Democratic congressional candidates discuss equality, climate change during forum - WPRI.com

Democratic congressional candidates discuss equality, climate change during forum | WPRI.com

EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — The Rhode Island Democratic Women’s Caucus held an in-person forum Monday night with 10 of the 12 Democratic candidates vying to represent the state’s 1st Congressional District.

In attendance were Gabe Amo, Stephanie Beauté, Walter Berbrick, Sandra Cano, Don Carlson, John Goncalves, Sabina Matos, Ana Quezada, Aaron Regunberg, and Spencer Dickinson. Two of the 12 Democrats that qualified for the Sept. 5 primary did not participate in the forum: state Rep. Stephen Casey and candidate Allen Waters.

None of the candidates addressed the elephant in the room: the signature scandal that has rocked Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos’ campaign. The moderator announced at the start that any candidate who named an opponent would have their microphone shut off.

But the candidates did cover a number of topics, including their stances on abortion, climate change, affirmative action and equality.

When asked what specific legislation would best address climate change, candidates like Beauté, Quezada and Goncalves pointed to the Green New Deal, arguing it would add jobs and represents an aggressive policy approach that the nation needs to combat the problem.

Berbrick called climate change an “existential crisis” and said if elected to Congress his focus would be on increasing awareness, investing in clean energy jobs, and protecting the nation’s air, water and public lands.

Matos said it’s important not to forget communities that have been impacted the most by climate change when implementing new legislation, and Cano said climate legislation needs to have investments in infrastructure improvements in Rhode Island.

Regunberg claimed that he’s the only candidate in the race endorsed by environmental and climate organizations, and said he supports the Green New Deal.

Amo pointed to the Inflation Reduction Act, which passed while he was working at the Biden White House.

“Getting those dollars, for everything from urban forestry … to the climate resilience funds coming out of the Commerce Department and NOAA, and making sure the consumer side benefits are well known,” Amo said of his priorities. “So, there’s work to do with what we have in the IRA.”

When it came to the topic of supporting a person’s right to bodily autonomy and whether Medicare and Medicaid should cover medical procedures such as an abortion and transgender health care, all but one candidate said yes.

Dickinson, a former state representative, called the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision a historic mistake. “Every abortion is a tragedy,” he said.

However, many of the other Democrats said they support codifying Roe v. Wade into federal law. Many pointed to their own daughters, saying they believed they were fighting for their rights.

“Women’s rights are on the table. They’re under attack right now, and we need to stand up and defend those rights,” said Carlson.

“I’m very concerned that right now we’re losing rights — women’s rights and LGBTQ rights,” Matos said.

“We need representation when it comes to a woman’s right,” added Beauté. “We’ve had many men stand in champion for us. I think it’s time that a women be able to speak on their uterus.”

Cano and Quezada pointed to their track records of supporting legislation regarding abortion rights on the local level in the General Assembly.

All the candidates are running to replace former Rep. David Cicilline, who stepped down earlier this summer to lead the Rhode Island Foundation.

The primary is Sept. 5, with early voting set to start on Aug. 16. The special election is slated for Nov. 7.