Is John Tierney Dodging Debates?

Incumbent U.S. Rep. John Tierney (D-Salem), the Congressman from Salem who has represented the Sixth Congressional District for the past 18 years, is being accused by two of his closest party challengers of “ducking” debates a week before the primary election.

On Tuesday night, Democratic Party challengers Seth Moulton and Marisa DeFranco debated and answered questions for Nightside host Dan Rea and callers on WBZ-AM radio. On Wednesday night, The City’s Voice, a cable television show on LynnCam, also hosted a debate. Moulton and Defranco both participated, but Tierney did not attend.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday afternoon, DeFranco noted that Tierney was “skipping” the Lynn debate. Moulton accused Tierney of “dodging” both the WBZ and LynnCam debate. Moulton also said Tierney showed up 45 minutes late at a candidate forum at Brooksby Village in Peabody last week. Online videos of the debate show Tierney’s seat empty at the start of the debate. Tierney said a scheduling conflict kept him away from Tuesday night’s debate.

“Massachusetts families deserve better than a Congressman who ducks and hides,” Moulton said in a press release issued on Wednesday.

Before this week, Tierney took part in several candidate forums and debates, including one at Beverly High School and another at Middlesex Community College, hosted by the Salem News and Lowell Sun.

Democrats John Devine and John Gutta will also be on the Democratic Party ballot next Tuesday in the race for the Sixth Congressional District seat in Congress.