MODESTO — With just days remaining before the Nov. 5 general election, incumbent Rep. John Duarte (R-Modesto) and former five-term Assemblyman Adam Gray (D-Merced) met Friday night to hash out the issues in what was hailed as the “Debate at the State (Theatre).”

Both candidates, who shook hands before and after, each got in repeated barbs, but remained calm and civil as they discussed issues such as immigration, reproductive rights, Social Security and Medicare, high-speed rail and same-sex marriage.

“I think it went great tonight,” said Alma Martinez, executive director of the Central Valley Journalism Collaborative, one of the co-sponsors of the 90-minute event. “I think the audience was really into the questions, I think the candidates did great, and I’m so proud of the team. Our panelists did a great job getting to those questions that really matter to folks here in the Central Valley.”

Duarte, who won the 13th congressional seat in 2022, portrayed himself as the most moderate House Republican in the nation — a key distinction in a district, had it existed in 2020 as it’s presently drawn, would’ve gone to President Biden by 11 percentage points.

Gray countered that Duarte was a member of “the most unproductive Congress in our nation’s history.”

Both candidates thought they were able to effectively make their case.

“I feel like I really was able to get my message out there and relate to the voters, relate to the viewers and explain what my services has been about and what I want to do for them in the future,” said Duarte.

The race has been dubbed a toss-up by some polling firms for all of 2024 … until last week. “Inside Elections with Nathan Gonzales” reclassified the race as “tilts Democratic.”

“There’s an important contrast in this race,” said Gray. “You’ve got a conservative Republican — John Duarte — running so the Republicans can retain control of Congress. That’s why he’s running for office. And then you’ve got a moderate Democrat like me who’s running to stand up for our region and change the kind of politics we see in Washington D.C.”

The evening started with moderator Victor Patton, editor-in-chief of CVJC’s Merced Focus, asking the candidates what separates them from their opponent since they both claim to be moderates.

“My record is what I would encourage voters to look at,” said Gray. “Anybody and everybody at election can claim they’re a moderate. … But I would encourage you to dig a little deeper and look at our actual records. Over 10 years, you’ll find that my record has been consistent and I have actually delivered working with Republicans and that I’ve been endorsed by other Republican officials in this district. The record is what matters, not the rhetoric.”

Duarte countered by touting his ranking from the conservative advocacy group Heritage Action.

“I’m proud to tell you Heritage Action considers John Duarte the lowest ranked Republican by every one of their standards in the House of Congress,” said Duarte. “I have a voting record. It’s only two years — I’ve been out there in the real world, running a business, creating jobs, raising a family — but when Heritage Action looked at it all, I am the most (moderate)-ranked Republican in Congress.”

The two sparred most aggressively over California’s controversial high-speed rail project, which has already cost the state billions, quite possibly could cost upwards of $100 billion before it’s completed.

“This is the most obvious, hopeless boondoggle,” declared Duarte. “It’s is making California a joke. Remember, every time we spend $1 billion on that train, that’s 20 $50 million projects we’re not including in our communities. That’s 20 sewer plants, that’s 20 water plants, that’s 20 highway interchanges, that’s 20 rest stops, that’s all infrastructure we so desperately need.”

Gray said Duarte was naive to think that money not used for the train would remain in California.

“John would lead you to believe that if somehow he votes against high-speed rail that money is all of a sudden going to be spent on some road that he wants,” said Gray. “What happens is other states take the money. The project is moving forward. It needs to be brought under budget … and it needs better management. … At the same time, we ought to be building water infrastructure, we ought to be investing in our roads. … I’ve seen you at ribbon-cutting events celebrating the infrastructure from the very infrastructure act you said you’d oppose in the last election. It’s insane.”

Winning the 13th will be the key in determining which party gains control of the House of Representatives. Republicans hold 220 House seats to the Democrat’s 212, with three vacancies. 

The debate was co-sponsored by the CVJC, the Maddy Institute and the UC Merced Cape Center.

Moderators were Patton, Brianna Vaccari of the CVJC, and Kristin Lamb of Cap Radio. Joe Kieta, CVJC’s executive editor, was the master of ceremonies.