NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — On Sept. 1, voters in the First Berkshire District will decide whether they want to send a new representative to Beacon Hill in Boston.

 

John Barrett III has served the district in the State House of Representatives since 2017, when he was elected in a special election.

 

He is challenged this time around in the Democratic Party primary by Andrew Fitch, currently a city councilor in North Adams, where Barrett served as mayor for 26 years.

 

There is no Republican on the primary ballot for the First Berkshire seat so the primary will effectively be the election for the seat. 

 

The two candidates met for their only debate on Aug. 13 at Williams College. iBerkshires.com reached out to both candidates to follow up on some of the points raised in the debate and get their thoughts on some other issues facing the district.

 

Below are excerpts from a conversation with incumbent John Barrett III:

 

Question: In addition to being a chance to talk to your constituents, a campaign is an opportunity to listen. What are you hearing about this summer?