California Republican Scott Baugh blames Democrats’ policies for high inflation and promises to cut federal spending in his bid to unseat Democratic Rep. Katie Porter, a rising star in her party, in a race rated as one of the most competitive in the nation.
The former California assemblyman is running a campaign focused on economic relief, tying his opponent to big government and the increased cost of living, as he prepares to square off against the two-term Democrat in November.
“If the voters like high inflation and high gas prices and open borders, then they might stick with Porter. If they don’t, they’re going to want to make a change,” Mr. Baugh told The Washington Times.
The fight for California’s 47th District, located in Orange County, is one of the most competitive races in the country.
Mr. Baugh, 60, a staunch conservative running on small government policies, is giving voters a stark contrast against Ms. Porter, who has quickly gained attention among liberals and is deputy chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
Mr. Baugh has centered his campaign around promoting limited government, blaming expansions of federal programs and multitrillion-dollar spending for the rise in costs that remains a top issue for voters heading into November.
“What is going to stop this craziness is not the government jumping into every single issue trying to solve every single problem that America faces. That’s not the role of government,” Mr. Baugh said.
Mr. Baugh is a business owner and attorney who served as the former chairman of the Orange County Republican Party and former California State Assembly GOP leader.
He is one of the National Republican Congressional Committee’s “Young Guns,” a designation that aims to support leading GOP candidates with tools needed to flip key seats.
The House GOP’s campaign arm has heavily targeted Ms. Porter by tying her to inflation and economic uncertainty, as well as far-left ideas like the Defund the Police movement.
Republicans weaponized Ms. Porter’s comments in a Politico article earlier this year, where she expressed shock that the sticker price of a pound of pork at the grocery store had escalated to $9.99. They accuse her of being out of touch with everyday Americans.
Ms. Porter, 48, a single mother who has expressed her own struggles with household budgeting in this economy, has criticized her own party for being late to address inflation.
“What I’m telling colleagues and reporters: Food prices are a real pain point for families. People, myself included, are shopping differently, putting back $6.29 boxes of cereal and spending considerable time looking for sandwich bread for under $5,” Ms. Porter tweeted.
Ms. Porter’s campaign did not respond for comment on this story.
While Republicans have sought to tie Ms. Porter to Americans’ economic anxieties, Democrats have painted the GOP as being extreme on social issues like abortion and LGBTQ rights.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has tied Mr. Baugh to the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, and used his comments that he believes marriage should be between a man and a woman, to portray him as a foe of women and the LGBTQ community.
The DCCC also has targeted Mr. Baugh’s past, which involves him being charged with four felonies related to allegedly falsifying campaign reports and concealing the source of campaign money in 1996, while he was serving in the state Assembly.
The charges of campaign finance violations were ultimately dismissed by the California Attorney General and state Supreme Court.
Mr. Baugh defeated three other Republican challengers in California’s June 7 nonpartisan primary, receiving about 30% of the vote. Ms. Porter received slightly more than 50% of the vote.
Mr. Baugh said he is confident the GOP can flip the seat because Republicans can campaign against Ms. Porter’s record in Congress, which he has said has only proven her devotion to the extreme left.
“Porter has never been properly introduced to the district office. They don’t know that she’s voted for over $20 trillion in spending increases. They don’t know she’s for open borders and defunding the police,” Mr. Baugh said. “Once the voters get properly introduced to her policies, you’re going to see a different outcome.”
• Mica Soellner can be reached at msoellner@washingtontimes.com.
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