NAHANT — COVID-19, racial violence, and the local economy — Sunday night’s debate of the three candidates running to represent Massachusetts’ sixth district in U.S. Congress covered a wide spectrum of issues.
The Democratic Town Committees of Nahant, Marblehead, and Swampscott jointly hosted the debate with candidates being incumbent U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), Jamie Belsito, and Angus McQuilken. Essex Media Group’s The Item and La Voz were media sponsors for the event.
Each candidate was given an opportunity to introduce themselves.
McQuilken, a husband and father of four children from Topsfield, worked for more than a decade as a member of the staff of Cheryl Jacques, the first openly lesbian state senator in Massachusetts, has worked as the vice president of public affairs for Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts, and has worked for the Democratic National Convention Committee and the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center. McQuilken said he is truly the “only progressive Democrat” running to represent sixth-district constituents.
Belsito, a self-described “progressive leader” and “women’s rights champion,” is the granddaughter of Syrian refugees, a “first-generation Salem State grad,” and an “everyday person, a kid who grew up in a working-class home.” Belsito became a women’s health and maternal mental health advocate after suffering from postpartum depression following the birth of her daughters, and helped organize the first advocacy day for women’s health on Capitol Hill in 2016.
Moulton, the incumbent representative for the last five years, is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who lives in Salem with his wife and daughter. Moulton said he is “proud of (his) record and happy to defend it,” having backed bills that expanded services like the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (the “V.A.”).
Moulton was questioned about his 2014 pledge to draw more businesses and innovation to Lynn. He said he facilitated roughly $1.2 billion invested in workforce services in Lynn during his time in congress, including programs at General Electric — Moulton was a strong advocate of the U.S. Army program that contracted GE for more than $500 million to build helicopter engines last year.
“Lynn is the gateway to this district. It has so much potential as a city,” Moulton said.
Asked what she would do for the district’s biggest city, Belsito said she would fight for more government funding for community banks, minority groups, and others in the city, which has seen “off-the-charts” COVID-19 cases.
McQuilken broke down his priorities for the city into categories, including improving economic development, transportation, education, and housing. He said he has spent lots of time in Lynn, and has handed out masks to essential workers at the commuter rail station.
On racism and police violence, Moulton said he was one of the original sponsors of the George Floyd Justice in Police Act, a resolution for police reform. Belsito said she would make sure work is done to make police “community partners” who receive more training in deescalation tactics, while McQuilken said more “adequate screening” is needed when hiring police officers to make sure police agencies find “the right person to have a badge and a gun.”
Belsito said the government’s response to COVID-19 has been “abysmal,” with more than four days to get test results back in some places. For Moulton, government aid during the pandemic has “helped” but more needs to be done, and he campaigns for Democrats in other states who also want more funds for COVID-19 relief. McQuilken said the government has failed to get relief money to the country’s fishermen in a timely manner, and that he also wants to see COVID-19 relief money support innovative companies in cities like Lynn.
At the end of the debate, Moulton was challenged by both of his opponents on a few topics. His bid to run as the Democratic nominee for U.S. president was brought up.
“I love this job, I love this district, and I ran for president because I love this country,” Moulton said.
McQuilken said he doesn’t take “corporate PAC money, and he (Moulton) does — and significant amounts.” McQuilken then said Moulton took over $78,000 from a donor, Glenn Dubin, tied to Jeffrey Epstein and his national sex abuse scandal, and the money is “still in his account.” Moulton quickly interjected.
“No it’s not. I returned the money,” Moulton said.
Moulton said the allegation he would keep money from someone suspected of sex abuse is “absurd” and that he has donated the money to charities or returned it.
