>> I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THIS FOR THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS.
I THINK A LOT OF AMERICANS, A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE IN WESTERN
MASS, PARTICULARLY AFTER THE 2016 ELECTION AND AGAIN, AFTER
THE MID-TERM ELECTION IN 2018, REALLY HAVE TO WONDER AS OUR
DEMOCRACY IS, IN MY OPINION, DYING BEFORE OUR EYES HOW CAN WE
GET MORE INVOLVED? AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS MOMENT
IN TIME IN OUR COUNTRY, WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE IN WESTERN MASS
AND ACROSS OUR STATE, I THINK THERE'S AN URGENCY TO THIS
MOMENT THAT HAD REALLY CALLED ME TO TAKE A STEP IN THIS
DIRECTION. I'VE BEEN MAYOR IN HOLYOKE
NEARLY EIGHT YEARS, AND I THINK WE'VE MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS ON
A NUMBER OF FRONTS AND ISSUES AND I RAN EIGHT YEARS AGO
BECAUSE I FELT LIKE PEOPLE HAD QUIETLY GIVEN UP ON HOLYOKE AND
RESIGNED THEMSELVES TO THE FACT THAT OUR BEST DAYS WERE BEHIND
US AND THERE WERE PEOPLE AND PLACES AND NEIGHBORHOODS THAT
HISTORICALLY, FELT EXCLUDED, LEFT OUT AND LEFT BEHIND BY CITY
GOVERNMENT, PEOPLE LOST FAITH THAT GOVERNMENT COULD BE A FORCE
FOR GOOD IN THEIR LIVES AND WHEN I LOOK AT THE ISSUES AND
CHALLENGES AND OUTCOMES OF PEOPLE AND FAMILIES HERE IN
WESTERN MASS, THERE ARE STILL A LOT OF PLACES, A LOT OF CITIES
AND TOWNS AND COMMUNITIES THAT FEEL LEFT OUT AND LEFT BEHIND
AND SO THE REASONS I RAN EIGHT YEARS AGO FOR MAYOR ARE MANY OF
THE SAME REASONS I'M RUNNING FOR CONGRESS TODAY.
>> DID THE SUCCESS OF SOME OF THE YOUNGER PROGRESSIVES IN YOUR
PARTY, FOR EXAMPLE, LAST NOVEMBER, DID THEIR SUCCESS
INFLUENCE YOUR DECISION TO DECIDE TO RUN AS WELL?
>> I THINK PERSONALLY, IT WAS CERTAINLY AN INSPIRATION TO SEE
CANDIDATES THAT WERE GUIDED BY PRINCIPLES AND VALUES AND GOING
UP AGAINST ENTRENCHED INCUMBENTS THAT HAD BEEN IN OFFICE FOR
DECADES AND THE CONVENTIONAL WISDOM BEING WAIT YOUR TURN.
AND I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THAT FEELS LIKE.
PEOPLE TOLD ME TO WAIT MY TURN WHEN I RAN FOR MAYOR AS A
21-YEAR-OLD BACK IN 2011 AND TO SEE FOLKS LIKE AYANNA PRESSLEY
DEFY THE ODDS, BE VASTLY OUTSPENT, BUT RUN A CAMPAIGN
THAT INSPIRED THOUSANDS OF NEW VOTERS TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT
PROCESS WAS CERTAINLY AN INSPIRATION FOR ME.
AND THE CONVENTIONAL WISDOM IS THAT A MEMBER OF CONGRESS IS
ENTITLED TO THEIR SEAT FOR AS LONG AS THEY SEEK TO BE THERE,
BUT IT'S REMINDING PEOPLE HERE IN WESTERN MASS AND ACROSS OUR
COUNTRY THAT THEY HAVE TWO-YEAR TERMS.
THEY'RE UP EVERY TWO YEARS AND IT'S UP TO THE PEOPLE, NOT OUR
INCUMBENT MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, WHEN THEIR TIME IS UP.
>> WELL, YOU'RE WHAT, 30 YEARS OLD?
YOU'RE RUNNING AGAINST RICHARD NEAL WHO HAS BEEN IN CONGRESS
FOR 30 YEARS, AS LONG AS YOU'VE BEEN HERE.
HE'S CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE.
NOW, ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL POSITIONS IN WASHINGTON.
HE'S GOT 30 YEARS' EXPERIENCE IN CONGRESS FOR WESTERN
MASSACHUSETTS. YOU'RE GOING UP AN ENTRENCHED,
WELL-FINANCED INCUMBENT. VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TASK.
YOU SEE THIS AS A -- A BIG UPHILL FIGHT FOR YOU?
>> YEAH, IT -- IT CERTAINLY IS A CHALLENGE, AND I WOULDN'T HAVE
LAUNCHED THIS CAMPAIGN IF I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THERE WAS A --
A PATHWAY TO VICTORY HERE WITH THE RIGHT CAMPAIGN, AND I'M
PREPARED TO WORK AS HARD AS POSSIBLE OVER THE NEXT 14 MONTHS
TO BUILD THE GRASSROOTS MOVEMENT AND CAMPAIGN THAT REALLY NEEDS
TO BE FORMED TO BE SUCCESSFUL NEXT SEPTEMBER IN 2020, AND --
AND HE CERTAINLY HAS EXPERIENCE AND POWER AND HE CERTAINLY KNOWS
HOW WASHINGTON WORKS, BUT I WANT TO CHANGE HOW WASHINGTON WORKS
BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT'S WORKING FOR THE PEOPLE HERE IN
WESTERN MASS, AND I KNOW POWER COMES WITH BEING CHAIR OF WAYS
AND MEANS, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUTCOMES IN WESTERN MASS AROUND
EDUCATION AND TRANSPORTATION, THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC, THE ISSUES
CHALLENGING OUR SMALL RURAL TOWNS IN FRANKLIN COUNTY AND
THROUGHOUT THE BERKSHIRES AND THE HILL TOWNS, IT'S BEEN HARD
FOR PEOPLE TO MAKE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN A SENIOR
MEMBER OF CONGRESS AND WHAT IT'S ACTUALLY MEANT FOR FAMILIES THAT
ARE STRUGGLING TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE, TO PAY THEIR BILLS,
TO GET HEALTH INSURANCE, TO GET ACCESS TO A TREATMENT FACILITY
FOR THEMSELVES OR A FAMILY MEMBER.
AND SO I WANT TO GO TO WASHINGTON TO ACTUALLY REPRESENT
PEOPLE AND TAKE THE CONCERNS AND CHALLENGES PEOPLE HAVE TO D.C.
>> DO YOU FEEL CONGRESSMAN NEAL HAS NOT ACTED AGGRESSIVELY
ENOUGH, AS MANY PROGRESSIVES IN THE PARTY HAVE WITH REGARD, FOR
EXAMPLE, TO ASKING FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP'S TAX RETURNS?
DO YOU FEEL HE'S KIND OF SLOW WALKED THAT ISSUE, OR DO YOU
FEEL HE'S PROCEEDED AS HE HAS SAID VERY JUDICIOUSLY TO MAKE
SURE HE HAD ALL HIS I'S DOTTED AND HIS T'S CROSSED FROM A LEGAL
POINT OF VIEW? >> YEAH, I MEAN I DO THINK IT
WAS SLOW WALKED CERTAINLY. I WILL SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS
ONE ISSUE ALONE ISN'T THE REASON FOR MY CANDIDACY.
I THINK HIS SLOW WALKING HERE IS JUST EMBLEMATIC OF SLOW WALKING
ON A NUMBER OF ISSUES AND A NEED TO CONVINCE HIM TO EMBRACE
POLICIES THAT WILL ACTUALLY MOVE THE NEEDLE AND CHANGE OUTCOMES
FOR PEOPLE HERE IN WESTERN MASS. TIMING WAS AN ISSUE.
THE DEMOCRATS TOOK BACK THE HOUSE IN NOVEMBER AND IT TOOK
AT LEAST SIX MONTHS TO PEN A LETTER ASKING FOR THE RETURNS IN
THE FIRST PLACE. AGAIN IT MAKES IT MORE DIFFICULT
FOR US TO ACCESS THAT AND GET A DECISION FROM THE SUPREME COURT
FOR THE 2020 ELECTION. >> I THINK THERE WAS DEFINITELY
AN OPPORTUNITY MISSED THERE. WE ALSO SEE THE NEW YORK STATE
MAKING AVAILABLE HIS NEW YORK STATE TAX RETURNS OF THE
PRESIDENT'S AND THE CONGRESSMAN AGAIN FAILING TO SEIZE THAT
OPPORTUNITY SO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE CAN GET THAT INFORMATION
AND SEE THE TRUTH. >> WELL, YOU'VE BEEN IN POLITICS
LONG ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT FUNDRAISING, OBVIOUSLY, IS A BIG
FACTOR IN AN ELECTION LIKE THIS. THE CONGRESSMAN HAS BY ALL
ESTIMATES ABOUT $4 MILLION IN HIS POLITICAL WAR CHEST AT THIS
POINT. YOU CERTAINLY HAVE A FRACTION OF
THAT AT BEST. HOW ARE YOU GOING TO COMPETE
WITH THAT KIND OF POWER AND MONEY IN GETTING YOUR MESSAGE
OUT? >> AND I APPRECIATE YOU ASKING
BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S WHAT AMERICANS AND PEOPLE HERE IN
WESTERN MASS ARE FED UP WITH IS THE INFLUENCE OF MONEY IN
POLITICS. AND I MADE IT VERY CLEAR ON MY
FIRST DAY AS A CANDIDATE THAT I WOULDN'T TAKE A SINGLE DIME FROM
ANY CORPORATE PACs OR SPECIAL INTERESTS AND THE VAST MAJORITY
OF CONGRESSMAN NEAL'S MONEY COMES FROM CORPORATIONS.
THAT'S WALL STREET, BIG PHARMA, FOSSIL FUEL COMPANIES SO WHEN I
GO TO WASHINGTON AND TAKE A VOTE I NEVER WANT TO WONDER WHO I'M
TAKING THAT VOTE FOR BECAUSE THE ONLY SPECIAL INTEREST I'LL HAVE
IS THE PEOPLE HERE IN THE DISTRICT, AND THE WINNER OF THIS
CAMPAIGN, THIS ELECTION WILL NOT BE THE CANDIDATE WHO CAN SPEND
THE MOST MONEY OR RAISE THE MOST MONEY.
IT WILL BE THE CANDIDATE THAT HAS A MESSAGE AND A SET OF
VALUES AND CONVICTIONS AND PRINCIPLES THAT WILL DELIVER FOR
PEOPLE HERE IN WESTERN MASS AND SO WE'RE NOT TAKING A SINGLE
CITY OR TOWN FOR GRANTED. ALL 87 CITIES AND TOWNS WILL SEE
THE ALEX MORSE FOR CONGRESS CAMPAIGN KNOCKING ON DOORS,
SHOWING UP IN KITCHENS AND LIVING ROOMS AND HAVING THOSE
CONVERSATIONS AND THAT FRANKLY IS THE ONLY WAY TO BE A
RESPONSIVE MEMBER OF CONGRESS. >> CAN YOU TELL US WHAT KIND OF
INTERNAL POLLING YOUR CAMPAIGN HAS DONE TO ASSESS YOUR CHANCES
AND WHAT THOSE RESULTS WERE? >> YOU KNOW, WE DID GO THROUGH
AN EXPLORATORY PROCESS AND I WOULD REPEAT WHAT I SAID BEFORE
THAT I WOULD NOT ENTER THIS RACE IF I DID NOT SEE A PATHWAY TO
VICTORY WITH THE RIGHT CAMPAIGN AND THE RIGHT MESSAGE AND I'M
VERY PROUD OF THE PROGRESS WE'VE MADE IN HOLYOKE IN THE LAST
EIGHT YEARS. NOT ONLY DID WE DEFY THE ODDS
WHEN FOLKS SAID A 21-YEAR-OLD HAD NO OPPORTUNITY OR CHANCE TO
BECOME MAYOR, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE DEFIED THE ODDS
WHEN PEOPLE SAID HOLYOKE'S BEST DAYS ARE BEHIND US.
WE'VE IMPROVED THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
WE'VE TURNED AROUND DOWNTOWN AND REVITALIZED IT BY MANY MEASURES,
MADE THE CITY THE SAFEST IT'S BEEN IN DECADES.
AND ON A SMALLER SCALE I THINK WHAT WE'VE DONE IN HOLYOKE
SERVES AS A ROAD MAP FOR THE DISTRICT AND SO I DON'T MAKE
THESE DECISIONS LIGHTLY BUT AGAIN, I THINK THIS MOMENT IN
TIME WE'RE IN, IN THIS COUNTRY AND THE CHALLENGES THAT WESTERN
MASS FACES HAVE LED ME TO MAKE THIS DECISION.
>> YOU'RE MAYOR OF HOLYOKE. YOU'VE GOT TO MAINTAIN YOUR
DUTIES AS MAYOR, WHICH IS A FULL-TIME JOB AND YET WHEN YOU
START CAMPAIGNING FOR THE FIRST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, IT IS
GEOGRAPHICALLY AN IMMENSE DISTRICT, BASICALLY FROM HERE
WEST ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE BERKSHIRES.
87 CITIES AND TOWNS IN THAT DISTRICT.
HOW ARE YOU GOING TO BE ABLE TO PHYSICALLY CAMPAIGN IN ALL THOSE
CITIES AND TOWNS AND YET, STILL BE EFFECTIVE AS A MAYOR?
>> I WILL SAY THAT I -- I LOVE MY JOB AS MAYOR.
I LOVE THE TEAM THAT I WORK WITH EACH AND EVERY DAY AND I LOOK
FORWARD TO GETTING UP EVERY MORNING AND GOING TO CITY HALL
AND STILL IMMERSING MYSELF IN THE RESPONSIBILITIES THAT COME
WITH BEING MAYOR OF THE CITY, BUT I'M ALSO INCREDIBLY EXCITED
TO GET OUT IN EACH OF THESE CITIES AND TOWNS AND MEET WITH
PEOPLE THAT I DON'T KNOW AND LISTEN AND LEARN ABOUT THOSE
CHALLENGES. WESTERN MASS IS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL
AREA AND I'M JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING OUT THERE AND
MEETING AND LISTENING TO PEOPLE, BUT I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT WE'LL
BE ABLE TO BALANCE THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF -- OF BEING
MAYOR WITH THE TEAM I HAVE IN PLACE, BUT ALSO GETTING OUT
THERE AND LISTENING AND LEARNING TO THE CHALLENGES OF PEOPLE
ELSEWHERE. >> LAST NOVEMBER, CONGRESSMAN
NEAL HAD AN OPPONENT, SPRINGFIELD ATTORNEY MADUD AND
PROGRESSIVECANDIDATE TALKING ABOUT A LOT OF THE ISSUES YOU'VE
REFERENCED AND YET CONGRESSMAN NEAL WON 70% OF THE VOTE IN THAT
ELECTION. DOES A NUMBER LIKE THAT CONCERN
YOU? >> NO, AGAIN, I THINK WE'RE
GOING TO BUILD A GRASSROOTS CAMPAIGN IN EVERY SINGLE ONE OF
THE 87 CITIES AND TOWNS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT.
THERE'S SUCH AN OPPORTUNITY HERE TO EXPAND THE UNIVERSE.
THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE LIKE I SAID, WHEN I RAN FOR MAYOR BACK
IN 2011 THAT WERE JUST FED UP WITH THE POLITICAL SYSTEM, THE
POLITICAL PROCESS. PEOPLE ARE REGISTERED TO VOTE,
BUT MAYBE NOT VOTING, NOT REGISTERED TO VOTE AT ALL OR
MAYBE JUST VOTE IN THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS AND SO
PART OF THIS CAMPAIGN, TOO, IS REMINDING PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE
YOUR MEMBER OF CONGRESS MATTERS. THEY COULD ACTUALLY BE AN
INCREDIBLY POWERFUL FORCE FOR GOOD IN YOUR LIFE, BUT I THINK
PEOPLE HAVE LOST FAITH AND SO THIS CAMPAIGN IS REMINDING
PEOPLE OF YOUR CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY AND DUTY AND
LOOKING AT THE VOTER TURNOUT NUMBERS.
I MEAN, TURNOUT HAS BEEN ABYSMAL INCLUDING IN 2018 HERE IN THE
FIRST DISTRICT AND SO AGAIN, SPENDING TIME, NOT JUST IN
HOLYOKE AND SPRINGFIELD, BUT GETTING OUT TO THE HILL TOWNS
AND THE RURAL PARTS OF THE DISTRICT AND SO THAT'S WHAT I'M
MOST EXCITED ABOUT IS LISTENING AND LEARNING AND GETTING TO KNOW
NEW PEOPLE. >> ONE FINAL QUESTION THAT IS
CONCERNING PRESIDENT TRUMP AND THE IMPEACHMENT QUESTION, GIVEN
TESTIMONY BY ROBERT MUELLER BEFORE CONGRESS.
DO YOU FEEL IT'S TIME FOR CONGRESS TO ACT AND GO FORWARD
WITH IMPEACHMENT? >> I THINK WE NEED TO OPEN UP
IMPEACHMENT PROCEEDINGS AND HAVE THOSE HEARINGS.
THIS IS AN ISSUE WHERE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE DESERVE TO HEAR
THE TRUTH AND IF CONGRESS ISN'T EVEN WILLING TO OPEN UP
IMPEACHMENT PROCEEDINGS TO GET THE TRUTH TO THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE, I THINK IT DOES AN INCREDIBLE DISSERVICE TO THE
MANY PEOPLE. AND THE PEOPLE HERE IN WESTERN
MASS AND THIS GOES TO MY ESSENTIAL CORE OF THERE'S AN
URGENCY TO THIS MOMENT. IF THIS PRESIDENT DOESN'T MERIT
IMPEACHMENT PROCEEDINGS I DON'T KNOW WHAT PRESIDENT WILL EVER
AND SO THAT'S WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO ME AND IT'S ALSO INDICATIVE
OF THE ESTABLISHMENT, BOTH ON THE REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC
SIDE, PEOPLE AND PARTIES BEING MORE WORRIED ABOUT THE POLITICS
OF IT, THE POLITICAL POLLING OF IT AND THE NEXT ELECTION WHERE I
AND MANY OTHERS ARE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE PRINCIPLES
AND VALUES AND MAKING SURE WE UPHOLD OUR CONSTITUTIONAL
OBLIGATION OF THE OFFICE.