NORFOLK, Va. — Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine and Republican challenger Hung Cao sparred in a debate Wednesday evening at Norfolk State University.

Cao did not directly answer a moderator’s first question, asking what a good deal between striking port workers, including those at the Port of Virginia, and shipping companies would look like. Instead, he pivoted to asking the audience members if they were better off than they were four years ago.

“The only people better off today than they were four years ago are illegal aliens, criminals and senators like Tim Kaine,” Cao said.

Kaine shot back, saying four years ago, the country was in the midst of the pandemic, with the economy in a tailspin and Americans dying.

He also answered the question, saying port workers should be earning better wages than when their contract expired.

Moderator Deanna Allbrittin also re-asked the strike question when Cao did not answer.

Kaine is running for his third term as a U.S. senator representing Virginia. Cao, a retired Navy veteran, is running for statewide office for the first time.

Cao came into the debate looking to make up ground. Kaine has maintained a large polling lead for much of the campaign, with a 10.9-point advantage Wednesday, according to the 538 election site’s polling average of the race.

The two candidates also went back and forth on immigration. Cao stopped short of voicing support for mass deportation, as former President Donald Trump has, but said the United States should deport criminals.

“If you come here illegally, you’re basically screwing up the whole system,” Cao said, invoking his childhood when he said his family waited seven years to immigrate to the United States from Vietnam in 1975.

Kaine said mass deportation of millions of immigrants would hobble the U.S. economy and voiced support for a failed immigration reform bill Trump threatened to veto.

Cao also falsely claimed the federal government was giving illegal immigrants gift cards when they entered the country. The Associated Press debunked the falsehood after an Arizona Senate candidate said migrants were receiving $5,000 gift cards. New York City did begin distributing debit cards to migrant families staying in city-funded hotels this year, according to The New York Times.

Responding to a question on diversity, equity and inclusion and the military, Cao doubled down on a social media post where he said the process was hurting military recruitment efforts. He referenced a popular right-wing talking point by criticizing the U.S. Army for using an active-duty drag queen in recruitment efforts.

“That’s not the people we want,” Cao said. “But what we need is alpha males and alpha females who are going to rip out their own guts, eat them and ask for seconds.”

Kaine called DEI — or diversity, equity and inclusion — a red herring, and instead said many young people do not enlist because they do not know about the benefits of serving in the military like education benefits through the G.I. Bill.

“They’re not serving because they don’t believe military service will advance the rest of their life,” Kaine said.

Wednesday’s event was the only scheduled debate between the candidates this election season after Cao did not commit to a July 20 debate hosted by the Virginia Bar Association at the Omni Homestead Resort in Hot Spring. He also declined to participate in a Sept. 19 debate hosted by the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce.

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