A state Senate primary race in western Massachusetts is heating up, with the incumbent and a challenger sitting down for a debate in Springfield Thursday night.
State Senator Adam Gomez and Springfield Ward 4 City Councilor Malo Brown promoted their resumes and traded accusations during a televised debate Thursday night.
Hosted by Focus Springfield and lasting nearly 50 minutes, both made their case for representing the bulk of Springfield and parts of Chicopee on Beacon Hill.
Brown initially set out to focus on reducing crime and increasing support for local seniors.
The councilor and chief of staff for 11th Hampden State Representative Bud Williams then spent much of the night attacking Gomez, a second-term Democrat.
Brown repeatedly accused Gomez of interfering with the recent appointment of Springfield Police Superintendent Lawrence Akers.
“I fought against him, telling him, ‘How can you defund the police?’” Brown said. “... what are we going to do in the future, call Ghostbusters? Fast forward - you see all the violence. Senator Gomez voted to defund the police. Then, he doubles down and he goes and he berates the whole city council, to try to block the first Black Chief Superintendent.”
Gomez, a former Springfield city councilor, rejected the claims. He said when the council was tasked with approving language involving Akers's appointment in February, officials also discussed amendments that would alter the powers of the Board of Police Commissioners.
The senator, as well as State Representatives Carlos Gonzalez and Orlando Ramos, spoke before the council at the time, demanding the civilian board that oversees the police department have its powers to hire, discipline and promote be protected rather than reduced.
“When I went there and I spoke out, it was for the police commission, because my mother – like you, I have a lot of family in law enforcement: captains, sergeants - my mother was one of the last police commissioners, and I know … the police commission … led by our community, is what we needed,” Gomez responded. “It had nothing to do with Larry Akers’s appointment - it was about you guys going against your community and giving back the power to the mayor and the city council, after the city council that was there before, fought 10 years hard on behalf of our ----ing people. Sorry for the language.”
The Senator also lobbed allegations at the councilor. Gomez accused Brown of wearing campaign materials while in city hall and accompanying Williams.
He also questioned if Brown, an employee of the state legislature, violated state ethics laws at any point by voting on items involving state funds during city council meetings.
Brown emphasized he is running a “clean campaign" and said he consults with legal experts when it comes to what he can or cannot vote on.
“I work with the lawyers and the legal team within the city council and I deal with the actual ethics people in the actual state house,” he responded. “So, anything that I have any questions on, as far as if I'm able to vote on it or not, I review it with them and they OK it.”
By the time final remarks were made, the temperature in the room had started to cool.
Gomez emphasized his office’s accessibility, and advocacy for housing justice, immigrant rights and more.
“My office speaks more than five different languages, we have been instrumental in guiding individuals to their resources and helping hundreds and thousands of people in the last four years,” Gomez said. “I'm running for my third term, not for me, but for us. I'm a person that comes from the heart, comes with compassion and is resilient.”
Brown said at a time of higher consumer prices, many are struggling. He said, as senator, he would advocate for more resources for Springfield and Chicopee. He also sought to distance himself from the debate’s pitched tone.
“I know a lot of people think - this isn't like the presidency, where the two candidates - we don't hate each other,” the councilor said. “He's friends with my family, I'm friends with his family, but ... I just believe that I'll do a better job.”
The full debate can be found here.
