Left In Lowell

Most of my fellow bloggers Mike at Marry in Massachusetts, Tony at RichardHowe’s blog and Jackie Doherty have already reported or given their views on the first debate among the candidates for the 5th District Congressional race but here are my impressions.

It was held right here in Lowell on Saturday as a session of the New England News Forum.

First, we are fortunate to have a large group of candidates who offer a variety of experience, are knowledgeable and opinionated. I wish all of our elections had this type of competitiveness. I am a firm believer that elections with unopposed incumbents are a threat to democracy.

But that is an issue for another time, back to Saturday’s debate. The six candidates who accepted the invitation were Eileen Donoghue, Jamie Eldridge, Barry Finegold, James DiPaola, Niki Tsongas, and David O’Brien. After their opening statement, the candidates took questions from the audience.

Those of us who were in attendance were grateful to Dick Howe for doing all the leg work to make this happen. Charlotte Crockford of LTC should also be publicly praised for organizing the volunteers to tape the days’ events. The cable access station will be broadcasting the debate at a later time. In the spirit that dominates the blogsphere, I want to mention that I am a supporter of Eileen Donoghue’s candidacy.

Some of my friends and colleagues, people I respect, are supporters of Jamie Eldridge so I am quite familiar with his views and background. Prior to the debate, I did not know much about David O’Brien. I was quite impressed with his story and his ability to explain his views. And I thought his closing comments about his lack of personal funds or name recognition was gutsy.

I had met Barry Feingold once but never had an opportunity to hear him speak. He is quite articulate in explaining his views; this will serve him well during the upcoming months. Jim DiPaola’s political skills were evident when he approached me at the conclusion of the debate to introduce himself. I had asked a couple of questions during the debate, and I assume that is what triggered his curiosity.

Niki Tsongas’ campaign’s strong organization was apparent. Quite a few staff members accompanied her and one of her volunteers was busy taking notes throughout the discussion. Most of the other candidates were accompanied by family and friends.

It is obvious that most of these candidates have many of the same views on healthcare, the War, education, immigration, and global warming. So this race will be come down to character, capability, experience, and organizational skills.

This debate gave these candidates the first opportunity to hear their opponents’ views and refine their message. But more importantly, it gave the public a chance to hear the candidates speak directly to us.