Koh talks priorities, committee picks, and party direction in MA-06 race

(7-minute read)

Dan Koh, the Democratic candidate for Massachusetts' 6th Congressional District, discussed his legislative priorities, committee preferences, and views on the Democratic Party's direction in an interview with The Reading Observer. Rep. Seth Moulton, who gave up the seat to run for the U.S. Senate against incumbent Sen. Ed Markey, is currently in the seat. Koh faces Republican opponent Micah Jones in the general election on November 3.

Priorities and party direction

Dan Koh on the campaign trail. Photo provided by the Koh campaign.

Koh said the first thing he would tackle in Congress is what he described as corruption under President Trump, arguing it threatens every other goal, from capping rent to Medicare for All to utility bill relief. In Koh’s telling, Trump has “enriched himself to the tune of three times what he was worth 23 months ago.” Beyond that, Koh called on Democrats to back affordability with legislation, starting with healthcare and Social Security. A Medicare for All system is part of that picture for him, as is a Social Security fix: he argued the program will become insolvent in six years without action, and he proposed raising the payroll tax on income above $400,000, which he said would add 12 years of solvency without solving the problem outright.

His first choice for a committee assignment is Oversight, a preference rooted in his time in the White House overseeing cabinet agencies. He would want to examine the Department of Defense and the Department of Health and Human Services. Education and the Workforce also appeal to him, partly because the labor movement supported his campaign, and Homeland Security, where he would want to address how Immigration and Customs Enforcement operates. Burlington, he notes, has an ICE facility, and Koh said he has seen ICE “terrorizing our neighbors,” calling its actions “completely un-American.” He said he would “love to be part of the solution.”

Taxes are one area where his thinking has changed over time. Koh said he once thought a tax cut was simply a good thing, though he stressed he never believed in tax cuts specifically for the wealthy. It was not until he worked in city government that he came to appreciate how much revenue a community needs to fund the services it wants to thrive. He argued that view now shapes how he sees federal tax policy, including tax cuts for the wealthy and what he described as the steps they take to avoid paying taxes. He said the wealthy need to pay their fair share if working families are going to get relief.

He cited the 2017 federal corporate tax cut, which lowered the rate from 35% to 21%, as an example. By Koh’s account, the government gave up $3T to $4T as a result. He said that money could have paid for $10-a-day childcare for every family, which he put at $800B over 10 years, along with a rent cap at roughly $200B and utility relief at another $200B. Add free primary care, progress toward Medicare for All, and a restored child tax credit, and he estimated the total at about $3T, still leaving roughly $1T to make Social Security solvent.

Serving the district

Heading into the midterms, Koh said the Democratic Party needs a clearer message about what it stands for, warning that a win driven by opposition to Trump and high gas prices would not necessarily reflect support for Democratic policies. He also believes Democrats have distanced themselves from vulnerable communities, including LGBTQ constituents, since the 2024 election, which he called a mistake. His own vision pairs a commitment to social justice with a push to make the economy work for working-class people. To Koh, Elon Musk’s tax cuts and rising consumer prices are evidence that the system is “rigged for the rich.”

In his view, the biggest issue Washington isn't addressing is broad disaffection with government and both political parties. His answer drew on his local government background: visibility in the community, including at local events, so constituents can raise concerns with him directly. If elected, he plans multiple district offices, and his cell phone number, 978-225-7455, is public, part of his stated goal of being as accessible as possible. Marty Walsh, his former boss and former Mayor of Boston, modeled that approach. Boston has about 750,000 residents, a number Koh said rises to roughly 1.5 million during the day, and he said Walsh returned every phone call and text message anyway. He said Walsh was “never above any person” and never sought praise for it. Koh used that example to push back on members of Congress who say they would return every call but are too busy, saying he has “seen a person able to do that.” He called it “kind of sad” that people view members of Congress as removed from their communities, and said it would be his biggest failure if that happened to him.

Dan Koh talks with attendees, including local martial arts students, at a community event.

Walsh’s influence also shows in how Koh handles disagreements. When asked why a voter who disagrees with him on one issue should trust him on the rest, Koh pointed to Walsh’s advice to “pick up the phone” rather than fight over text. He described a recent disagreement with someone he respected: he called the person, who told him they still disagree but appreciated the call and that they would “figure this out together.” Koh said he will always explain his reasoning for a vote and stay accessible to talk it through, rather than someone “robotically voting with leadership.”

On how he would differ from Rep. Moulton, who is leaving the House after losing his Senate primary bid to Sen. Markey, Koh said he would spend as much time as possible in the district rather than in Washington. He attributed that preference to his local government background, rather than to any criticism of Moulton’s service. Koh acknowledged that a majority of primary voters supported another candidate and that earning their support will be an ongoing effort. Koh said he hopes to do that by showing up at community events, including on weekends with families where someone might think, “I didn’t expect to see Dan here,” and come to see that he is genuine in what he believes. He said the same effort applies to general election voters, and that it will not happen overnight.

When the campaign gives him a free moment, Koh turns to “The Godfather,” which he acknowledged is not exactly a comfort movie but called a cinematic masterpiece, and to “Breaking Bad” on television. His guilty-pleasure snack is watermelon Sour Patch Kids, and he likes to make tabbouleh, a Lebanese salad, though he said he has had little time for it during the campaign.

Debates and the general election

Having taken part in 12 debates and forums, including one with Jones, Koh said he remains open to another, though he is focused on talking with voters about lowering costs. Koh said he has “a ton of respect” for Jones’s military service, but he argued that voters should weigh Jones's judgment on Trump. Koh said Jones switched from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party and voted for Trump twice. Koh also pointed to an op-ed in which Jones wrote that he was proud of Trump’s handling of the conflict with Iran. Koh called that “disqualifying.” Jones was not interviewed for this article.

The general election is Tuesday, November 3. Early in-person voting runs from Saturday, October 17, through Friday, October 30, and the deadline to register to vote is Saturday, October 24. Residents who want to vote by mail must submit an application to the Town Clerk’s Office by 5:00 pm on Tuesday, October 27. The town website lists early voting hours and locations, and the Secretary of the Commonwealth provides more information about voting options.