High energy bills on Cape Cod and the South Coast drew two very different fixes from the candidates for Congress at a New Bedford forum on Tuesday, Oct. 6. Rep. Bill Keating (D-MA) blamed tariffs and the war with Iran. Republican Tyler MacAllister said he would speed up federal permits for nuclear power, and he opposes offshore wind, The New Bedford Light reported. [](#ngr-a24e15e2-80aa-4c74-9ff5-693b23c3e172)

Keating, a former state senator and Norfolk County district attorney, has been in Congress since 2011 and is seeking a ninth term. He won the Sept. 1 Democratic primary with about 78% of the vote over former teacher Craig Swallow. MacAllister, a five-term member of the Mattapoisett Select Board whose campaign calls him a lifelong Cape Codder, ran unopposed for the Republican nomination.

What They Stand For

Keating calls the president's tariffs illegal and wants Congress to reassert its authority over them. He backs Medicare for All and a ban on stock trading by members of Congress, and he says ICE "is criminal" in its current form. He also opposes the SAVE Act, which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote.

MacAllister supports nuclear and solar power and wants to cut the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's roughly 10-year approval process to two years. He wants federal money to train welders, plumbers and electricians for the working waterfront, and he says institutional investors are outbidding families for homes. He also supports voter ID, saying, "Keeping the vote secure and safe is very important to me."

The Money Behind The Race

Keating reported raising about $380,000 this cycle through June 30 and had about $519,000 in the bank, The New Bedford Light reported. MacAllister reported raising about $175,000 from July 2025 through Aug. 12, according to Federal Election Commission filings, and had about $35,000 left.

Race Outlook: Ratings And Betting Markets

The Cook Political Report rates the race Solid Democratic as of Sept. 25, and Inside Elections gives it the same rating as of Oct. 2. Sabato's Crystal Ball calls it Safe Democratic as of Sept. 29. On Kalshi, traders favored Keating at about 93.3% as of Wednesday, Oct. 7.

Keating won about 59% of the vote in 2022 and about 56% in 2024 in the district, which covers the Cape and Islands and parts of the South Coast and South Shore. Kamala Harris carried Massachusetts with about 61% in 2024.

Voters have until Saturday, Oct. 24, to register, and mail ballot applications are due by 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27. Early in-person voting runs from Saturday, Oct. 17, through Friday, Oct. 30, and polls are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

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