The writers of a Sept. 16 Gazette column, “A vote for Morse will not help oust Trump,” former Washington D.C. residents Raymond Ahearn and Kerry Dumbaugh argued that Congressman Richard Neal, (1st Congressional District), a longtime legislator, is too valuable to the Democratic Party’s goal of defeating Trump in 2020.
As moderate Democrats, they dismiss challenger Alex Morse’s embrace of the mainstream movement to extend Medicare for All and the bold Green New Deal resolution addressing the global climate change crisis as “nothing bad.” These ideas are no longer coming from the left of the party, but are championed by an influx of active new voters who are energized by the winning campaigns of bold new leaders.
Even recent Democratic candidate debates highlighted this inspirational agenda of 2020 Democratic Party voters. Rep. Neal may hold a powerful seat in Washington, but he has failed miserably at listening to and representing the interests of his constituents for decades. He’s no longer “somewhat detached,” but has disappeared entirely from interacting with a generation of young voters who have not seen nor heard from him in their district, except for his annual appearance in the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Day parade.
His fundraising ability is to be admired considering his war chest of campaign donations aimed at buying influence. He has found time to meet with his donors in Boston while unable to meet with the Springfield residents living in his district.
Mayor Alex Morse, born and raised in Holyoke, knows the everyday problems faced by western Massachusetts families who need guaranteed health care, better schools and public transportation and jobs that contribute to rebuilding our failing infrastructure.
Morse will only accept small campaign donations — those of average voters, not from wealthy pharmaceutical companies. A campaign built on small donations from average voters won’t divert resources away from Neal, who has all the resources he needs to fight a campaign challenge by Morse.
The writers acknowledged the failures of Neal, while proposing that an election upset would embolden Trump by giving him more “talking points’ about divisions in the Democratic Party. On the contrary, the Democratic Party needs bold new leadership, the likes of Morse, who can build unity around our shared values, truly represent the people in the district and overcome the divisive Trump agenda.
Patricia Healey
Florence