One Contested Race on Primary Ballot: Who's Voting?

The Massachusetts State Primary is today. There is only one contested race in Shrewsbury, and it's on the Democratic ballot. Incumbent James P. McGovern, D-MA, is defending his seat to challenger William Feegbeh, of Worcester, who was also a candidate in the 2010 elections.

McGovern presently represents the third congressional district. Should he win, he will represent the second congressional district, which will include Shrewsbury.

To find your polling location, see the state's website here. Polls close at 8 p.m.

Patch asked each candidate, "What are your top three issues?"

Congressman James P. McGovern

1. Jobs: We need to continue to build on our strengths in Massachusetts, work to grow small businesses, and pursue long-term job growth in the innovation economy. We must make Massachusetts as friendly to employers and workers as possible, including by restoring benefit parity for all commuters. Currently, commuters who drive to work and park are eligible for up to $240 in pre-tax benefits per month from their employer while commuters who take mass transit such as commuter rail, subways, buses or vanpools are only eligible for up to $125 a month. At a time of high gas prices and when many families are still struggling financially from the recession, it makes no sense to penalize commuters who utilize mass transit.

2. Ending the War in Afghanistan: Enough is Enough. The U.S. has spent—actually, borrowed—hundreds of billions of dollars on military operations in Afghanistan, and over 5,500 Americans were wounded or killed in Afghanistan last year alone. Like the majority of Americans, I want a safe and orderly withdrawal from Afghanistan as quickly as possible, in a manner that generates confidence in what the next day will bring for Afghanistan and the region.

3. Getting corporate money out of politics: Our election system is broken, awash in special interest money. As any high school civics student knows, the first three words of the preamble to the Constitution are "We the People."  Corporations are not people. They do not breathe. They do not have children.  They do not die in war. They are artificial entities which we the people create and, as such, we govern them, not the other way around. The Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling marks the most extreme extension of a corporate rights doctrine which has eroded our First Amendment and our Constitution, and we must work through every grassroots and legislative avenue to overturn it.

William Feegbeh

1. Affordable housing for the middle class family.

2. Working with President Barack Obama, Vice President Job Biden, Sen. John Kerry, Sen. Scott Brown, Gov. Deval Patrick and Lt. Gov. Tim Murray to bring the troops home from overseas.

3. Jobs for the middle class families in the district.