Moulton: Rift With Pelosi In Past

SALEM, MA — Rep. Seth Moulton said he and Rep. Speaker Nancy Pelosi have moved past their 2018 rift when Moulton backed an effort to have her removed as Speaker of the House, noting that he ultimately voted for her, has traveled with her and has continued to work with her.

Moulton's comments came during Sunday's debate with Angus McQuilken and Jamie Zahlaway Belsito, his two challengers in next month's Democratic primary. While McQuilken and Jamie Belsito, both of Topsfield, tried to attack the incumbent's record in Congress, Moulton mostly focused on his accomplishments.

"This is a political campaign and people are going to sling mud," Moulton, the three-term representative from the state's sixth Congressional district, said. "I’m not concerned about that."

McQuilken pointed to Moulton's short-lived presidential run as another example of the incumbent is not focused "on the job he has now." Belsito, meanwhile, attacked Moulton's role in the federal government's response to the coronavirus pandemic, which she called "abysmal."

"We are still no farther down the road than we were on March 12 when the state shut down,” She said. "We expect children to go back to school, but it’s like playing Russian roulette."

Sunday's town was sponsored by the democratic town committees in Marblehead, Swampscott and Nahant. The winner of the Sept. 1 primary will faced Republican John Paul Moran, a Bilerica businessman, in November's general election.

Dave Copeland writes for Patch and can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).