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Stark Policy Differences And Sharp Attacks As McGovern And Lovvorn Square Off Again

Massachusetts Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, at left, and Republican challenger Tracy Lovvorn.
Robin Lubbock / WBUR // Daily Hampshire Gazette / gazettenet.com
Massachusetts Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, at left, and Republican challenger Tracy Lovvorn.

In Massachusetts' 2nd Congressional District, there's a rematch on the ballot from two years ago.

Last time, incumbent Democrat Jim McGovern defeated Republican challenger Tracy Lovvorn by about a two-to-one margin.

McGovern, of Worcester, chairs the House Rules Committee and has been in Congress since 1997. His district covers a swath of Franklin, Hampshire and Worcester counties.

During a recent debate, McGovern said the country faces a crisis of character that asks the public who they want to be as Americans.

"Whether we want to provide healthcare for the sick, or not, whether we feed the hungry or not, whether we can crush this virus, or not, whether we continue to serve as a beacon of hope and moral leadership in the world — or not," McGovern said.

Lovvorn, of Grafton, is the CEO and founder of a physical therapy practice. She talked about some of her priorities, if elected.

"I love this country, and I defend our Constitution as it's written. I support the law and order, and I defend our police," Lovvorn said. "I support smaller government and I stand for personal freedoms. And I will be the strongest advocate down there for term limits."

McGovern and Lovvorn differed on many issues along predictable party lines, including the federal government’s pandemic response, the Green New Deal, the Affordable Care Act and election security.

The debate also turned personal at times. McGovern went after Lovvorn over some of her activity on social media, in which she called Democrats snowflakes" and a "miserable lot."

"You liked a tweet that said John Lewis did nothing other than get himself beat up — a great civil rights hero," McGovern said. "You posted on your Facebook page that Black Lives Matter is a Marxist, terrorist organization."

Lovvorn said McGovern was lying, except for one thing.

"Yes, I have called the Black Lives Matter organization a Marxist group," she said. "And you can go online and find out who the founders are, and they will tell you exactly who they are. They are Marxist-trained."

The Worcester Telegram & Gazette, which hosted the debate, later did a thorough fact check and found Lovvorn did make the other remarks.

During the campaign, McGovern has also alleged his opponent is a supporter of the QAnon conspiracy theory. Lovvorn told the newspaper she is QAnon “aware,” saying some elements of it are "crazy" but insisted others had been validated.

As for fundraising, according to the latest campaign finance reports, McGovern has raised about $950,000 this election cycle. That far outpaces Lovvorn, who has taken in $24,000.

Adam joined NEPM as a freelance reporter and fill-in operations assistant during the summer of 2011. For more than 15 years, Adam has had a number stops throughout his broadcast career, including as a news reporter and anchor, sports host and play-by-play announcer as well as a producer and technician.
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