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New York State Sen. John Mannion and Rep. Brandon Williams continued their series of debates in their race for New York’s 22nd Congressional District seat on Tuesday night. The pre-recorded debate was hosted by WSYR-TV.

Moderated by WSYR-TV anchors Jeff Kulikowsky and Andrew Donovan, the debate focused on key voter issues including abortion rights, gun laws and the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. The two candidates were noticeably less cordial than in prior debates and raised their voices throughout.

The moderators opened by asking about recent campaign ads the candidates have released. In response, Mannion and Williams both accused each other of spreading lies.

Mannion denied claims that he supports defunding the police made in political ads against him. Mannion said he has always supported law enforcement and has continuously been endorsed by police in both of his campaigns.

Mannion also said recent ads about workplace harassment allegations against him this summer are inaccurate. He condemned Williams for promoting the claims, calling them “disgusting and untruthful” politics.

In June 2024, the state senate began an investigation into allegations claiming Mannion created a hostile workplace environment after three former staffers’ accusations in an anonymous letter. He was later cleared of such claims after the senate concluded its investigation and found that he did not breach harassment and discrimination policies.

Responding to Mannion, Williams said ads against him have also contained inaccurate information, primarily about his stance on abortion. Williams accused Mannion’s campaign of spending $4 million to promote lies about this stance and encourage “fear-mongering.”

Both campaigns have pushed false claims about Williams’ views on abortion rights in political ads, syracuse.com reported. Ads for Williams have “softened” his views, while ads against him claim he supports a national abortion ban.

Williams said that, while he would not support a national abortion ban, he is pro-life with exceptions for rape, incest and protecting the life of the mother. He also said that, in contrast, the accusations against Mannion are factual and “women deserve to be heard.”

Both candidates support in vitro fertilization​​, though Mannion claimed Williams “cannot be trusted” to protect it.

When asked about Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh’s call for federal government assistance regarding ghost guns, Mannion said he wants to make sure law enforcement and the District Attorney have every resource to get them off of local streets.

Williams agreed, saying ghost guns have “no place in our society” and that New York’s current gun laws are flawed. Mannion attributed the lack of mass shootings in the state to its strict gun legislation. Mannion also said he would support a national ban on assault weapons, which Williams said he would not support.

While addressing the housing crisis in central New York, Williams said he hopes to revitalize the East Adams neighborhood in Syracuse. Williams cited his involvement in securing $50 million in grant funding for the area.

Mannion said the state needs to invest in more public housing, and he hopes to facilitate an easier pathway to homeownership. He said this investment is vital in building generational wealth.

When asked, both candidates said they would vote to certify the presidential election results in the case that former President Donald Trump challenges them as he did in 2020.

In a final heated exchange, Mannion and Williams accused each other of lying about their respective responses to the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel. Williams claimed Mannion took two weeks to publicly comment on the attacks, which Mannion denied. Mannion posted a statement about the attacks to his Facebook page on Oct. 7, 2023.

Williams said it is “central” that the United States stands with Israel. Williams recently attended an Oct. 7 anniversary vigil on SU’s campus. Mannion said he supports a two-state solution to the conflict.

In closing statements, Williams said he “upended” politics by being direct and disrupting the current political environment. He also called attention to the “lies and false promise” accusations which he claimed have developed since Mannion’s time in office.

Mannion emphasized his love for central New York and his hometown. He emphasized his constituents’ care for each other and rejection of the “kind of politics” William adheres to.

Tuesday night’s was the third and final debate between Mannion and Williams ahead of Election Day on Nov. 5, syracuse.com reported.

Published on October 23, 2024 at 1:06 am

Contact Delia: dsrangel@syr.edu