Debate held for Republican 9th Bristol District State Representative candidates

The Dartmouth Republican Town Committee held a debate between Chester Tam and Henry Bousquet, the two Republican candidates running for state representative in the 9th Bristol District. 

Tam, who works as a landlord, an investor and an IT consultant, started getting involved in local politics a while back, running to be on the board of health in the 2025 Town Election and to be a Town Meeting member. 

Bousquet, who lives in New Bedford, is a culinary education teacher at Greater New Bedford Vocational Technical High School. He said that while he currently leaves an impact on around 40 teenagers a year, he would like to expand his reach to the state by helping develop laws.

Both candidates introduced themselves as fathers and husbands. 

Tam said he feels that people are not being represented in town, as 51% of the country voted for President Donald Trump in 2024 and said Massachusetts needs more conservative representation. 

“I’m doing this because I actually really want to represent the people and serve the people here because I’ve heard a lot of the issues that people have to face,” he said.

Bousquet, who served as a councilor at large for a number of years in New Bedford, during which he worked on local ordinances, budget allocation and helping those in the city. 

“Everyone seems to be telling me about the same thing pretty much. They said ‘Henry, when you get to Beacon Hill we want you to go ape,’” he said, “And what they mean by that is they want me to focus on accountability.”

There are a number of issues the two candidates agree on, which include supporting the audit to bring transparency to the state; that Chapter 40B needs reform; and that diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is an issue in the schools. 

Bousquet and Tam both said they worry  that the county is becoming unaffordable for themselves and their children. Both identify as pro-life, so neither is in support of the nine-month abortion bill, which would allow abortions up to birth “based on the professional judgment of the physician.” 

“I was lucky enough to be born without a uterus,” said Bousquet, “Therefore, I would never have to make this decision.” 

Despite sharing some sentiments, Tam and Bousquet  had different approaches to improving the state. 

When it comes to lowering the cost of living, Bousquet wants to look into how utility bills are managed, such as finding a way to get rid of “punishment” fees on energy bills. 

Tam said that utility bills are a part of the issue, and another way to help fix it is to deport people without citizenship papers living in apartments around the state. 

“If we had more homes available without the illegals here, we could lower the costs in the rent,” he said. 

Tam and Bousquet disagree on where funding should go in the schools, though they agreed  that the schools need more funding. 

Tam has has two children who went through Dartmouth Public Schools and a third that will enter the district in middle school. He said the schools need to be more of a case-by-case basis that’s based on a student's needs. 

Bousquet said the lottery system for the vocational schools should be reevaluated, as he said the system currently favors English Language Learners, disabled kids and kids of color. He also said that while a more personalized education system is the ideal, it's not realistic and wants public schools to include more vocational classes. He added that AI could be a great tool for students as well. 

When it comes to public safety, they had differing ideas on what should be prioritized. Tam noted that  police departments have openings they can’t fill and said that by raising the salary, they could hopefully pull in more candidates with necessary talent. 

Bousquet pointed out the high rates of homelessness in New Bedford, which he said is often due to mental health issues. He  said this was due to President Ronald Reagan changing institutionalization laws, allowing people to opt out of treatment which “kind of tie[s] the hands of the people who love them.” 

To help small businesses, Tam would look to lower the cost of filing for a business and Bousquet would look into finding cheaper insurances.

For funding issues, Tam would find a way to get money from the surplus of the Millionaires Tax, which taxes families making over $1 million in a year. Bousquet described this as “short-sighted,” and that the formula for local aid must be reevaluated to better support the towns.  

The candidates were allowed to mention something that separated them from their opponent. Bousquet pointed out his diverse experience, from running Neighborhood Watches trained by Guardian Angels to a small business collaborative. Tam said he is better at social media and knows a number of politicians across the state. 

To watch the full debate, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtIXVNTBF4o.