Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren and Republican challenger John Deaton faced off Tuesday in the first televised debate of the Massachusetts Senate race.
Warren and Deaton spent the better part of an hour answering questions covering immigration, housing and more in the debate hosted by WBZ-TV and the Boston Globe.
An attorney and former U.S. Marine, Deaton is looking to unseat Warren, who is seeking a third term.
He went on the offensive early – charging Warren with extremism while answering a question on his support for a failed bipartisan border bill that died in the U.S. Senate – one he emphasized Warren voted against.
“… and Senator Warren is extreme on this - she supports open borders, she voted ‘No’ on that border bill,” Deaton claimed. “It would have brought relief. It wasn't perfect – you don't let perfect get in the way of good - and she's so extreme, she objects to President Biden's cap of 2,500 a day - that's how extreme.”
In her response, Warren said for the Republican Party, the border makes for a reliable election issue, but when it comes time to pass legislation, comprehensive reform often falls short.
“Remember, I did not buy a ticket on a boat that Donald Trump had already sunk. By the time we voted on this one, we all knew the bill was dead, the Republican support had been pulled - the big question is, ‘What position do you want to be in as we're negotiating for real immigration reform?’ and for me, we need a pathway to citizenship, and we also need full reimbursement for the states that are currently housing the migrants,” the Democrat said.
The night also featured Deaton emphasizing he would be a moderate in the senate.
He previously said he would vote to codify a federal right to an abortion if given the chance – a matter that came up soon after the immigration question.
Warren went on to say with the balance of the Senate in play, there’d be “zero opportunity” to vote on such a law if it’s controlled by Republicans.
The candidates were also asked about ballot Question 2, which if approved, would eliminate the use of MCAS testing as a high school graduation requirement.
Warren, a longtime educator, will be voting “Yes.”
“Our teachers are telling us that the consequence of this test is actually to teach our kids less, because we're teaching them more about test taking skills, taking them out of the classroom,” she said. “They want an opportunity to help shape a broader view of which children get a high school diploma, and I think that's something that we should support our teachers who have helped us build the number one education system in the country.”
Deaton, meanwhile, indicated he’s a “no” on the matter.
“I come from the KISS method – “Keep It Simple, Stupid” of the Marine Corps,” Deaton said. “If it ain't broke, don't fix it. And so here you go, Senator Warren bragging ‘We have the best system, but let's change it’ - makes no sense, just like everything in Washington just about makes no sense.”
The debate, one of two this week, comes only a few weeks before the Nov. 5 election and just before early voting in Massachusetts starts Saturday.
The latest UMass Amherst and WCVB poll finds Warren leads Deaton 56 percent to 34. The results were similar to the respondents’ take on Question 2 – which was 53 percent to 36.
