, who now runs his daddy's
49:41trucking company, who voted seven times
49:44for the war in Iran, who voted for the
49:46tariffs, who voted to cut your
49:48healthcare.
49:50All so he could give a tax break to data
49:52center developers and some of the
49:54wealthiest people in the country. His
49:57office
49:59has been in cahoots with some of the
50:01most notorious white supremacists in
50:03America. He's already brought disgrace
50:05to our state.
50:07But I am so grateful to Georgians for
50:10investing the trust in me to represent
50:12Georgia in the Senate. I've stood up to
50:15the drug companies, to the big tech
50:16companies, and to the insurance
50:18companies who are denying us the care
50:20that we need when we need it. And I
50:23humbly ask for your continued support in
50:25this election. Thank you so much for
50:27having us.
50:27>> Congressman Collins, your closing
50:29statement. Yeah, you know, Georgia, we
50:30still haven't heard why John Osaf votes
50:33the way he does. Why he votes almost
50:35100% of the time with Bernie Sanders,
50:38why he voted against our farmers, why he
50:41voted against hardworking Georgians out
50:44there. Why why he's out there
50:45recruiting, supporting, endorsing these
50:48Democrat Socialist of America candidates
50:50and being endorsed by Hassan the
50:53guy that said that America deserved 911.
50:58Look, there's a reason. Those aren't
51:00even Georgia values. Those aren't even
51:02American values. The reason is is
51:05because he doesn't represent us. He
51:07wants to take control of this country
51:09with these weird and dangerous ideas
51:12with his radical friends.
51:15Listen, help me get to the US Senate.
51:18Help me get there and and and I'll
51:21answer to Georgia and I'll deliver.
51:25I I'll fight for our state, not against
51:27it.
51:28You vote for me and this old truck.
51:30>> Thank you, Congressman. That concludes
51:32tonight's US Senate debate. Early voting
51:34begins this coming Tuesday, October
51:3613th. Election day is November 3rd. I'm
51:39Rick Fulbound. Debate Night Live
51:41continues next with a special edition of
51:42On the Record. Thanks for joining us.

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