NEPM News reporter Adam Frenier and GBH News political reporters Adam Reilly and Saraya Wintersmith moderate the debate, the only one held in Western Mass.

John Deaton, an attorney, has positioned himself as a moderate Republican and easily won the three-way primary in September. 

SPRINGFIELD, Mass.— Berkshire County was mentioned several times during Thursday's Senate debate, hosted by New England Public Media News and GBH News Massachusetts.

It was the second of two debates this week between Democrat Elizabeth Warren, the incumbent, and challenger John Deaton, a Republican. The debate was broadcast and livestreamed and can be watched here.

"Massachusetts, especially at the Berkshires, is truly magical," said Warren said when speaking about noteworthy fall treescapes.  

Warren and Deaton debated local and national topics for one hour at NEPM's studios in Springfield. Conversation ranged from infrastructure to immigration and reproductive health. 

While the two differed on many topics, they agreed that housing prices are out of control in Massachusetts and on the importance of the West-East passenger rail.

When asked if he would be a "no" vote on any future considerations for American aid to Ukraine, Deaton said his vote has to be earned and citizens should be informed about the money sent overseas when there is a housing crisis here.  

Warren is strong about the U.S. being an ally to Ukraine to protect its democracy.

According to the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. has provided more than $64.1 billion in military assistance since Russia launched an invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and about $66.9 billion in military assistance since Russia's initial invasion of Ukraine in 2014.

"All I'm saying is the American people deserve to know what the plan is and just coming back every six months and giving billions and billions and billions of dollars when people can't pay their rent, I just want to know the plan and no one is articulating the plan," Deaton said.

"The American people deserve transparency. For 50-plus years, it wasn't in America's vital interest for Ukraine to be in (the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.) Why is it so important today? I want that answer."

Warren said Deaton has been quoted in the press saying he will not support funding for Ukraine, which he rebutted, and said the U.S. is going to fight against Vladimir Putin's invasion of a neighbor. "And if Mr. Deaton wants to be an appeaser, then he can take that label but we stand up and fight back for the boundaries that exist and we do not support Vladimir Putin taking over Ukraine," she said.

She circled back to his mention of housing prices and applauded Pittsfield Mayor Peter Marchetti for his commitment to using federal dollars to address the issue.

"That is absolutely right. Housing prices are out of control. We've been sitting around for 40 years talking about how housing prices keep going up and up and up and it has truly reached crisis proportions," Warren said.

"It is time for the federal government to make an investment and to partner up and that's why I have mayors all around Western Mass, including in Pittsfield, saying 'I want to be part of that.' The Warren plan is a plan to build more housing and bring down costs. Mr. Deaton's plan is to say, 'Let the private market fix it like it's fixed it for the last 40 years.'"

Deaton said Warren believes that the government is the solution to all societal problems. He believes that the government is the problem, adding "Most of the time, builders are taking two years just to get building permits. We've got to cut the red tape."

The West-East Rail would provide new service between Boston and Western Massachusetts, with stops including Worcester, Palmer, Springfield, Pittsfield, and Amtrak's Albany-Rensselaer station in New York.

Both candidates see it as a vital economic development tool for the commonwealth — especially Western Mass.

"I am all in on East-West Rail. I think it will fundamentally transform not just the economy in Western Mass but for every part of Massachusetts," Warren said.

"Look, I'll tell you what it's going to take to get it done. I work with (Congressman) Richie Neal on this and we are now laying the foundation for this. We've been working on this for years but here's the problem: Republicans have blocked doing a really big infrastructure bill and the kind of money we're going to need for East-West Rail to get it right and make it work is going to take a significant investment."

She added that there has been underinvestment in infrastructure for years and, since Biden has been president and when Democrats have had control of the House and Senate, the biggest infrastructure package in history was passed. In 2021, Congress passed the $1 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure bill.

"And that means we have started the money for building out the plans for East-West Rail," she said.

Deaton said it is "obviously critical" for Western Mass.

"We have such a housing problem in Massachusetts. In Greater Boston, it's $980,000 for the median home price. If you go statewide, it's $650,000, that's $200,000 more than the national average so people are being priced out of the economy. In this state, we are now the second most expensive state to live in for working families and I see incorporating Western Mass is a way to alleviate that," he said.

"So yes, obviously it's going to come down to funding but Senator Warren and I certainly can agree that we need to invest in Western Mass. Also, alternative energy is screaming here in Western Mass to be a part of the alternative energy of renewable energies, wind, solar, even a very small, limited nuclear here in Western Mass. We could get hydro from Canada, maybe even go over the Berkshires and get it here and that would create jobs and it would create the, help the economy so I'm all for it. We've got to do it."

Warren was glad to see her challenger endorse the rail and wants to see everyone in the state endorse it.

Elizabeth Warren, the state's senior senator, is seeking a third six-year term. 

"Part of the way we get that funding is when Democrats can stay in the majority in the Senate and in the House in order to get this done," she said.

When Warren was asked if she would consider serving in Kamala Harris' administration or running for president in 2028 if Harris is unsuccessful, she said "no" and detailed her dedication to local causes.  This includes holding the Department of Defense accountable after Pittsfield native Staff Sgt. Jacob Galliher died in a training exercise while operating military Osprey aircraft.

After the accident, there has been a movement to ground that type of aircraft to prevent more service members from losing their lives.

Warren sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee and said she has secured half a billion dollars for local military installations, mostly in Western and Central Massachusetts. She visited Pittsfield's Soldier On over the summer.

"I brought home more than $20 billion and it has touched every single community here in Western Massachusetts," she said.

"We've gotten broadband, we've been able to support Soldier On for homeless vets up in Pittsfield, to support the Latino business development group right here in Springfield that supports these young, getting started businesses."

When asked what the candidates' favorite spots are in Western Massachusetts, the Berkshires reigned supreme.

Warren identified Jacob's Pillow performing arts center in Becket as her favorite and Deaton said Pittsfield because he represented former employees of the General Electric plant who had mesothelioma and got them compensated.

Deaton, who lived in Rhode Island before moving to Massachusetts in January, has practiced law in the surrounding states for more than 20 years, representing mesothelioma and cancer victims against Fortune 100 companies.

He feels Warren's politics are extreme. Relating to immigration, he wants to secure the border, end so-called "catch and release," and reform the asylum process while expanding legal immigration.

Warren is running for her third six-year term. In the 2023-2024 term, she sits on the Senate Committee on Armed Services, the Community on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, the Committee on Finance, and the Committee on Aging.

Her platform is about consumer protection, equitable economic opportunity, and the social safety net. Her proposed Ultra-Millionaire Tax focused on families with a net worth of more than $50 million, roughly the wealthiest 75,000 households. They would pay a 2 percent tax on every dollar of their net worth above $50 million and a 6 percent tax for every dollar above $1 billion.

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