RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- With early voting set to begin later this month, congressional candidates are making their pitches to voters ahead of the midterm elections.  Capitol Bureau reporter Tyler Englander sat down with incumbent Republican Congressman John McGuire, who’s seeking re-election in Virginia’s 5th Congressional District. McGuire said that he has delivered for the district in his first term in office. “We’ve helped bring in ten million dollars back into the pockets of hardworking Americans owed to them by the federal government,” McGuire told 8News. “We’ve also worked with the White House and the governor's office, Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s office, to help negotiate $20 billion investment, economic development back into the district, bringing high-paying jobs.”  McGuire outlined his work and future plans on affordability while also blaming inflation on former President Joe Biden’s immigration policies.  Englander asked, “How are you working in Congress, and how will your work over the next two years, if you’re re-elected, ease Virginians' affordability concerns?" “By keeping the border safe, that’s helping. Issuing new drilling permits so that we become energy dominant, not energy dependent, is certainly gonna help with affordability. And the free market competition, cutting regulations, reducing taxes,” said McGuire. “When we passed the Working Family Tax Cut, the One Big Beautiful Bill, we prevented the largest tax increase on the middle class in history.”  Next, Englander asked, “What’s your message to Virginians who feel like they gave Republicans control of the branches of government to tackle affordability, but haven’t?”  “It’s a ship that’s moving in the right direction," McGuire said. "We got rid of some taxes, and Gov. Abigail Spanberger added the taxes back at the state level, so Virginia's paying taxes that, for example, that other states aren't paying." When we asked for clarification on his claims about Gov. Abigail Spanberger, McGuire’s campaign pointed us to tax policy decisions and budget language that allows localities to hold a referendum to impose a 1% sales tax for school construction and renovation.  Regarding the One Big Beautiful Bill, which McGuire voted for before it was signed into law, he said it will save Virginians money.  “We ran into a young woman, no tax on tips, she said that covered her rent for the year, and that’s real results,” McGuire said.  When asked about the Congressional Budget Office’s finding that the law, which includes new work/qualifying activity requirements for the Medicaid expansion population and more, “will increase by 10 million the number of people without health insurance in 2034,” McGuire defended his vote.   Englander asked, “What’s your message to Virginians who may lose their health insurance coverage as a result of a bill that you voted for?” “It was a good vote, and we took people off of the rolls that are not U.S. citizens,” McGuire said. “But I think there’s dignity in work… if you qualify for the program, you should have it, but those that don’t qualify need to work like everybody else.” Our full interview with McGuire, which includes more on affordability, the One Big Beautiful Bill, the war in Iran, data centers, election security and immigration, can be watched below. Our conversation with McGuire’s opponent, former Democratic Congressman Tom Perriello, will air on Friday, September 4.  Watch Capitol Bureau reporter Tyler Englander's full interview with Rep. John McGuire. ...read more read less