Kaine and Cao face off in only debate of campaign for US Senate seat from Virginia

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia and Republican challenger Hung Cao sparred over issues from illegal immigration to tariffs on foreign goods Wednesday in their only debate of the campaign.

The hourlong showdown at Norfolk State University mostly traced the contours of the nation’s political fault lines. But it also included matters that resonate in Virginia and the coastal city of Norfolk, which is home to the country’s largest Navy base.

Cao, a 25-year Navy veteran, criticized COVID vaccine mandates for service members and the chaotic troop withdrawal from Afghanistan when asked about the military’s collective failure to recently meet recruiting goals. He also criticized diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.

“When you’re using a drag queen to recruit for the Navy, that’s not the people we want,” Cao said. “What we need is alpha males and alpha females who are going to rip out their own guts, eat them and ask for seconds. Those are the young men and women that are going to win wars.”

Kaine, who is on the Senate Armed Services Committee, responded by saying that railing at DEI “is a red herring” and the real challenge is informing more Americans about the benefits of the military when only about 1% of the population serves in the armed forces.

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