Four of the Six Democratic CD6 candidates debate in Ipswich

IPSWICH — Four of the six Democrats vying for Massachusetts’ 6th Congressional District seat came to Ipswich Tuesday night to make their final pitch to voters, just one week before the state primary.  

Candidates Beth Andres-Beck, John Beccia, Jamie Belsito, and Mariah Lancaster answered questions from moderator Don Heflin and the audience on a variety of topics from reproductive rights to declining confidence in the Democratic Party. 

Dan Koh and Tram Nguyen, the other two Democratic candidates, were not in attendance. Nguyen was unable to attend due to traffic, Heflin said, and Koh had other campaign commitments.

Their absence was felt strongly by many attendees — one person at the event even urged voters to take note of who was not there. Most of the attendees seemed happy with the candidates who were there, though. 

“I think I’m speaking for everybody in this room when I say I’d be happy with any of these candidates,” Heflin said, generating a loud round of applause from the packed room.

The four Democrats share many policy positions, but they answered a few key questions on Tuesday night that may set them apart. 

Markey or Moulton?

When Heflin asked the candidates if they would support Sen. Ed Markey or Rep. Seth Moulton in the senate race, a chorus of “oohs” broke out among the audience. 

Beccia was the only candidate to voice support for Moulton. Beccia said he is running because he thinks it is time for change and new ideas in politics and that Moulton is the candidate for change. Moulton is talking about the things that matter most, he said.

Andres-Beck offered a very different answer, saying they are “disgusted by the open ageism” in politics and will be supporting Markey for his policies.

“I’m supporting the older progressive because what matters to me is not age,” Andres-Beck said. “It’s not a number or how much gray we have in our hair or don’t, it is: What do we stand for as a party?”

Lancaster also said they would be supporting Markey. As an environmentalist, Lancaster said they support Markey’s policies — particularly his Green New Deal — and will continue to support Markey until they are his age.

Belsito said Markey is the reason her first maternal mental health bill was codified and her grandmother’s brother’s name is on the Vietnam War memorial. She said she owes Markey a “debt of gratitude.”

Hakeem Jeffries

All four candidates said they would like to see someone other than Rep. Hakeem Jeffries as house speaker. Whoever is elected to Congress will have the opportunity to cast a vote for Jeffries or for someone else. 

While Beccia said he would vote for him if he’s the best person available, he said he believes the party needs to move along.

Andres-Beck, Lancaster, and Belsito expressed far more fierce opposition to Jeffries. 

Andres-Beck criticized him for meeting with Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law, and Lancaster said they could not “in good conscience” support Jeffries because he does not stand for the same policies. 

Belsito called Jeffries “AIPAC bought and paid for” and said she would like to see someone from the progressive caucus lead the house.

Committees 

Heflin also asked the candidates what committee assignments they would want if elected to Congress. 

Andres-Beck said they would like to serve on the Science, Space, and Technology committee, which they said should be regulating Artificial Intelligence (AI) and “so far has failed to step up to the job.” As a software engineer, Andres-Beck said they have the background needed to supervise and regulate technologies like AI.

Lancaster said they would want to serve on Energy and Commerce, but noting that incumbents could fill the committee,  they said they would also serve on Natural Resources and Transportation and Infrastructure.

Lancaster said on the Natural Resources committee, they would combat the Trump administration’s attack on “every ounce of our natural environment that they are trying to set on fire.” As a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure committee, Lancaster would push to electrify the commuter rail and secure funding to support the region’s aging transit. 

Belsito also named three committees she’d like to serve on: Education and Workforce, Judiciary, and Foreign Relations. Funding for public education needs serious reform, as does the country’s immigration system, and the country needs to build up its diplomacy, not spend money on foreign wars, Belsito said.

Beccia said the Financial Services committee would be a natural fit for his background as a financial services executive, but he also said he would like to serve on Education and Workforce. He said he believes in universal pre-k, $20,000 a year for early childcare costs, expanding access to trade schools and other career pathways, and staying ahead of AI.

Whoever wins the primary on Sept. 1 will face off against Republican Micah Q. Jones in the general election on Nov. 3.