Three candidates are making a final last-ditch effort to appeal to voters to represent the Cape and Islands in the state Senate: progressive Democratic and incumbent Julian Cyr from Provincetown, Republican challenger Christopher Lauzon from Barnstable, and unenrolled candidate Joe Van Nes from West Tisbury.
Cyr is the heavy favorite to win the election coming off a decisive re-election to Lauzon two years ago when he received almost 7,000 votes in Dukes County compared to under 2,000 to the Barnstable Republican.
Cyr has also far outraised his challengers. The Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance database shows Cyr’s campaign has brought in $1.76 million since 2015, compared to $128,845.75 brought in by Lauzon since 2022. Mostly political newcomer Van Nes — who has made a conspiratorial reference to the COVID-19 pandemic during a recent forum — has raised just $25 as of Oct 1.
None of the candidates are political first-timers.
Cyr, who has touted his efforts to help pass housing and mental health legislation over his tenure, has been the district’s state Senator since first elected in Nov. of 2016. Lauzon, a third-generation auto mechanic in Hyannis, made his political debut in 2022 during a failed attempt to unseat Cyr. Meanwhile, West Tisbury builder and farmer Van Nes’ first foray into politics was in 2010, when he ran for Massachusetts’ former tenth congressional district, which was ultimately won by Congressman Bill Keating.
The candidates met voters during a forum hosted by the League of Women Voters on Oct. 18 in Orleans.
Cyr underscored various initiatives he has helped push forward including the creation of the Cape Cod & Islands Water Protection Fund, a regional entity that supplies grant funding to town’s undergoing wastewater infrastructure projects; bringing abortion services to Martha’s Vineyard; and succeeding in helping to include provisions for local communities within the Affordable Homes Act signed by Gov. Maura Healey earlier this year. Cyr said he would focus on coastal resilience, tackling PFAS issues, and providing a revenue stream to help produce more housing if reelected.
Lauzon emphasized he is not a “professional politician,” but a mechanic and family man. He highlighted how he built his connection to the region while working for Hy-Line Cruises. He said a “Democratic supermajority” was stagnating progress on Beacon Hill and that there was a need for more effective representation for the Cape. He also asked voters to consider whether life has gotten better under Cyr’s tenure and whether voters wanted change.
Van Nes expressed a desire to change the state’s agricultural tax laws. He said the current taxation on small farmers — including himself, the owner of a one-acre lot — was too high. He called for a change in qualifications required by the state to be considered a farmer. He emphasized that this was needed to support farmers benefiting their communities, but may need to borrow loans to maintain their way of life.
Van Nes made several statements against large organizations harming everyday people, such as “big government” or banks. He also said governments worldwide took advantage of unarmed populaces during the “plandemic” in 2020 — a conspiratorial reference to the COVID pandemic.
Housing was at the top of the list of issues raised by voters in attendance at the forum.
Lauzon underscored a need to keep local control in tackling housing issues, saying he was against attempts to take away home rule petitions. He said he was in favor of communities coming up with their own solutions and called for sustainable development.
“I really want to see a complete review of our housing policy on the state level so we can come up with solutions that work for individual communities,” he said.
Cyr said the Affordable Homes Act will help build and preserve housing that communities need. Closer to the Cape & Islands, he highlighted the seasonal communities designation that can subsidize housing initiatives in the region.
“We’re at a point where Cape Codders and Islanders of our generation, if you don’t own a home or gonna inherit a home, you’re not gonna be able to afford a home,” he said. “I’m someone who rents. I’m understanding this, I’m living this myself.”
Van Nes said the conversation shouldn’t be whether someone is for or against affordable housing. He also expressed skepticism about affordable housing programs that are being pushed by “big government,” claiming they are designed to help the wealthy and financial institutions, not regular people.
“We need to be thinking .. how do we let our kids inherit land? How do we buy land?” he said. “The goal should not be how do we get an apartment in some state facility.”
The candidates also differed on the offshore wind industry.
Cyr criticized offshore wind developers Vineyard Wind and GE Vernova for how slowly they notified local and state officials after a turbine blade fractured in July. Still, he emphasized that offshore wind was necessary to tackle a worsening climate crisis that will impact the Cape and Islands.
Lauzon said the blade fracture was unacceptable. While he supported developing green energy, he was against using offshore wind. Lauzon said the turbines would have a minimal effect on climate change and that New England waters were being filled by “untested technology.” He also criticized the industrialization of the region’s coasts and argued for pursuing other alternative energy sources like hydropower.
Van Nes said the blade fracture was “blown out of proportion,” pointing to debris in the ocean from other sources like boats. Still, he said more research is likely needed before further expansion of offshore wind. He also expressed a mistrust of the companies developing these projects, saying there seems to be uncertainty regarding how much offshore wind farms will cost.
The full forum is available from Lower Cape TV at https://bit.ly/4fI2I7N.
While the presidential election is certainly garnering the most attention from Island voters, there are still other contested races to pay attention to, such as seats on the Martha’s Vineyard Commission and congressional races.
Election day is on Tuesday, the same date by which mail-in ballots need to be postmarked. Polls are open from 7 am to 8 pm across the Island on Tuesday. Check with your town hall to find polling locations.
