The 8th Congressional District is one of the most fiercely contested races in the country, much less the state.

Democratic incumbent Gabrielle Giffords and Republican candidate Jesse Kelly have squared off on issues ranging from the border to health care.

Kelly and Giffords sat down with The Epitaph for an open discussion about issues affecting Cochise County and Tombstone.

What can you promise Arizonans in order to keep them safe along the
border? How can this be accomplished?

Giffords:

Less than 10 years ago, over 700,000 illegal immigrants were apprehended in the Tucson sector. In 2009 that number went down to 240,000, but still the number is unacceptable. I am a tireless advocate for more boots on the ground, and one of the strongest voices to lobby the president to return the National Guard to the U.S.-Mexico border. 1,200 troops were approved with 560 coming to Arizona, so that was helpful. On Sept. 23, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed my Ultralight Smuggling Prevention Act. This finally puts regulation on very small planes entering our airspace and dropping drugs, hundreds of times a year. (It has) forced the federal government to finally listen to what we've been saying for years.

Q: Is the federal government doing enough to secure our border?

A: I wanted to see 3,000 troops sent here. With the $600 million security package that we were able to pass, we (will) have 1,000 more border patrol agents, the vast majority coming to southern Arizona. It's not enough...(but) considering how difficult it is getting legislation through the Senate, I'm very pleased we have the National Guard back on the border.

Q: Does SB 1070 help or hinder border security?

A: SB 1070 is divisive, and does absolutely nothing to secure the border. SB 1070, because of its divisiveness led to a boycott of Arizona, which was
fundamentally wrong. Arizonans are certainly frustrated, that's why many support SB1070. Since it passed, the National Guard has been deployed to Arizona. We're working to do everything we can to address the problem, not to be divisive, not to be political, but to actually give our border security agents, our law enforcement, and our military, the tools they need to keep citizens of the United States safe.

Q: What will you do to bring jobs to the 8th Congressional District? How can the district become more productive economically?

A: The unemployment number in Cochise County is higher than in the past, but compared to national standards, the unemployment is not as bad. That being said, it still looks dismal. Fort Huachuca is the largest economic driver in Arizona. Keeping the fort viable, in the future possibility of base realignment or closing, has always been a priority. In terms of our economic future, we need to be smart about lowering our taxes for working class families. That means making sure small businesses grow, making sure small business owners and their employees have affordable, quality health care. It also means reinvesting in our public schools, and educating the workforce, making it affordable to attend a community college, or the University of Arizona, or a technical or trade school.

Q: How will the Health Care Reform Bill affect the majority of seniors in the district, specifically in Cochise County?

A: We have a vibrant senior community in Southern Arizona, and while Mr. Kelly says that Medicare recipients are on the 'dole,' for over 40 years, Medicare has offered critical health and financial stability for our seniors. They've worked for that. There are over 128,000 Medicare beneficiaries in the (district) alone. The health care will strengthen Medicare by making basic preventative care free for seniors; it will lower the cost of prescription drugs for seniors and extends the solvency of the Medicare trust fund. My opponent is going around saying I cut $500 billion from Medicare. The $500 billion Mr. Kelly is referring were cuts to subsidies insurance companies were receiving.

Q: What experience do you have that qualifies you to run this office?

A: I've been elected twice to represent Southern Arizona in the 8th district. I've served two terms in the state senate, and one term in the state house of
representatives. I have served the community on over a dozen, non-profit community boards. I'm deeply rooted in this community, and come from a middle class background. I was born here, raised here... it's my home.

Q: Why are you the better candidate?

A: I'll fight for the middle class. I'll fight for the people of Arizona. I've fought for years for public education for our schools. This district is a centrist, moderate district that wants to have an independent voice. I've been a strong voice for
the people.

Kelly:

We need to build a double layer border fence. It's not a wall, it's a double layered fence, because they (migrants) have advanced ramp systems that get them over one of these. That's why you have to have a double layered fence with a paved road in between for the border patrol agents to control it, similar to what they have in San Diego. Stop talking about it and start solving the problem. Get border patrol agents on the border, get them the helicopters and the helicopter pilots they need, and enforce employer sanctions, and we can take care of the illegal immigrant problem in this country.

Q: Is the federal government doing enough to secure our border?

A: They're failing in every possible way. It goes as far back as you can remember, and both parties are at fault. This is not solely a problem of the Obama Administration. Both parties talk about amnesty, they talk about everything but securing the border. The good news is the Republican Party is waking up to the problems of illegal immigration, and we're going to get back on the right track. We send our highly trained National Guard troops down to the border, and have them observe and report. It's not enough, it's an embarrassment. They have no authority to apprehend illegal immigrants. We don't need more eyes down there, we need boots on the ground. We're going to send National Guard troops, send thousands, dig them in, give them the authority to apprehend illegal immigrants until the double layer fence is built.

Q: Does SB 1070 help or hinder border security?

A: It helps the cause in every possible way. The federal government, with all their problems right now, are suing us for asking for ID. (It) is pathetic. Beyond the signal that it sends to illegal immigrants- or potential illegal immigrants- that we are a state that is going to start cracking down on that problem, it also gives local law enforcement the authority they need to take care of the problem. They should have passed this 20 years ago. I think it's fundamentally fantastic.

Q: What will you do to bring jobs to the 8th Congressional District? How can the district become more productive economically?

A: The problem with the economy right now is that Gabrielle Giffords stole our tax dollars to bail out Wall Street, she passed 'Obamacare,' she voted for cap and trade. What we need to do is reduce the tax burden on every single tax-paying American to get the American people back to work. You can't continue to say you want employment, yet you punish employers for employment. That's not how this nation works. (Eliminate) each and every tax on top of every possible one we can. Right now, we are chasing business out of the U.S.

Q: How will the Health Care Reform Bill affect the majority of seniors in the district, specifically in Cochise County?

A: Gabrielle Giffords voted for a health care bill that cut $500 billion out of Medicaid, and completely gutted the Medicare advantage program, which will lower the access for care for all of seniors. It's an embarrassment. We have to defund the bill immediately, and then repeal it in 2012, and then get the free market reforms, like purchase of insurance across state lines that will bring down the cost of health care for every American. I know it will help seniors. It will decrease the cost of care, which is what we need right now.

Q: What experience do you have that qualifies you to run this office?

A: I'm a U.S. Marine Corps combat veteran, which shows a love of this nation and patriotism, which is in short supply in Washington right now. I'm also a project manager of multimillion dollar construction projects, which means I understand that you spend less than you take in, and no one in Washington, including Gabrielle Giffords, seems to understand that right now.

Q: Why are you the better candidate?

A: I'm the better candidate because I understand liberty, I understand that you have to be wise with tax payer dollars, and that you reduce the tax burden on Americans, you don't get to tax, spend, spread the wealth around, have the government take over the health care system, bail out Wall Street, and then come back and claim you're a fiscal conservative.