With one week left until the special election to fill John Kerry's vacant Senate seat Republican Gabriel Gomez and Democratic U.S. Rep. Edward Markey had one last chance to trade barbs with each other during a final debate Tuesday night.
The debate between Markey and Gomez felt more like a Democratic Party primary as Gomez continued to try and distance himself from the Republican party in order to win support in the very Democratically leaning Massachusetts. One particular spat occurred when Markey said he was irritated by Gomez failing to support a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, reports the Christian Science Monitor.
"You've been completely misrepresenting my view on gun control," Gomez said. "I'm the one who's going against the NRA."
Both candidates rushed to express their support for affirmative action, a move that shocked Marc Landy, a political scientist at Boston College. Democrats tend to be reluctant to show too much support for affirmative action but Gomez took a very rare stance by expressing support for affirmative action.
"It's been a very long time since I've heard a Republican express that kind of support," Landy told the Christian Science Monitor.
Gomez brought his personal history into almost every answer, a tactic that he has been using for the entirety of the campaign. Peter Ubertaccio, the chairman of the political science department at Stonehill College, has been following the race and said that Gomez's knowledge of the issues has grown as the race has progressed.
"If you've been watching him progress since the primaries, you see there's been a huge amount of improvement as a candidate in his ability to answer questions and not rely on canned one-liners," Ubertaccio told the Christian Science Monitor.
Whenever Gomez got a chance he attacked Markey for being a career politician.
"I think 37 years is enough time," Gomez said referring to the time Markey has spent in the House. "I ask you to give me 17 months to see if I fit this role. If I have, reelect me, and if I haven't vote me out."
Markey attacked Gomez for being wealthy and not paying his fair share of taxes, as well as for refusing to release a list of clients that he worked with while working in private equity, according to the Christian Science Monitor.
"Mr. Gomez makes 10 times more than I do per year, and he paid pretty much the same tax rate," Markey said.
As the campaign winds down Markey has a significant monetary advantage over Gomez with $2.3 million to spend compared to Gomez's stash of under $1 million, reports Fox News. Gomez is confident that he can overcome that advantage.
"I've been the underdog my whole life," Gomez said. "You saw the comeback of the underdog begin today in earnest. You're going to see that for the next seven days."
