Incumbent Rep. Gary Palmer (R-Hoover) debated his 2024 Republican primary rivals Gerrick Wilkins and Ken McPheeters on Saturday at an event hosted by the Mid-Alabama Republican Club.

heritage action In the most conservative House Republican caucus in this century, Gary Palmer's lifetime score is 89%, 10 points higher than the average House Republican. But both Wilkins and McPheeters attacked the incumbent for not being conservative enough.

Justin Barclay moderated Saturday's debate and asked questions on a variety of topics.

“Faith is very important to me,” Wilkins said. “I studied theology and thought about going into ministry. I am very involved in church ministry.”

“I don't think Congress is doing a very good job,” he said. “$34 trillion in debt is the equivalent of a $260,000 second mortgage for every American.”

Wilkins attacked Palmer for breaking his 2014 pledge not to run for more than five terms.

“Last March, he broke his promise,” Wilkins said of Palmer. “Term limits are more than words to me.”

Mr. Palmer responded enthusiastically.

“I've been working full time for over 53 years,” Palmer said. “I worked with Dr. James Dobson and Focus on the Family to form the Alabama Family Alliance, which later became the Alabama Policy Institute. I went a year without a paycheck. Because I thought that’s what God wanted me to do.”

Palmer said he is “working more than 14 hours a day” on behalf of the people of Alabama's 6th Congressional District, and that he personally reads and edits every letter sent from his office. .

“I am a member of President Trump's advisory team, and President Trump supports my reelection bid,” Palmer said.

Related: WSJ: Gary Palmer will influence incoming Trump administration's energy policy plans

Palmer said that as a lawmaker, he has worked to build the Northern Loop Road and widen Interstate 65 in Jefferson County.

“We were able to get $369 million for the Northern Beltline. We have five years to spend it.”

Wilkins said if elected to Congress, he would make widening I-65 a priority.

“We have to prioritize it (I-65),” Wilkins said. “I think it’s even more important than the North Beltline.”

“We are the sixth most conservative district in the nation, and we need to act as such,” McPheeters said.

The McPheeters always seemed to be hinting at seizing Federal Reserve assets.

“That could be used to replenish Social Security or actually build infrastructure,” McPheeters said.

“I'm very concerned that division within our party could cost us the White House, the House of Representatives, and the Senate majority,” Palmer said. “One of the areas that I have been advising President Trump on is critical minerals.”

Mr. Wilkins attacked Mr. Palmer, who voted for House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.).

“Everyone wasn't happy with Chairman McCarthy,” Wilkins said. “Chairman Johnson hasn't been there long, but he wasn't happy with his deal this week on the budget.”

“Members of Congress need to stop siding with Democrats to pass legislation,” Wilkins said. “We need a more unified party.”

“I think Mike Johnson should be re-elected,” Palmer said. “Mike Johnson is a godly man.”

McPheeters defended Russian President Vladimir Putin. “He's not an expansionist like NATO or the EU.”

“Debt is an even bigger threat,” Wilkins argued. “We must put America first. Further funding to Ukraine is unacceptable. Ukraine is not a place of American interest.”

“We should support Israel,” Wilkins said. “Ukraine should not be tied to its borders. We need to put America first, not Ukraine first.”

RELATED: Wilkins' op-ed: “Alabama deserves a legislator who will prioritize Alabama over Argentina.”

“The single biggest threat is China,” Palmer said, adding, “I'm very concerned about China. The unemployment rate for 16- to 25-year-olds in China is over 20%. Youth unemployment is very high. A war will start in a country with high temperatures. More than 80% of the semiconductors our country uses are made in Taiwan. If China attacks, those facilities will be destroyed.”

Palmer blamed the Biden administration for the crisis on Mexico's southern border.

“That's the responsibility of the executive branch,” Palmer said. “I've been to the border many times. (Rep.) Jim Jolan and I were at the border last week. We're introducing a bill that would allow states to use the National Guard to protect their borders. We must remove Biden from office.”

“I voted against the last two additional bills to assist Ukraine,” Palmer said.

“We need to send the military to the border to shut down the cartels,” Wilkins said. “Congress is not doing what it's supposed to be doing. If they put actions before words, Congress can do something about it.”

“Breaking down a cartel is like whack-a-mole, but when you take down six of them, six more rise up to take their place,” Palmer said.

Palmer warned that environmentalists' war on natural gas could have devastating consequences.

“The federal government shouldn't be involved in education,” Wilkins said. “We have to give that money back to the country.”

“We need more parent involvement and more school choice,” Wilkins said.

“All they focus on is indoctrination,” Wilkins said of public schools. “We need less government involvement and more parent involvement.”

“This is one area where we all agree,” Palmer said. “There should be no Department of Education. The Alabama Family Alliance, which became the Alabama Policy Institute, drafted the first school choice bill[to be introduced in the Alabama state legislature].”

“It was a tough decision,” Congressman Palmer said of his decision to run for a sixth term. “There are people in this room who asked me to run again.”

“I feel like the job isn't done,” Palmer said. “I have two years to turn this country around, and I believe God wanted me to do that. I own this.”

Related: Gary Palmer warns illegal immigrants could hijack US elections

Mr. McPheeters said he is in favor of eliminating some of these (federal intelligence) agencies or limiting their funding. “Congress created this problem. Congress can solve this problem.”

“The intelligence community has become an agent of the Democratic Party,” said Congressman Palmer. “I think the people on the ground are good people. But the people at the top have to go. We need organizations like this to protect the country. But we want them to serve the country's best interests. You don’t have to work against it.”

Mr. Palmer was attacked by the audience for voting in favor of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

“Our military lags incredibly behind China in weaponry. We have an advantage in fourth-generation fighters, the number of ships, and hypersonic speeds. My first responsibility is to protect our country. This is… I knew it would hurt me politically. But I'm going to do the right thing. This NDAA includes a 5% pay raise for military personnel and housing benefits for military personnel. ”

Wilkins said he would have supported the original bill that passed the House.

“FISA renewal is a big issue for me,” Wilkins said. “I would never have voted for that bill. I would have passed the original bill in August instead of giving Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi exactly what they wanted. I would have voted to go back.”

“You can’t get everything you want on one bill,” Palmer explained.

“This new school district is huge, now eight counties,” Wilkins said. “Almost 38 percent of the district is new and there are these crazy new maps coming out.”

“I make myself available,” Palmer said. “I will not be an absentee representative.”

“I am who I am,” Palmer continued. “I'm still the same guy I was 10 years ago. I'm not going to give up the fight.”

The Republican primary election is March 5, 2024. The final Republican nominee must face the Democratic nominee in the general election on November 5, 2024.

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