ADAM: WELCOME BACK TO "CLOSE UP." HE EMERGED FROM A COMPETITIVE FIELD OF REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES IN 2018 TO TAKE ON CONGRESSWOMAN ANNIE KUSTER.
WHILE STEVE NEGRON FACED LONG ODDS IN A MIDTERM THAT SWUNG HEAVILY IN THE DIRECTION OF THE DEMOCRATS, HE’S RUNNING AGAIN AND LIKES HIS CHANCES IN A YEAR HE WILL SHARE THE BALLOT WITH
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP.
STEVE NEGRON IS OUR GUEST THIS MORNING.
THANKS FOR JOINING US, STEVE.
WHEN WE LAST HAD YOU ON THE SHOW IN MARCH OR APRIL, YOU WANTED TO FOCUS ON CLEARING THE FIELD AND GETTING A CLEAN SHOT AT THE INCUMBENT.
NOT GOING TO HAPPEN THIS TIME.
YOU HAVE A PRIMARY.
HOW DO YOU WIN THIS PRIMARY AGAIN?
>> BY BUILDING ON WHAT WE DID THE LAST TIME.
IN A BAD YEAR, WE TOOK 42% OF THE VOTE AND PROBABLY THE MOST VOTES IN ANY MIDTERM SINCE 2002.
THAT IS OUR STARTING POINT.
WE BELIEVE WITH THE PRESIDENT ON TOP OF THE TICKET AND WITH THE SENATE RACE HAPPENING, WE BELIEVE PEOPLE WILL VOTE FOR US AND I THINK WE HAVE AN EXCELLENT CHANCE.
ADAM: ONE-ON-ONE CONTESTS CAN GET INTENSE, AS EDDIE EDWARDS AND ANDY SANBORN SHOWCASED IN THE FIRST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
LYNNE BLANKENBEKER INDICATED SHE THOUGHT THERE WAS SOME ROUGH TREATMENT IN THE LAST PRIMARY AND ASSIGNED THAT TO SOME OF YOUR SUPPORTERS.
DO YOU THINK THIS WILL BE A ROUGH PRIMARY?
>> OUR GOAL IS TO TAKE OUT ANN KUSTER AND NOT FOCUS ON ANYTHING ELSE.
LYNNE BLANKENBEKER HAS A STELLAR MILITARY CAREER.
SOME PEOPLE TOOK UMBRAGE WITH SOMETHING SHE PUT OUT.
IT WAS NOT OUR CAMPAIGN AT ALL.
WE ARE LOOKING AT WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO BRING BACK ANNIE KUSTER THAT IS NOT SPEAKING FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE SECOND DISTRICT.
ADAM: "THE L.A. TIMES" IS REPORTING LAST MONTH WAS THE FIRST MONTH AMERICA TOOK IN ZERO REFUGEES FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
THESE ARE PEOPLE IN DIRE STRAITS FACING DIFFICULT SITUATIONS.
WE BRING THEM TO THIS COUNTRY BECAUSE THERE’S ROOM AND THEY NEED HELP AND FREEDOM.
IF WE ARE NOT ADMITTING ANY REFUGEES, IS THAT ACCEPTABLE?
IS THAT REALLY THE BEACON OF FREEDOM OF THE UNITED STATES?
>> ABSOLUTELY NOT.
WE ARE NOT THE ONLY COUNTRY THAT CAN TAKE IN REFUGEES.
WE ARE NOT A STOPGAP FOR THE WORLD.
I BELIEVE WE ARE A COUNTRY THAT STILL IS THE BEACON OF FREEDOM.
WE HAVE TO POLISH THE GLASS BECAUSE WE HAVE TARNISHED IT.
THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO HANDLE REFUGEES.
WE STILL SHOULD DO THAT.
I DON’T THINK WE SHOULD HAVE A ZERO POSITION OF NOT HAVING REFUGEES.
BUT I THINK THE WORLD HAS TO BE ABLE TO HELP ALL THOSE PEOPLE IN DIRE NEEDS.
ADAM: DO YOU TAKE ISSUE WITH THE TRUMP IMMIGRATION POLICY?
YOUR STORY IS THE AMERICAN IMMIGRANT SUCCESS STORY FROM THE FAMILY PERSPECTIVE.
IN A COUPLE OF GENERATIONS, IT IS PROOF OF WHAT FREEDOM CAN DO.
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS WANTED TO FOCUS MORE ON EUROPEAN IMMIGRATION.
IS THAT A MISTAKE?
>> WE ARE A LAND OF LAWS.
THE LAW IS WHAT WE NEED TO FOLLOW.
I BELIEVE WE NEED TO LOOK AT A WHOLESALE REVIEW OF THE IMMIGRATION POLICY.
NOT JUST IMMIGRATION BUT THE VISA POLICY AS WELL AND MAKE SURE WE ARE DOING WHAT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE UNITED STATES AND HOW WE CAN STILL BE THE BEACON OF FREEDOM.
ADAM: IS AMNESTY PART OF IT?
PEOPLE HERE ILLEGALLY, WILL THEY GET A SHOT AT STAYING?
>> THAT IS PART OF THE WHOLE IMMIGRATION POLICY.
I AM NOT A FIRM BELIEVER YOU GET TO JUMP TO THE HEAD OF THE LINE.
I BELIEVE THERE HAS TO BE SOME DISCUSSION.
PEOPLE HAVE TO BE VETTED.
THAT POLICY AND PROCESS WILL BE AN OUTPUT OF WHAT IMMIGRATION REFORM WILL LOOK LIKE.
ADAM: ON GUN POLICY, IS THERE ANY BILL YOU WOULD BE WILLING TO ATTACH YOURSELF TO AS A SUPPORTER OF THE SECOND AMENDMENT TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF GUN VIOLENCE AND MASS
SHOOTINGS?
>> THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION.
EVERYONE WANTS TO LOOK AT THE INSTRUMENT BEING USED.
I BELIEVE IT IS NOT ABOUT THE INSTRUMENT.
I BELIEVE IT IS ABOUT A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE.
THERE ARE OVER 10,000 GUN LAWS.
IT IS NOT STOPPING WHAT IS OUT THERE RIGHT NOW.
ADDING MORE LAWS I DON’T THINK WE’LL FIX THE ISSUE.
I THINK WE HAVE TO HAVE A BROADER SCOPE ABOUT HOW PEOPLE ARE GETTING ACCESS TO GUNS AND WHY THEY ARE USING THEM.
I THINK IT IS A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE, NOT A SECOND AMENDMENT ISSUE.
ADAM: I AM GUESSING YOU ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT RED FLAG LAWS.
WHAT WITH THE POLICY BE TO PREVENT THE SHOOTINGS?
>> THESE PEOPLE NEED HELP FROM A MENTAL PERSPECTIVE.
DO WE HAVE ENOUGH MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS TO HELP THESE PEOPLE?
WHY DOES SOMEBODY FEEL THAT IS THE ONLY RECOURSE THEY HAVE?
I BELIEVE IT IS WRONG FOR THEM TO DO THAT, CLEARLY.
I THINK WE HAVE TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO GET THE HELP THEY NEED.
ADAM: UNIVERSAL BACKGROUND CHECKS HAS BROAD SUPPORT IN POLLING.
IT IS NOT NECESSARILY POPULAR AMONG REPUBLICANS ON CAPITOL HILL.
WHY IS THAT EXPANSION AND INFRINGEMENT?
>> WE HAVE BACKGROUND CHECKS NOW.
YOU HAVE GUN SHOWS, FEDERAL LICENSED DEALERS.
THEY HAVE TO DO BACKGROUND CHECKS.
I DON’T KNOW THAT EXPANDING THAT WILL CHANGE ANYTHING.
PEOPLE HAVE TO CONVINCE ME WHAT THE UNIVERSAL CHECK WILL DO MORE THAN WHAT WE HAVE ON THE BOOKS.
ADAM: ON THE IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY, HAVE YOU BEEN FOLLOWING THE TESTIMONY?
WHERE WOULD YOU COME DOWN?
>> PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT IS HAPPENING BETWEEN UKRAINE AND THE UNITED STATES.
I READ THE TREATY.
IN ARTICLE ONE OF THE TREATY IT SAYS WE NEED TO HELP EACH OTHER TO STOP CRIMINAL ACTIVITY.
THAT IS IN THE TREATY BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND THE UKRAINE.
THAT IS A TREATY SIGNED BY PRESENT CLINTON.
IF THESE THINGS WERE HAPPENING BEFORE PRESIDENT TRUMP TOOK OFFICE, WHY WERE THEY NOT BROUGHT TO THE FOREFRONT EARLIER?
I THINK IT IS WELL WITHIN THE PRESIDENT’S PURVIEW TO ROOT OUT CRIMINAL ACTIVITY PER THE TREATY BETWEEN OURSELVES AND THE UKRAINE.
THERE WAS AN INDIVIDUAL IN CHARGE OF THE SECRET POLICE FOR STALIN.
THE FAMOUSLY SAID BRING ME THE MAN AND I WILL FIND YOU THE CRIME.
I THINK PEOPLE HAVE JUMPED AHEAD OF THE GUN.
THEY’VE WANTED TO IMPEACH THIS PRESIDENT AS FAR BACK AS 2017 WITHOUT DUE PROCESS.
I DON’T BELIEVE ANYTHING THE PRESIDENT HAS DONE OR SAID TRYING TO ROOT OUT CRIME IS PART OF THE TREATY BETWEEN OURSELVES AND THE UKRAINE, AND NOTHING HE HAS DONE IN MY OPINION IS
REACHING TO THE LEVEL OF IMPEACHMENT ISSUE.
ADAM: IF WE TAKE ON FACE VALUE THAT THE BIDENS WERE UP TO SOMETHING IN UKRAINE, WHY NOT INVESTIGATE THAT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE ADMINISTRATION RATHER THAN NOW?
>> WHY DIDN’T WE INVESTIGATE WHEN PRESIDENT OBAMA WAS IN THE WHITE HOUSE?
THESE THINGS HAPPENED UNDERNEATH HIS TERM AS PRESIDENT.
THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION.
I DON’T KNOW WHY IT WAS AT THIS TIME IT HAPPENED.
I THINK THE PRESIDENT IS DOING HIS JOB.
IF THIS PRESIDENT HAD BEEN JOHN SMITH, NOBODY WOULD HAVE BEEN ISSUES.
IT IS JUST THAT IT HAPPENS TO BE JOE BIDEN AND HIS SON THAT PEOPLE ARE UP IN ARMS ABOUT.
ADAM: I’M GUESSING YOU WOULD NOT VOTE TO IMPEACH.
>> NO, SIR.
ADAM: WOULD YOU BE OK WITH A FUTURE DEMOCRAT PRESIDENT CALLING UP A WORLD LEADER ASKING THEM TO INVESTIGATE A REPUBLICAN OPPONENT?
>> PRESIDENT OBAMA HAD DONE THIS WHEN HE HAD THE PURVIEW UNDER THE TREATY, ABSOLUTELY, THAT IS PART OF HIS RESPONSE ABILITY.
PEOPLE WANT TO MAKE THIS LEAP THAT THE ONLY REASON THE PRESIDENT DID IT WAS TO HER JOE BIDEN.
I AM NOT IN THAT CAMP RIGHT NOW.
ADAM: DO YOU THINK WE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT ANNIE KUSTER’S VOTE ON IMPEACHMENT?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
WE WILL MAKE IT A POINT TO TALK ABOUT IT.
I WOULD ASK HER, WHY DID YOU FEEL THIS PRESIDENT HAD ANY IMPEACHABLE OFFENSE BEFORE ANYBODY BROUGHT UP THE WHISTLEBLOWER?
THERE IS A PREDISPOSED IDEA OF THEM WANTING TO DO THAT.
I BELIEVE THEY ARE TRYING TO OVERTURN A DULY ELECTED PRESIDENT.
ADAM: WE HAVE HEARD A LOT OF TALK OF BRINGING THE SQUAD INTO THE RACE.
IS THAT A LINE OF ATTACK THAT WILL LAND WITH VOTERS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE?
>> ANNIE KUSTER SHOULD BE VOTING ON NEW HAMPSHIRE AND NOT THE SQUAD THAT IS LEFT OF CENTER AND NOT DEMOCRATIC IN MY OPINION.
IT IS MORE RADICAL THINKING.
MY AUNT DAISY USED TO SAY BE CAREFUL OF THE CAT.
I BELIEVE A.O.C. IS THAT CAT.
ANNIE KUSTER IS TRYING TO ALIGN HERSELF TRYING TO REMAIN RELEVANT.
I DON’T AGREE WITH ANYTHING A.O.C. SAYS AND I DON’T THINK IT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE SECOND DISTRICT TO ALIGN WITH HER.