VISTA, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — Six Democratic candidates running for California’s 48th congressional district shared their vision at a forum Friday night hosted by the Democratic Club of Vista.

The newly redrawn map stretches from Escondido and parts of Oceanside all the way to Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley.

Voters listened as the candidates shared their policy positions with the affordability crisis front and center.

“So, one of the things I’m calling for is the first $50,000 of everyone’s taxes to be exempt from FICA tax and social security. That’s a 6% raise in everyone’s paycheck on the first 50-grand that they’ll see every pay period, not just at tax time,” said candidate and small business owner Brandon Riker.

Healthcare and housing also stand out as major targets for cost reductions.

“The system that we have right now is completely broken, and we can have a better healthcare system – one in which we have a single-payer system that we all pay into. Right now, insurance companies are taking $900 billion in revenue. That money can be used for our healthcare,” said candidate and teacher Abel Chavez.

“Bringing down price-gouging and monopolies. Lowering taxes for working-class people. Asking the well-off and well-connected billionaires to give back to the people that made their success possible and just making this city and this community more livable,” said candidate Ammar Campa-Najjar.

“Whether it’s permanent housing for mixed-income individuals or it’s public transportation, where you can just get an affordable ticket on the train from Riverside to San Diego. Whether its student-loan debt cancelling that and finding different pathways,” said candidate and Vista councilmember Corinna Contreras.

The candidates are also highlighting other top priorities on the campaign trail.

“My focus will be on making America, I won’t say great again, but making America the best that we can be,” said candidate and member of the California State Board of Equalization, Mike Schaefer.

“I was a labor rights lawyer under President Obama’s administration, so I believe in workers’ rights. I believe in the ability to have fair pay and a safe workplace and I believe in our rights as women to have access to reproductive freedom and I am a young LGBTQ woman,” said candidate and San Diego councilmember Marni von Wilpert.

The Democratic candidates also discussed executive overreach.

“It’s been since the 1800s since the last time we expanded the United States Supreme Court. Constitutionally, it doesn’t have to sit at nine,” said Riker.

“We must pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act when we get to Congress and finally protect us from Donald Trump’s attacks on our voting rights we see every day,” said von Wilpert.

“We need to be able to fund our post office better to make sure that our ballots actually get to where they need to go,” said Contreras.

Immigration reform, calling for an end to wars, and the current administration are also hot-button issues for the Democratic pool.

There are 14 total candidates who have filed to run in the race for California’s 48th congressional district, with San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond running as the only Republican.

A top two primary is set for June 2.

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