Endicott College Cancels U.S. 6th Congressional District Debate

Updated 1:20 p.m.

BEVERLY, MA — Essex Republican Congressional candidate Micah Jones is accusing Andover Democrat Dan Koh of ducking multiple debate challenges after Endicott College announced the cancellation of a 6th District forum scheduled for next week.

Endicott had promoted before last week's primary that the two main party candidates on the November ballot would meet in a debate on campus on Sept. 17.

But on Thursday, the school issued a statement saying that the debate would not take place.

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"Endicott College announced the debate without securing formal confirmation," the school said in a statement to Patch. "The college takes full responsibility for this error.

"We regret the confusion this caused and remain committed to civic engagement."

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The debate was to be hosted by the Endicott Center for Civic Participation, or ECCP, in partnership with the League of Women Voters, and moderated by veteran State House journalist Katie Lannan.

Jones immediately challenged Koh to three debates after Koh fended off five Democratic challengers in the Sept. 1 primary — securing 41 percent of the vote.

On Thursday, he accused Koh of declining the Sept. 17 debate in Beverly and a separate Sept. 22 debate in Swampscott — charging that contradicts Koh's primary night pledge to "Go anywhere. ... We will talk to anyone."

"North Shore and Merrimack Valley voters deserve a public and honest conversation about the issues most important to building a better future for our communities," Jones said in a statement to Patch. "Perhaps Mr. Koh is more comfortable talking to the D.C. political class and cable news pundits than he is with the voters of our district.

"My three-debate request is responsible and reasonable, and I hope Mr. Koh will reconsider."

The Koh campaign answered Thursday afternoon to Patch's request for a response, saying the candidate has already participated in 11 debates during this election cycle and was looking to spend the bulk of the rest of the campaign speaking voters.

"Dan is running to fight back against Trump, defend our democracy, and lower costs for families in the Sixth," the Koh statement said. "Dan has now taken part in 11 debates, including with Micah Jones, and attended hundreds of community events, because voters deserve to hear directly from the people asking for their vote.

"We're going to keep doing what we've done from day one: meeting voters where they are, answering their questions honestly, and sharing our vision for this district."

The former Biden Administration official and Andover Select Board member is looking to fill the seat left open when U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton launched his failed bid to unseat sitting U.S. Sen. Ed Markey.

Koh was able to rise above a field that included State Rep. Tram Nguyen, attorney and business leader John Beccia, of Lynnfield, former State Rep. Jamie Belsito, of Topsfield, software engineer and Democratic Socialist Bethany Andres-Beck, of Middleton, and veterinarian and former Washington aide Mariah Lancaster, of Salem.

As part of his primary campaign, Koh touted the endorsements of former President Joe Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris.

That primary campaign featured a series of campaign forums across the North Shore and Merrimack Valley in which all of the candidates on the ballot participated.