Baldwin, Vukmir debate about immigration, health care

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WAUSAU, Wis. (AP) — The Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin and Republican Leah Vukmir drew stark contrasts on health care, abortion, immigration and other issues during their second debate of their campaigns.

Both candidates were on the offensive, the Milwauke Journal Sentinel reported. Baldwin leads in the polls.

Here are some of the topics debated in the debate:

IMMIGRATION

The issue of immigration drew some of the sharpest exchanges of the night. Immigration is a bis source of concern for Wisconsin dairy farmers, who rely on immigrant workers, including people in the U.S. illegally.

Vukmir, the daughter of Greek immigrants, reaffirmed that she wants to help President Donald Trump build a wall on the U.S. border with Mexico. Vukmir said Baldwin’s “idea of a border would be drawing a line in the dirt.”

Baldwin said she favors comprehensive immigration reform. Asked about the Trump administration policy that separated families at the border, Baldwin said, “We don’t put children in cages like this president has done and we can’t let this happen again.”

HEALTH CARE

Baldwin backs the Affordable Care Act and has supported “Medicare-for-all” proposals, whereas Vukmir wants to see the ACA repealed and replaced.

Baldwin claimed that by seeking to repeal the federal health-care law, Vukmir would end a popular provision that provides insurance coverage to people with pre-existing conditions. It’s a charge Vukmir denied.

“The left has glommed on to this as their issue,” Vukmir said.

ABORTION

Baldwin supports Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion in the United States. Vukmir said she opposes the decision.

Baldwin said she would “try to pass laws that would protect a woman’s right to control her own body” if the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

Vukmir said: “I believe we should support life.”

WHAT’s NEXT?

Baldwin and Vukmir will meet in their third and final debate on Friday night at Marquette University Law School.