U.S. Representative Lee Zeldin, Anna Throne-Holst Debate Thursday Night

U.S. Representative Lee Zeldin and Democratic challenger Anna Throne-Holst hammered each other on gun control, shared strategies to help veterans, and even voiced their opinions on the second presidential debate during their own debate held last week in the Westhampton Beach High School auditorium.

Sitting in front of an estimated 200 people at the event, sponsored by the League of Women Voters of the Hamptons, on October 13, the candidates quickly brought the conversation to gun control. Ms. Throne-Holst, a former Southampton Town supervisor, accused Mr. Zeldin of opposing an expansion of background checks for those looking to purchase firearms and voting in favor of allowing people on the federal government’s terrorist watch list to be allowed to buy them. “He dances around the subject, but that is in fact what he has done,” Ms. Throne-Holst said.

In her most recent campaign commercial, she accuses her Republican opponent of voting against the gun control measure, which seeks to keep such weapons out of the hands of terrorists, 25 times. He has since voted against the measure three more times since the political advertisement aired, according to her campaign.

Mr. Zeldin rejected those claims as “a flat-out lie.”

“It polls really, really, really well if you can convince voters that your opponent wants terrorists to be able to purchase firearms,” Mr. Zeldin said. “Well, I’ve been doing my part my entire life to make sure there is no threat to American security here at home or abroad. I will continue to do my part.”

He explained that he has repeatedly voted against the measure, introduced by U.S. Representative Peter King, a fellow Republican representing New York’s 2nd District, because House Democrats have significantly altered the intent of the legislation in the wake of the June mass shooting at a nightclub in Orlando, Florida, that left 49 people dead and another 53 wounded. As part of that effort, the bill has been piggybacked with other unrelated legislation—such as a proposal that would make it impossible for a non-citizen to earn citizenship if he or she is ever convicted of human trafficking—in a maneuver on the House floor, prompting both Mr. Zeldin and Mr. King, the bill’s sponsor, to vote against the measure.

He said he supports a similar measure penned by Republican leaders, which would restrict the sale of guns to those on a government terrorist watch list, but put the responsibility on the government to prove they are a danger.

The candidates also discussed local issues, including how to help veterans. Ms. Throne-Holst said she would focus on making sure veterans had access to jobs, housing and medical care. “We are not doing enough,” she said. “We have seen reports repeatedly over the last several years that the [Veterans Administration] hospital in Northport isn’t able to provide services. It’s underserved.

“I will make sure that every veteran who comes back has jobs and access to job training,” Ms. Throne-Holst continued. “There are not-for-profits that are going to work on this. We are going to use our educational system, there are companies that want to hire veterans on Long Island but need to make sure they are trained for it, and we will roll out those programs to make sure that happens.”

Mr. Zeldin, who served in the U.S. Army for four years and is now a major in the Army Reserves, explained that when he was a state senator, he created the Private 1st Class Joseph P. Dwyer Veteran Peer Support Program, which was designed to assists those veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, and traumatic brain injuries.

“Here in Suffolk County, we have too many veterans who feel isolated,” Mr. Zeldin said. “They don’t realize there are other veterans in our community who are going through exactly what they are going through. But there are people they can call, strangers, who will drop everything to come over and lend a helping arm.”

The candidates were equally split when it came to national politics. Ms. Throne-Holst expressed her support for Hillary Clinton, the Democratic Party’s nominee for president, while slamming Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump for being a “sexual predator,” referring to recent reports in which nine women have accused him of sexual assault.

“I don’t see how anyone can support a sexual predator, an individual who disparages a Gold Star family, an individual who makes fun of people with disabilities,” Ms. Throne-Holst said. “I don’t know how anyone checks their moral compass, who is in elected office and understands what it takes to be in an elected office, and thinks that it is okay to support someone who is all of what I just said.”

Ms. Throne-Holst acknowledged during the debate that Ms. Clinton “made a mistake” with the confidential emails she sent through her family’s private server while employed as Secretary of State, but doesn’t think that she should be in jail—as repeatedly stated by Mr. Trump at the most recent presidential debate—explaining that she believes the legal process was completed properly.

“She made a mistake with her email server—there is no question about that,” Ms. Throne-Holst said. “She’s taken responsibility for it … We have two candidates. One them is going to win the White House and one that is going to make an appointment, or several, to the Supreme Court. One of them, Hillary Rodham Clinton, is going to make sure that appointee will … get the dark money out of politics.”

Mr. Zeldin said that he was angry that Ms. Clinton wasn’t held accountable for crimes she committed, referring to her emails.

“The conflicts of the Clinton Foundation, with the fact that she mishandled classified information, having a server in her basement—these were crimes that were committed,” Mr. Zeldin said. “Fortunately, every single day we have people going to court for much less fractions, yet Hillary Clinton is not being held accountable for the crimes in the judicial system and that is deeply unfortunate.”

Mr. Zeldin endorsed Mr. Trump during last week’s debate, though he noted that “neither of our candidates are perfect.”

“I endorsed Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton,” Mr. Zeldin said. “I have some serious issues with Hillary Clinton and her record. This is not just about electing a president for the next four years. This is also about the future of our Supreme Court for maybe the next 40 [years].”

The candidates will debate again on Saturday, October 22, at 2 p.m., at the Southampton Arts Center. Moderator Joseph P. Shaw, executive editor of The Press News Group, will preside over the one-hour discussion, which will be held without time limits or other typical debate restrictions.