NEW YORK (PIX11) – Alison Esposito, a Republican candidate running for Congress in New York’s 18th District, said she does not support a ban on assault weapons and that America doesn’t have a gun problem.

Esposito made the comments during a debate against Democratic U.S. Rep. Pat Ryan on PIX11 Wednesday night.

When asked if assault weapons should be banned, Esposito said, “No, you do not accomplish any rule or safety by taking guns out of legal, lawful people’s hands. We have to punish criminals for their actions.”

Esposito added, “We have a heart problem in this country and a mental health problem in this country. We don’t have a gun problem in this country.”

Additionally, Esposito said she does not support a ban on bump stocks and extended magazines.

“We’re targeting a weapon and not the individual. We need to be targeting the individual that perpetrates these crimes and hold them accountable,” Esposito said. “We do not remove a Second Amendment right from our citizens simply because somebody else committed a crime.”

Esposito’s opponent, Ryan, said during the debate that he supports a ban on assault weapons.

“These are weapons of war and they should not be on our street. We absolutely should put back in place an assault weapons ban. We saw this from 1994 to 2004 when we had one in this country, it dramatically brought down violent gun deaths and saved lives. We also should ban bump stocks. We also should limit high-capacity magazine rounds.”

To watch the full debate between Esposito and Ryan, click here.

New York’s 18th Congressional District spans the mid-Hudson Valley and includes Orange County and most of Dutchess and Ulster counties.

The race between Ryan and Esposito is among the most closely watched in the nation. The outcome could impact the balance of power in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Ryan is leading Esposito 48% to 43% in the race, according to a recent poll from PIX11, The Hill and Emerson College.

Esposito is a retired NYPD deputy inspector and precinct commanding officer. She previously ran as a candidate for New York lieutenant governor alongside Republican gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin, who lost to Gov. Kathy Hochul in the 2022 general election.

Ryan was first elected to represent NY-18 in a special election in 2022. He is a retired military intelligence officer in the U.S. Army.