Diehl addresses crowd at White City campaign stop, calls for block of vaccine mandates

SHREWSBURY — Republican gubernatorial candidate Geoff Diehl stressed Saturday morning that parents should have complete power over the vaccination of their children, as a crowd of about 50 supporters cheered at a sunny outdoor gathering at White City Shopping Center.

While standing in a parking lot abutting Route 9 and South Quinsigamond Avenue, Diehl took a shot at his opponent, Democrat Maura T. Healey, citing her support for COVID-19 mask and vaccine mandates.

The two debated Oct. 13 and Oct. 20, sparring on abortion and energy on both occasions.

“Healey wouldn’t answer the question about blocking vaccine mandates for kids,” said Diehl. “We're not gonna stand with that in Massachusetts. Parents should decide their kids’ health care.”

Dubbed the “Take Freedom Back Tour,” Saturday's rally here was the first of 11 stops on Diehl’s statewide final campaign trail push leading up to Election Day, Nov. 8.

Saturday was also the first day of state in-person early voting in Worcester and surrounding Central Massachusetts cities and towns.

Shrewsbury Republican Jeffrey Sossa-Paquette, who is challenging incumbent Democrat U.S. Rep. James P. McGovern of Worcester in the 2nd Congressional District, joined Diehl Saturday and spoke at the gathering.

On Nov. 8, Diehl will run for the gubernatorial seat alongside Leah Allen, a former state representative from Peabody and a nurse running for lieutenant governor.

Diehl also represented the 7th Plymouth District in the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 2011 to 2019, and ran an unsuccessful U.S. Senate campaign against Democratic incumbent Sen. Elizabeth Warren in 2018.

“This election is about giving people more power over their lives to choose what they want to do with their careers and what to do with their kids,” said Diehl, who has been endorsed by former President Donald Trump.

Energy policies touted

On Saturday, Diehl touched upon his energy policies, also calling out Healey’s stance.

“We held Maura Healey accountable for the energy crisis she's put us in right now with the higher cost to heat our homes, to drive around,” said Diehl. “The war on energy is costing us more at the pump. It's costing us more in our households with heating our homes with the electricity spike."

Sossa-Paquette called for a focus of state funds on affordable housing, citing rising inflation.

“We have a heating crisis coming this winter,” said Sossa-Paquette. “People are going to be paying $1,500 to fill an oil tank one time. ou need four to five tanks over the winter.

“In Worcester, the average family of four makes $45,000 a year — how are they going to pay $1,500 for one tank of oil?”

The crowd of supporters donned T-shirts with statements that called for a ban on vaccine and mask mandates.

Ed Boulter, a Shrewsbury resident, emphasized his opposition to vaccine mandates came down to wanting power over health care decisions.

“We’re all about letting people make their own medical choices and not being coerced by employers or government to force you to put things in your body that you don't agree with,” said Boulter.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Geoff Diehl's 'Take Freedom Back Tour' kicks off in Shrewsbury