From the border crisis to homelessness, the four candidates for California’s 20th Congressional District went head-to-head to cover popular partisan issues, as Bakersfield was host to the first round of debates on Feb. 22.

Candidates Vince Fong (R), Mike Boudreaux (R), Marisa Wood (D), and Andy Morales (D) addressed key issues, such as immigration, crime, and cost of living in the Central Valley.

Boudreaux, a law enforcement retiree, believes that being tougher on crimes and cutting big spending will improve life in the Central Valley.

“I’m the law enforcement candidate; stolen cars and stolen catalytic converters are a big issue here, and people should be held accountable. When you steal something from someone, you don’t get to be rehabilitated, at that point, you need to go to jail,” Boudreaux stated.

Leading the polls was Vince Fong, who also received an endorsement by former U.S. president Donald Trump days before the debate. Although Fong had no time for comment, he addressed issues by talking about removing programs that fuels corruption.

Wood and Morales mainly talked about social services and workers being what Bakersfield and BC students deserve.

The son of a military veteran, 25-year-old Andy Morales believes students who are in the same age demographic need Medicare free and available for all plus tuition-free college.

“I was so lucky that my dad’s bravery gave me these opportunities that I know I would have never reached if it wasn’t for him… access to basic needs is unimaginable for people my age… healthcare, cost of living, school, everything seems unreachable for hard working families, and I’m here to bring these popular ideas that working class people want,” said Morales.

A retired teacher, Wood is also in favor of equality and inclusion, and believes students who feel threatened or know someone who is in that situation are valid and should be protected. Many attacks, physical and verbal, have been targeting students who identify as LGBTQ+, including the death of Nex Benedict, a 16-year-old non-binary student from Oklahoma on Feb. 7.

“I want all the students who deal and suffer through the attention and hate [to know] that there is a safe place and support from me, and it hurts my heart that these students are being targeted, for having different backgrounds or different pro-nouns,” Wood stated.