A combative Rep. Raul Labrador has interjected repeatedly in tonight’s KTVB debate to give his view of Democratic challenger Shirley Ringo’s positions. He said she supports a single-payer system for health care, like those in Canada or Europe. She said she doesn’t. He said it was on her website; a check of her “Health Care and Retirement Security” issues page shows mention of a “public insurance option” but not a single-payer system.

Labrador interjected again after Ringo was quizzed on what she’d cut and whether she’d raise taxes to reduce the national debt – she said she might support some increased taxes on the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans, but would prefer a combination of measures including closing tax loopholes.

“Her answer was yes she will raise taxes, and no there’s nothing she would want to cut,” Labrador said. “She doesn’t think that spending in Washington, D.C. is a problem. … She thinks that the way to grow the economy is actually to spend more money.”

Ringo responded, “I keep having my answers defined by the congressman here. And I did not say that I would not make any cuts. There may be some that are appropriate. But I wouldn’t make cuts just indiscriminately no matter where or who it would hurt.”

On immigration reform:

Labrador said the American people are clamoring for piece-by-piece immigration reform that focuses first on border security, rather than the comprehensive, bipartisan bill that passed the Senate. “If we pass the Senate bill today, what we will have is an amnesty today. … That was exactly what was wrong when Reagan passed his amnesty, is that they promised enforcement later, and we never got the enforcement,” he said.

Ringo responded, “The bill that the Senate brought forward did have a path to citizenship, which shouldn’t be considered amnesty.” She said she’s visited with many in Idaho’s Latino community who support the Senate bill.

On war against the Islamic State, or ISIL:

“I think we can only declare war on nations, on groups, but not on an ideology,” Labrador said. “If ISIL is a threat to the United States, then we need to declare war on them.” And if so, he said, we should go in with “full force.”

Ringo said she’d oppose “boots on the ground." “If ISIL gets more purchase in Iraq or anyplace else I think we need to make sure we have all the intelligence we need, and that we do give those folks the support that they need, but I would not send people, no,” she said. “These things, eventually they become our war. And too often … once we leave the whole situation disintegrates.”

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