As the Vineyard heads into the midterm elections in less than a week, voters will determine whether to keep incumbent Democratic Congressman Bill Keating for another two-year term or elect a new candidate in the Republican challenger R. Tyler Macallister.
Early voting is already underway, and the state election is on Nov. 3. The two candidates have been busy on the campaign trail to meet voters and debate on various issues from affordability to Roe v. Wade, most recently at a political forum hosted by WATD radio.
Keating and Macallister clash on varying issues, and they come from different backgrounds: a longtime politician and former district attorney running against a businessman and select board member.
And despite Massachusetts not being a battleground state, there’s been an uptick in voter interest compared to last year. According to Vote.org, a nonprofit that promotes voter education and resources, 9,740 people registered through its site this year, an 18 percent increase from the previous year.
“Massachusetts voters are sending a clear message: They are paying attention, and they intend to make their voices heard,” Andrea Hailey, CEO of the organization, said in a press release.
The Times reached out to both candidates to ask questions of interest to Islanders, from stances on certain ballot questions to offshore wind. Their answers have been edited for style and clarity.
MVT: Please introduce yourself (age, occupation, town/city, background).
Keating: I’m Bill Keating, 74 years old, a resident of Bourne, and the Congressman representing Massachusetts’ Ninth Congressional District. I’m married to my wife, Tevis, and we have two adult children, Kristen and Patrick.
I was the first generation in my family to attend college, earning my bachelor’s degree and MBA from Boston College while working as a postal worker and in other jobs to pay my way through school. I later earned my law degree from Suffolk University Law School. I was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives at 23 and sworn in at 24. I also started a small business and went on to serve in the State Senate as Norfolk County District Attorney and now in Congress.
My grandparents came to America as immigrants with little more than a small wooden chest containing their belongings. But I know one thing they carried in that chest: hope. Hope for a better life and the opportunity to pursue the American Dream. That belief has guided my career in public service and my commitment to ensuring future generations have those same opportunities.
Macallister:
- R. Tyler Macallister, 59.
- Commercial and charter fishing captain and business owner. Energy broker and analyst, and partner in Walden Liberty Solar, LLC. Co-founder of the 501(c)(3) Bluefin Collaborative.
- Mattapoisett. I grew up on Cape Cod, graduated from Barnstable High School in 1986 and have been a resident of the district my entire life.
- B.S. in Marine Biology, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth; Master of Business Administration, Isenberg School of Management.
- Mattapoisett Conservation Commission, 2005–2011; Mattapoisett Select Board, 2011–2025.
MVT: Why are you the best candidate for the role? What are your priorities in office for the Cape and islands, specifically for Martha’s Vineyard?
Keating: I’ve represented Martha’s Vineyard in Congress for over a decade and have been lucky enough to own a home on the Island for over a decade. As the grandson of immigrants who came to America seeking a better life and someone who worked his way through college, started a small business, and began serving in elected office at age 24, I understand the importance of opportunity and economic security. I also understand firsthand the unique challenges facing Martha’s Vineyard, particularly the high cost of living, housing affordability, healthcare, and reliable transportation.
Trump’s self-manufactured crises, including illegal tariffs and an illegal war, have driven up the costs of gasoline, groceries, electricity, and goods transported to the Island. Trump and his Republican Congress also enacted the largest healthcare cuts in American history, threatening insurance coverage for millions of Americans and disproportionately harming communities like Martha’s Vineyard. Many of the most damaging Medicaid cuts were delayed until after the election. I hope to return to Congress as part of a Democratic majority that will reassert Congress’s constitutional authority over tariffs and war powers, reverse these devastating healthcare cuts, and hold this administration accountable.
On issues unique to Martha’s Vineyard, I will continue working to improve transportation and accessibility, including the Cape Cod bridge replacements, airport infrastructure, and Steamship Authority ferry service. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I intervened to expedite more than $12 million in federal assistance to keep the Steamship Authority operating. I also helped secure a $2.5 million federal grant for the Woods Hole terminal and have continued pursuing investments in fleet modernization, safety improvements, and infrastructure. Reliable ferry service is essential to Island residents, workers, and businesses.
I will also continue supporting affordable housing, protecting our fisheries and coastal environment, strengthening healthcare access, and helping small businesses sustain our year-round economy. Defending our constitutional rights, restoring checks and balances, and holding this administration accountable are fundamental responsibilities. My experience in local, state, and federal government, along with my longstanding personal connection to Martha’s Vineyard, will continue to guide my work for the Island and the entire Ninth Congressional District.
Macallister: I have lived and worked in this district my entire life, and my career has been spent on the water, in local government, and in business. As a fishing captain, I know firsthand what the working waterfront needs and what is at stake for it. As a member of the [Mattapoisset] Conservation Commission and then the [Mattapoisset] Select Board for nearly two decades, I have dealt with the zoning, water, and wetlands decisions that shape our towns. As an energy analyst and solar partner, I have studied what energy projects actually cost and deliver, with an MBA to back up the numbers. My priorities for the Cape and islands, including Martha’s Vineyard, are:
Protecting our fisheries and working waterfront. Commercial and recreational fishing is part of the economy and the identity of the Cape and islands, and I will fight to end offshore wind development that is damaging these waters.
Affordable, reliable energy. I support advanced nuclear, including Thorium Salt Reactor technology, as a path to dependable power and real local jobs.
Local control. Towns and islands understand their own natural resources and carrying capacity better than Washington or Boston, and zoning decisions should stay with them.
Protecting water and the environment. Cape Cod has a finite aquifer, and the islands have fragile ecosystems. Development has to respect those limits.
Defending constitutional rights. I am a strong supporter of the Second Amendment and will defend it in Washington.
MVT: Earlier this year, whether the Martha’s Vineyard Commission (MVC) has the authority to review Chapter 40B housing proposals came under threat by a ruling by the Massachusetts Housing Appeals Committee. While litigation and appeals mean we still have to wait for results, where do you stand on the MVC’s jurisdiction over these types of projects?
Keating: While I will not comment on pending litigation, I will continue to support federal funding for affordable housing, with those resources best administered and implemented by local and regional agencies that understand their communities’ unique needs.
Macallister: While this is a state matter, as a member of the Mattapoisett Select Board, I am in full support of local zoning control because the localities are much more adept in understanding natural resources and carrying capacities of their respective municipalities. There is no “one size fits all” zoning.
MVT: Offshore wind is an industry that’s been touted by many Massachusetts officials and
conservationists as a vital part of the state’s renewable energy sector. However, it has been targeted by the Trump administration and some Martha’s Vineyard residents have expressed concern about changes to the viewshed and possible impact to sea life. How do you see the future of this industry in the state?
Keating: I strongly support offshore wind as an important part of Massachusetts’ energy future. It is critical to diversifying our energy supply, reducing our dependence on fossil fuels, and creating thousands of good-paying jobs, including union jobs.
I also recognize the importance of protecting our fisheries, marine ecosystems, and coastal communities. That is precisely why projects like Vineyard Wind underwent years of extensive environmental review by both federal and state agencies. These reviews examined impacts on commercial fishing, marine mammals, underwater construction noise, seafloor habitats, and coastal resources, resulting in environmental protections, construction restrictions, and ongoing monitoring requirements.
My office was actively involved throughout this process, participating in meetings and helping bring together fishermen, industry representatives, regulators, and other stakeholders to ensure concerns were heard and addressed. I have always believed that protecting our marine environment and supporting responsible offshore wind development must go hand in hand.
These projects were not approved without scrutiny. They underwent years of scientific review, public input, and regulatory oversight. We must continue enforcing those protections and working with our fishing communities as these projects move forward. I strongly oppose the Trump administration’s efforts to undermine an industry that is vital to our region’s economic and energy future.
Macallister: I will end offshore wind. I have done six years of research in the area of offshore wind and fished these waters since very young. The data, observations, and testimony from commercial fishermen clearly show that offshore wind has dramatically impacted the offshore environment and has done generational damage to the commercial and recreational fisheries. I have studied the ROI on wind as a partner in a renewable energy company, and at no time was I able to make the project profitable or efficient despite large subsidies. Additionally, the money that went into the projects went to the countries of the developers, Denmark and Spain. No significant job creation was recognized by these installations. I am a strong proponent of Thorium Salt Reactor technology and their development in the district at locations in Plymouth, Sandwich, [and] New Bedford.
MVT: ICE has been a concern for immigrant communities. On the Vineyard, there was a large operation in 2025 in which 20 individuals were arrested, and a father and son were arrested earlier this year while fishing, leading to local outcries. What is your stance on the agency’s activities in Massachusetts?
Keating: The actions of ICE agents continue to operate in violation of standard police protocols, illegally and in violation of constitutional due process protections.
As a former District Attorney, I understand lawful criminal enforcement efforts. What ICE does, as it did on the Vineyard, is aimed at stoking community fear and chaos. Along with the immoral tearing apart of families, it is a coercive effort to force self-deportation.
With a new House majority, I will work for congressional oversight and a complete overhaul of ICE’s leadership and operations.
Macallister: Immigration is a federal responsibility, and I support enforcing our immigration laws, with the first priority being people who pose a danger to our communities. At the same time, I understand why these arrests have caused real concern on the Vineyard. Many of these neighbors work in our fishing, farming, hospitality, and construction industries, and they are woven into the fabric of our Island and Cape communities.
I believe enforcement should be targeted, carried out with due process, and conducted in a way that respects the rights of everyone involved. Congress has failed for decades to fix a broken immigration system, and the answer is for Washington to do its job: secure the border, create workable and lawful pathways for the workers our coastal economy depends on, and give local communities clear information about what federal agencies are doing in their towns.
MVT: Please briefly provide your stances on Ballot Questions 6, 7, 8, and 9.
Keating:
- Question 6: No
- Question 7: Yes
- Question 8: Vote NO
- Question 9: YES
Macallister:
- Question 6: NO. This state has a history of taking revenue derived for specific purposes and re-directing those funds to other purposes. The state gutted the hunting and fishing license revenue many years ago when it once funded great programs encouraging youth to get involved with outdoor activities.
- Question 7: NO. Local control on zoning is the only way to ensure the natural resources (water, wetlands, etc.) are considered and protected. Cape Cod has a finite amount of water and that aquifer is under constant pressure from new development.
- Question 8: No position. I hold a Master Captain License and use of marijuana and products derived by cannabis are not permitted as I am subject to random drug tests. As a cancer patient/survivor, I did use cannabis during my chemotherapy treatments, and it did help considerably. I believe it has benefits.
- Question 9: NO. I am a strong supporter of the Second Amendment, and I will defend that right in Washington.
