Andy Barr

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - Republican U.S. Senate nominee Andy Barr and Democratic nominee Charles Booker faced off Monday evening in a U.S. Senate debate.

Here is what they had to say on the issues.

Barr says that gas and grocery costs need to be lowered and that the Biden administration and Democratic decisions fueled high inflation. He says that Booker supports the Green New Deal and higher taxes. Barr said that he supported lower spending and the biggest tax cuts in history. That’s the difference between crazy and common sense.

Booker said that dropping gas prices has much to do with Iran and that Barr has given a blank check to a conflict with no end in sight. He said that defeating Barr will help ensure lower prices.

Booker said that the Republican Party has done nothing to address rising prices and has started a trade war with Canada. He said Barr isn’t lowering costs but is supporting policies that raise prices.

Barr said Booker supports repealing tax cuts and that the U.S. Navy is reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which will help lower prices. He touts energy dominance and says it will lower prices. Again said that Booker supports the Green New Deal, which would ban fossil fuels.

Barr said he believes in competition in health care and wants to protect Medicare for seniors. He said that Booker wants Medicare for All, which would raise prices and would force Americans into a plan where they cannot choose their own doctors.

Booker said everyone deserves the same health care that members of the U.S. Congress receive, and said Barr has delivered nothing for Kentuckians in health care and has voted to cut Medicaid.

Barr responded that he does not want “illegal immigrants and fraudsters” getting Medicare.

Booker questioned whether Barr knows “how to work” for health care.

Booker said that gun control needs common-sense measures such as keeping weapons of war off the street.

Barr said he supported measures to help people with mental illness so that they cannot access guns and that he supported grants to keep schools safe.

Booker responded that he does not believe in defunding the police and that he believes in speaking with the community about those issues.

Barr said Booker’s affordability ideas are meant to fund socialism.

Barr said AI should not threaten American jobs and that no Kentuckian should worry about environmental issues or higher utility bills because of a data center. He said Republicans proposed legislation that would forbid data centers from passing costs on to consumers. Barr also said the U.S. needs to lead on AI policy.

Booker said AI should be used to help people, that Congress must act to protect people, and that he called for moratoriums on AI early in the election cycle.

Barr responded that he does not support data centers in every community, but Booker does not support measures that let communities decide whether they want a data center.

Booker said the rights and liberties need protection and that Barr wants to put Flock cameras on Kentuckians’ front porches. He said he stands with Rep. Thomas Massie.

Barr said his idea of putting Flock cameras on a front porch is insane. He said that he supports guardrails against them. He continued to say that Booker wants to defund the police.

Booker responded that Barr has not taken any steps to release the Epstein Files and supports holistic measures for community safety.

Barr said he supported releasing the files and that Booker’s measures would allow Epstein to live within 1,000 yards of a school.

Barr said he is glad that technology has given parents tools to monitor social media. He disagrees with measures to police social media and wants to encourage market-based ideas to help parents protect their children. Barr said he supported measures to strengthen punishments against child predators using social media.

Booker said he is committed to protecting children and that Barr is not doing anything to protect children by not releasing the Epstein Files. He repeated that Barr is bought and sold and that he never stood up to Mitch McConnell. Booker responded that social media bans need to be on the table.

Barr said he supports giving parents tools to protect their children and said that he is not beholden to anyone.

Booker said politicians shouldn’t be able to get rich by serving and that he supports term limits. He said that McConnell supported liberal policies early in his career. To get back on track, Booker championed building coalitions and working across the aisle.

Barr said he has been his own man in Congress and has worked to lift the people of Kentucky. He said he voted with and against Mitch McConnell on the issues and said McConnell deserves credit for appointing the right justices to the U.S. Supreme Court and opposing radical ideas.

Booker said he will work with the House and Senate to bring projects and other resources back to Kentucky. He said that Barr broke his promises to his constituents.

Barr said Booker wants big-government ideas and that he would bring money and projects back to Kentucky. He said he led the effort to get a bipartisan housing project that reduced regulations on building homes.

Barr said Iran’s infrastructure has been destroyed and that the objective has been achieved in the war. He said that Trump has ended Iran’s 47-year war against the West and that Booker stands for weakness and retreat.

Booker said Barr believes the war is a success only because it is making the rich wealthier. He said that to honor our troops, they need to be brought home.

Barr responded that he does not support endless wars and believes in peace through strength and in giving the military the tools it needs to do its job.

Booker said Barr supports endless war and highlighted his family’s service, and that they need to be honored by ending the war.

Booker said the border needs to be secured and that issues like an immigration backlog need to be addressed as well. He said that Barr is voting to support a masked vigilante group in ICE.

Barr said that crazy in immigration is having a wide-open border and having a politician standing on a stage in Kentucky saying that crimes by immigrants are OK. He said that Booker supports an open border that lets the enemies of the U.S. into the country and lauded the policies of the Trump administration.

Booker responded that he wants to invest in border patrol and that immigration needs a humane approach.

Barr said he was glad the administration reviewed ICE actions in Minnesota. He said a secure border will keep corruption in Minnesota down.

Barr said that Social Security is a promise and that overspending by both parties has threatened the fund. He said the system needs more taxpayers and that Booker supports universal income, which would hurt Social Security.

Booker said that seniors deserve their Social Security benefits and that issues have been on Barr’s watch. He said that people like Elon Musk need to pay their fair share in taxes.

Barr said Booker’s charity lined his pockets and didn’t help people experiencing poverty.

Booker said he is proud of what Hood to the Holler has accomplished.

Barr said allies are ripping the U.S. off economically, and there is no true free trade.

Booker said that the tariffs are hurting working people and that rising prices are hurting people.

Booker said he believes in working across the aisle and did so during his time in the Kentucky General Assembly. He said we need leaders to bring us together.

Barr said he works with Democrats and that Booker’s ideas are far from the middle of the country.

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