Fox News "Fox News Sunday" - Transcript: Interview with Reps. Steve Stivers and Ben Ray Lujan
Interview
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WALLACE: Just nine days from now voters will go to the polls to decide which party controls Congress. On the House side, Democrats need to flip at least 23 seats to take over. But races in many battlegrounds remain tight.
Joining me now from New Mexico, Congressman Ben Ray Lujan, chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, and from Ohio, Congressman Steve Stivers, head of the National Republican Congressional Committee.
REP. STEVE STIVERS, R-OHIO, NRCC CHAIRMAN: Good morning.
WALLACE: Gentlemen, we often talk about an October surprise in the closing days of the campaign and I wonder whether the terrible October surprise this year is the outburst of violence this last week.
Congressman Lujan, will Democrats make this an issue, the outburst of violence in our politics, and tie it to President Trump?
REP. BEN RAY LUJAN, D-N.M., DCCC CHAIRMAN: Look, first off, Chris, thanks for having me this morning.
Look, no one should be politicizing what happened this week, number one. The senseless acts of violence that we see in Pittsburgh, the number of people that were killed while they were at a place of worship is a clear reason why Congress must act to keep people safe, number one. And then also with the number of people who were threatened as a result of those bombs that were being mailed across America. But, look, we should come together as a country. This should not be a political response, but rather a response at how we can further bring us together.
WALLACE: Congressman Stivers, can President Trump, clearly not be held responsible for the specific acts of violence, but for a culture, a discourse that contributes to it?
STIVERS: Well, I agree with Ben, that we should not be politicizing these acts of violence. As your panel said earlier, hate has no ideology. If you look at the baseball shooting last year, that happened to be a Bernie Sanders supporter. We need to come together. I agree with Ben.
I want to say that Ben is not my enemy. Democrats are not my enemy. They are my opponents. And while we have different visions for the future of America, different directions for America, we are all Americans first. We need to come together and do what's in the best interest of America. And no matter who wins in ten days, I believe we can come together and make that happen.
WALLACE: All right, let's turn to some nuts and bolts, starting with the Real Clear Politics average of recent polls. Going to put them on the screen. On the generic ballot question, which party do you support in our congressional district, Democrats still lead Republicans at this point 49.5 percent to 41.9 percent.
Congressman Lujan, does that mean that there still is a blue wave and that Democrats are going to regain control of the House?
LUJAN: Look, Chris, while people have described this in different ways, I'm confident the Democrats will win back the House this year. We built our strategy around our candidates. Incredible men and women with records of service. Many of who have served our country in the U.S. military. Former CIA officers, FBI agents who have committed their lives to keeping our country safe. And they're connecting with the American people talking about their personal stories.
I never said this would be easy, but we made a commitment to build a battlefield and leave no stone unturned. And that's why I'm confident we will win the majority in just nine short days.
WALLACE: Congressman Stivers, the fact is history at least is against you. Since World War II the president's party has lost an average of 28 House seats in the midterm after that new president is elected. And when the job approval is below 50 percent, as Mr. Trump's is now, he party loses an average of 37 House seats. And, again, if Democrats take 23 seats, they take the majority.
Congressman Stivers, what makes you think history won't repeat itself again in this midterm?
STIVERS: Well, Mike, we've defied history already. We've had a -- we've created a --
WALLACE: I'm Chris, but thank you very much.
STIVERS: Sorry -- sorry, Chris.
We've defied history already. We've won eight out of nine special elections. We actually have an economy where we have 4 percent economic growth. We have unemployment at 3.7 percent. We have the highest consumer confidence we've ever had. And we've lifted up all subgroups, including record low unemployment among African-Americans and 18 to 25 year olds. So I think people will reward us for what we've done.
We have more work to do, but -- and we have great candidates. We have folks who have -- who are incumbent members of Congress, folks who are police officers, military folks. We have folks who are committed to moving our country forward, working together to make a difference. So I think we're going to be able to hold our majority and I feel like momentum is on our side in this last week.
WALLACE: Congressman Lujan, I mean the fact is, but all objective standards, the economy is strong. Unemployment is down. Growth is up. Usually the economy, if there's not a war going on, is the key issue. How do you beat that?
LUJAN: Well, look, Chris, all across America, hardworking middle-class families are still telling us that their wages and salaries are not keeping up with the cost of living. My Republican colleagues this year do not have a voting record to run on that has actually prioritized hardworking middle- class families. That's number one.
Number two is, you look at the data, Chris, with what you put on the board there. While I never look at any one poll, data's on our side, momentum's on our side, the energy is clear, early voting is up all across America. And as long as people continue to turn up and vote, we will do well.
The other thing is, we're making sure that the American people know about the voting records of our Republican colleagues when it comes to health care. Voting to take away protections for people with pre-existing conditions and moving and agenda forward that would have actually slapped an age tax on people between the ages of 50-64 and resulted in creasing health care premiums, deductibles and out of pocket costs for the American people. That's what we're running on and, again, an agenda anchored around for the people and around our candidates.
WALLACE: We have been talking this hour about the tone, the ugly tone our politics has taken. And I want to play some ads that both of your campaign committees, you're the two chairs of the campaign committees, have run against some of your opponents.
Congressman Stivers, here's one that the NRCC ran against Democrat Elissa Slotkin in Michigan. Here it is.
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REP. NANCY PELOSI, D-CALIF., MINORITY LEADER: I just don't even know why there aren't uprisings.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is this the quote/unquote mob?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's going on too long. Liberal extremists tearing America apart.
Elissa Slotkin is one of them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: Congressman Slotkin served three terms working for the CIA in Iraq and Afghanistan -- or in Iraq with the CIA and then worked in the administrations of both Presidents Obama and Bush. Is it constructive to call her, of all people, a liberal extremists?
STIVERS: Well, you know, I think -- I respect Ms. Slotkin's service to our country in the CIA and in the administrations, but people's views on issues are legitimate and there are contrasts that we need to run so people understand what folks believe. And I think it is fair to say that she is not in the mainstream of Michigan politics.
WALLACE: Congressman Lujan, here is an ad that your group that you're chairing, the DCCC, ran against Republican Congressman Mike Kelly in Pennsylvania.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 2010, car dealer Mike Kelly's elected to Congress. And while there, his net worth increased by millions. So it's no surprise he helped give special tax breaks to car dealers, like himself.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: But, congressman, the specific group you site for making that report, the Center for Responsive Politics, says, in fact, his net worth has dropped dramatically during the time in office. It hasn't risen.
LUJAN: Well, look, Chris, when we see our Republican colleagues voting for a tax package dubbed by the American people as a tax scam that was prioritizing corporations on the most wealthy in America over hardworking middle-class families, we're going to call them out on their record.
But, look, to the point of the question that you're asking, Chris --
WALLACE: Yes, but, that's his record. This isn't -- but, sir, that's his record. I'm talking about his net worth and that's a fact.
LUJAN: Well, look, to the point of your question, I think that all committees, and all spenders out there that are investing in campaign ads across the country, they need to be respectful of that tone. But I would agree with Steve that when we're looking at voting records, that I think that that is fair game as well and that we need to make sure that we're all looking to see that we can make sure that we're having a better conversation with the American people, whether it's the last nine days of this cycle or going into next election as well.
WALLACE: All right, I've got a little bit over a minute left and I want you to share it equally, so you each get about 30 seconds.
Yes, you've talked about the economy. Yes, you've talked about health care, immigration. But to what degree is this election really about Donald Trump, either pro or against?
Congressman Lujan, you go first.
LUJAN: Look, Chris, I think all across the country our candidates are not really talking about this president much. There's no one that's going to talk more about Donald Trump than Donald Trump, which gives our Democratic candidates the opportunity to connect with their personal stories and talk about an agenda that is built around for the people and how we're going to be able to help lower prescription drug prices, lower health care costs, move a strong infrastructure package and clean up Washington, D.C., with all the corruption.
Our candidates are doing well and it's because of our candidates the Democrats will win the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.
WALLACE: Chairman Stivers, you have 30 seconds.
STIVERS: Well, I think this election is about results versus dysfunction. I already talked about our economic success. We have more to do on infrastructure, lowering health care cost. But the dysfunction the other side would bring, their health care agenda would kick 179 million people off their insurance and bankrupt Medicare on day one. It's -- they have an agenda that's outside the mainstream. They want to abolish ICE. They want to not protect our border when there's a caravan of people coming.
LUJAN: Steve, that is just untrue.
WALLACE: All right, I knew were weren't going to settle things here, but we appreciate both of you coming on. Chairman Lujan, Chairman Stivers, thank you both. Thanks for your time in these closing days of this heated campaign.
STIVERS: Thank you so much.
LUJAN: Thanks for having us, Chris.
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