WEHOonline asked nine of the candidates for Congress for their thoughts on President Biden, the wars in Gaza and Ukraine and other topics ahead of next month’s primary election:

Is Joe Biden our best choice for president? Why or why not?

ANTHONY PORTANTINO: “Absolutely! President Biden is a good man with values and principles that he adheres to and a solid and extensive record of leadership, Trump is not and has little to show (mostly polarizing our country) for his time as President. President Biden cares about advancing the interests of working people while Trump demonstrated time after time that only cares about himself. Biden is pro-choice while Trump has not made it clear what his own beliefs on the issue are other than to appoint three supreme court justices that in turn overturned over 50 years of judicial precedent by striking down Roe v. Wade. President Biden has a deep respect for our military while Trump disparages veterans and those who have given their lives for this country. The choice has never been clearer.”

MAEBE A. GIRL: “It appears that the General Election for President will be between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. Joe Biden is not our best choice, but unfortunately he is the only choice for democrats. The best choice for president would be someone calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and would be in support of enacting universal healthcare.” 

ALEX BALEKIAN: “No. A president should be strong, persuasive, and inspiring. Joe Biden is none of those. He is frail, incoherent, and pitiful. His lack of decision-making ability and his lack of inspiration are squarely to blame for our weak standing in the world and (most importantly) the poor morale and lack of recruitment within our armed forces.”

 JIRAIR RATEVOSIAN: “President Biden is the most accomplished president in our lifetime – and that includes his track record of defeating Donald Trump once before! His administration boasts unparalleled diversity, setting a historical precedent. Having had the privilege to contribute to generational change and LGBTQ representation through my appointment in the State Department, I can attest to the significant impact that such representation has on enhancing the effectiveness of our government.”

BEN SAVAGE: “I fully support the democratic nominee for President. President Biden should be re-elected because of his strong domestic policies.”

MIKE FEUER: “President Biden should be re-elected. His record of delivering major accomplishments on economic recovery, infrastructure, the climate crisis, gun violence prevention, reducing health care costs and much more warrants a second term. And elections are about choices. Donald Trump has tried to undermine democracy, divide Americans against each other with bigoted, xenophobic, misogynistic actions and rhetoric, implemented tax cuts that benefit the wealthy at the expense of ordinary Americans, sacrificed gun safety to pander to the NRA and diminished our nation’s standing throughout the world. He should never hold office again.”

NICK MELVOIN: “President Biden has real achievements that he can run on. He has delivered historic investments in infrastructure and manufacturing. He helped our country recover from the worst pandemic in 100 years. Former President Trump helped incite an insurrection and is currently facing criminal and civil charges in multiple states and jurisdictions and recently said he would not stand by our Democratic allies in Europe if Russia were to attack. When it comes to a choice between President Biden or Former President Trump, I will stand by our Democracy and proudly vote for President Biden.”  

Laura Friedman did not respond.

Sepi Shyne did not respond.

How much longer would you support U.S. funding of Israel’s war efforts against Hamas?

ANTHONY PORTANTINO: “While no one likes or condones the loss of innocent life, Biden appropriately made the US’s position that terrorism is never justified, Israel has a right to defend itself and its people, and that the US supports Israel’s imperative to eliminate the terrorist organization Hamas. The Biden administration has also appropriately pressured Israel to minimize the loss of innocent civilian lives, negotiated the initial pause and led efforts to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches those who desperately need it. The US is well positioned to influence the eventual peace and hopefully a two-state solution. I do not think a self-imposed or arbitrary timeline advances the peace process.”

MAEBE A. GIRL: “I do not support U.S. funding of Israel’s war against Palestinians, which has already resulted in more than 13,000 Palestinian children extrajudicially killed or missing under rubble since October.”

ALEX BALEKIAN: “For me to support any armed conflict, I need to be presented with a clear goal, timeline, and exit strategy.  That said, people need to realize that Palestinians had free and fair elections in 2005, wherein they awarded the presidency to Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian Authority. They had free and fair elections in 2006, wherein they awarded the most number of seats in their parliament to Hamas, after which time there have been no further elections. Thomas Jefferson reportedly said that people get the government that they deserve, and Palestinians freely and fairly elected Hamas to represent them.  If the two-state proposal had been a reality by now, then we would have had one sovereign nation (Palestine) attacking another (Israel), and we wouldn’t be having this discussion about whether Israel is warranted in this response.  That said, the goal of the Israel-Hamas conflict is to destroy Hamas; Israeli citizens deserve for Hamas to be destroyed, and Palestinian citizens deserve for Hamas to be destroyed (notwithstanding the fact that Hamas has installed itself among its sacrificial civilian targets).  The timeline has been going on for 4 months, and already there have been calls from within Israel to broker a ceasefire.  I think each quarter, our allies (Israel included) should make their case as far as their progress towards their goal, what they have achieved with their existing timeline, and what the timeline for their exit strategy will be, and then we in Congress can vote yea or nay.”

 JIRAIR RATEVOSIAN: “I have serious concern about taxpayer support going to the current war efforts that have led to massive civilian casualties and fueled an indiscriminate bombing campaign with no end in sight. While I support US defense aid to Israel, I no longer support U.S. funding of Israel’s current war efforts against Hamas. Additionally, I hold the view that any candidate who has not advocated for a ceasefire lacks the credibility to represent the interests of the Armenian community in Congress.”

BEN SAVAGE: “I support Israel’s right to defend itself, and US funding and aid to Israel until Hamas is defeated and hostages have been returned.”

MIKE FEUER: “I support the U.S. effort to pursue a humanitarian pause to the fighting and the release of all the hostages captured by Hamas. I strongly support a two-state solution in which there is peaceful co-existence. The U.S. should continue to pursue this objective, along with a broader normalization of relations between Israel and Arab nations.”

NICK MELVOIN: “I want this war to end as soon as possible and that could happen tomorrow if Hamas released all the hostages and abdicated power. The U.S. must continue to support Israel, a key ally against terror and the only democracy in the region, until Hamas has been degraded to the point that they can no longer threaten innocent people and all hostages are returned. The Palestinian people deserve better than a terrorist cult as a governing body and only when Hamas is no longer operable will statehood and a path to peace be possible. The US must continue to insist that Israel do all it can to minimize civilian casualties as they work to free hostages and dismantle Hamas. We must also work to ensure humanitarian aid is making its way to the people of Gaza. And we must also remain committed to a two-state solution and work urgently towards that resolution.”

Laura Friedman did not respond.

Sepi Shyne did not respond.

What concessions should Ukraine be prepared to accept in order to end the war with Russia?

ANTHONY PORTANTINO: “Despite stating he wants to negotiate an end to the invasion of Ukraine, most experts believe Putin is being insincere and is waiting to see the outcome of the presidential election. We also cannot forget that this conflict is the result of Russia’s premeditated, unprovoked, and unjustified war against Ukraine. Trump’s chumminess with Putin is another reason President Biden must be re-elected. Since there are no indications that Putin wants to negotiate in good faith, it is impossible to mention or entertain concessions. I certainly would not want Russia controlling the vast agricultural interests in the Ukraine and think Russian aggression and Trump’s feelings toward NATO are a significant cause for concern.”

MAEBE A. GIRL: “The situation in Ukraine is tragic, and I support humanitarian and medical aid to Ukraine. The concessions Ukraine should be prepared to accept in order to end the war with Russia should be for Ukraine to decide. I do not think it’s a bright idea for two nuclear powers to engage in a proxy war.”

ALEX BALEKIAN: “Same response: For me to support any armed conflict, I need to be presented with a clear goal, timeline, and exit strategy.  There is no agreed-upon goal for Ukraine (US and EU want Russia to exit the eastern provinces, while Ukraine wants the eastern provinces AND Crimea).  Whereas the Israeli timeline has been 4 months, the Ukrainian timeline has been 24 months now.  Zelynskyy has also taken over all media in the country and postponed elections indefinitely.  When we as a country are choosing our allies, we should prioritize them by their constitution’s similarities to our own. Right now, Ukraine doesn’t look much different from Russia.  Ukraine should immediately expect the prospect of no more American money, no consideration of NATO membership, and a return to pre-war grain and natural gas exports to support its economy.”

 JIRAIR RATEVOSIAN: “Concessions for Ukraine is a decision for Ukrainians to decide. I believe the role of the United States  should be to provide Ukraine with the means to defend and protect the nation and its democracy and incorporate it into the community of democracies.”

BEN SAVAGE: “Ukraine should negotiate the return of historically Russian territories. In exchange Russia should immediately cease its aggression and withdraw from all other Ukrainian territories. Russia must also agree to the sovereignty of Ukraine and accept the admission of Ukraine into NATO.”

MIKE FEUER: “The U.S. should fund Ukraine’s effort to defend itself now. This is not the time for Ukraine to make concessions to Russian aggression–not as long as Russia strives to illegally annex Ukrainian land.”

NICK MELVOIN: “Ukraine must be in a position to negotiate from a position of strength and end the war on their terms. That is for them to decide. It is our responsibility to support them. Otherwise, Russia and others will attack innocent countries and test our resolve. Our support of Ukraine dollar for dollar is one of the best investments in holding back Russian aggression and demonstrating American commitment to democracies around the world without putting American troops in harm’s way.”

Laura Friedman did not respond.

Sepi Shyne did not respond.

What limitations must the U.S. place on asylum seekers in order to secure the border?

ANTHONY PORTANTINO: “The US should secure our nation’s border while at the same time committing resources to adequately and humanely deal with legitimate asylum seekers in a timely manner. There must be a path to citizenship for the many undocumented family members who have been part of the fabric of our state for decades and we must support DACA students.”

MAEBE A. GIRL: “I do not believe there should be limitations placed on asylum seekers at the border. I believe there needs to be limitations to the cruelty extended to asylum seekers such as elimination of the inhumane razor wire buoys on the Rio Grande and the holding of families and children in cages. It wasn’t acceptable under Trump and it isn’t acceptable under Biden.”

ALEX BALEKIAN: “All those who say they are seeking asylum aren’t truly in danger; ‘asylum’ is a wonderful way to pad your resume and get through the backdoor.I propose a points-based immigration system that ranks applicants using a combination of age (younger, able-bodied people are preferred), job skills necessary for the nation, existing family connections in the US, and proficiency in English.  Even existing illegal immigrants in the US (including Dreamers) could complete the application with a no-fault system that allows them to remain in the country until they are ranked on the wait list; Dreamers would naturally score higher because they are younger, with existing English proficiency, job skills, and existing family connections in the US.  Asylum seekers would wait in Mexico and have their applications processed more quickly, but they would receive no additional points simply for declaring asylum.  Then we, as a nation, could decide which percentage of the list could wait in the country (e.g. 10 or 20%), and the remaining people on the list who are in the country illegally would be deported to their home country or else the third-party country where they entered the US (usually Mexico) where they would wait until they made it to the top of the list to come into the country legally.”

 JIRAIR RATEVOSIAN: “My husband is a former asylum seeker so this issue is very personal for us. We should be encouraging or requiring asylum seekers to make their claims using the CBP One mobile application. With this app, individuals will be able to schedule appointments with a US Government official to determine if they are eligible for asylum before they cross the border. I am aware there are many flaws with the current app so we must work to fix these issues. Encouraging or requiring asylum seekers to make their claims at official ports of entry, combined with the expansion of processing facilities and personnel, can help manage flows and enhance security. Finally, expanding legal pathways for migration, such as work or family visas, could also reduce the pressure on asylum systems.”

BEN SAVAGE: “We can secure the southern border without placing restrictions on asylum seekers.”

MIKE FEUER: “We need comprehensive immigration reform now, including a pathway to citizenship for undocumented residents in the U.S. The U.S. should fund a significant increase in the number of immigration judges who can adjudicate asylum petitions, expediting the processing of applications for those with well-founded fears of persecution and speeding the pace of determining who does not meet that standard. A system of humanitarian parole, like that recently applied to immigrants from Cuba and Haiti, diminished illegal entry from those countries.”

NICK MELVOIN: “Our focus must be to ensure people get a fair hearing of their case. We don’t have enough judges to handle the backlog of cases and they take years to process. When someone does get a hearing, they are often denied because they have no legal representation or knowledge of who to present their case. There are so many people who are fleeing violence and possible death who are turned away because our system stacks the cards against them. This is what needs to change. This also demonstrates the need for bipartisan and comprehensive immigration reform that includes border security and a path to citizenship. I believe Americans are tired of politicians who claim there is an issue and then fail to vote on it or worse yet, those who lack the political courage to put solutions ahead of the party.”

Laura Friedman did not respond.

Sepi Shyne did not respond.

What message would you like to send to people who have reservations about voting for you?

ANTHONY PORTANTINO: “Residents of our district want an effective leader who leads through values, stands on principles, and says the same thing in every room and before every audience. My late mother emphasized that the ‘day you think you’re important, you’re not.’ I personally try to live by those sage comments and do my best each and every day to earn the respect and trust of friends and neighbors across the district. I have been criticized for caring too much, fixing problems and leading. I will take those criticisms. I am the candidate most embedded in the community through organizations like the PTA, AYSO (where I refereed youth soccer for 20 years) and multiple service clubs. In politics they can tell you where to sit but they can’t tell you where to stand. If the bad people discourage the good people from going to Washington, the bad people win by default. I feel a calling to go to DC because it needs leaders who have strong beliefs. It also needs effective leaders who know what it means to collaborate and have the deportment to engender collaboration. There are too many ‘I’ politicians and not enough ‘We’ political leaders.”

MAEBE A. GIRL: “I encourage people to recognize that I have been an elected official in the City of Los Angeles for nearly five years and I have diligently represented my district. Media depictions of my campaign have over-focused on the fact that I am a drag artist and transgender person. These are important aspects of who I am and I am committed to fighting for LGBTQIA+ rights unapologetically, however the media often skips over my political accomplishments and my intersectional, humanitarian platform of human rights and economic equity for all. We should all be rallying behind the idea of guaranteed, universal healthcare, housing, and education for all. These should not be considered pipe dreams in the wealthiest nation on earth while there appears to be a bottomless flow of cash for bombs.”

ALEX BALEKIAN: “I am a California Deukmejian Republican: fiscally-conservative, socially-moderate, pro-choice, law-and-order, and shamelessly supportive of lower taxes and smaller government that does not intrude on our personal decisions.  I personify the best of all worlds; if people want someone who will lower their taxes, balance the budget, come down hard on crime and homelessness, and not try to run their personal lives as if we’re in a Sunday school, then they should vote for me.”

 JIRAIR RATEVOSIAN: “As the son of immigrants who fled to Hollywood to call America home, my roots in this district are deep. My lived experience as a gay Armenian, combined with my deep federal government experience make me uniquely qualified to represent our diverse district in Congress –  we deserve nothing less!”

BEN SAVAGE: “I have spent my entire life in the workforce as a proud union member, helping to create jobs, and finding solutions for critical issues in our community. I am not a career politician, and am not relying on special interest money. Electing the same people who are at the root of California’s problems is not a solution. We can do better. “

MIKE FEUER: “Adam Schiff’s successor must be a proven national leader. I’m the only candidate who has fought authoritarianism and stood up for democracy: I led L.A. to defeat Trump in court when he sought to prevent cities from receiving public safety funds unless police became immigration enforcers. When Republicans suppressed voting rights, I expanded them in California.I’ve written first-in-the-nation gun reform legislation and co-founded the nation’s first coalition of prosecutors combating gun violence. (Former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords and her national gun safety organization, Giffords, endorse me, as does the founder of Women Against Gun Violence, Ann Reiss Lane.) I took on Wall Street, holding Wells Fargo accountable in the fake accounts scandal. I have the strongest record of leadership on women’s reproductive freedom: I was the only California official to enforce the Reproductive Fact Act, requiring crisis pregnancy centers to inform their patients about abortion rights, then wrote L.A.’s law cracking down on misrepresentations by those centers and led L.A. to challenge abortion restrictions in the Supreme Court. I also have the strongest record on LGBTQ+ rights, fighting for marriage equality and against discrimination for decades and winning Equality California’s Legislative Leadership Award. When Mayor Bass strongly endorsed me in this race, she cited the partnership we will have on homelessness when I’m in Congress. I’ve earned the strong support of the West Hollywood/Beverly Hills Democratic Club because of my distinctive record of proven leadership and my vision for the district and the nation.”

NICK MELVOIN: “Our system is broken. My generation is the first who will see fewer opportunities and a lower life expectancy than our parents. We need a new generation of leadership who understands the issues we face and will care more about getting things done than scoring political points. While we may not agree on every policy detail, my commitment to CA-30 constituents is that I and my office will always have an open door and work across lines of difference to achieve progress.”

Laura Friedman did not respond.

Sepi Shyne did not respond.

Which of your fellow candidates would you endorse if you do not make the runoff election in November?

ANTHONY PORTANTINO: “It is a great field and that is a difficult question. I find Sepi, Nick and Maebe to be the most earnest and energetic of my opponents and all would have my sincere consideration.”

MAEBE A. GIRL: “I would only consider endorsing a candidate who has called for an unconditional ceasefire, which is none of the candidates who have raised more than $300,000. “

ALEX BALEKIAN: “All of the other candidates are proudly progressive, and progressive policies have ruined our state. I would write-in the name of my husband, James Clarke, who is also running for Glendale City Council.”

 JIRAIR RATEVOSIAN: “I would endorse the candidate with the most lived experience to represent the true diversity of our district, notably the Armenian and LGBTQ community.  I am especially struck by the significance of Maebe A. Girl’s candidacy, which is frequently overlooked despite its historical importance. She joins me in the urgent call for an immediate ceasefire, a stance that adds to the noteworthy aspects of her candidacy.”

BEN SAVAGE: “I look forward to the upcoming elections and continuing to share our message about the need for new and positive leadership in government.”

MIKE FEUER: “I will be in the November runoff election and look forward to earning the support of every candidate who does not make the runoff.”

NICK MELVOIN: “We plan to win in March and head to the runoff. The CA-30 District is home to some remarkable public servants who I have had the great privilege to campaign alongside this last year. I will of course be supporting Democrats up and down the ballot in November.”

Laura Friedman did not respond.

Sepi Shyne did not respond.