What the candidates for Mass. treasurer say as they jockey ahead of Election Day

Sharp words have been traded as the campaign clock ticks down — one month remains until the midterm elections, with high-profile positions in Massachusetts like governor, Senate and congressional seats up for grabs.

But not to be lost in the political shuffle is the surprisingly fierce race for treasurer.

"I would never walk away now," said Massachusetts Treasurer Deb Goldberg.

The incumbent in this race is seeking a fourth term and believes she is the one to shepherd the state through what she describes as "crazy" and "volatile" times.

"I've planted so many seeds, and I've been watering them and nurturing them, and I want to see them grow," said Goldberg.

Among those seeds are the BabySteps savings plan and making financial education mandatory in schools.

"The House passed it, I'm waiting on the Senate," said Goldberg.

Her opponent, Republican Elizabeth Dionne, argues it's time for a change.

"The treasurer is the fourth-most powerful office in Massachusetts, and nobody knows who the treasurer is or what she does, and so it's really become my mission over the last eight months to educate people," she said.

The former Belmont Select Board chair and attorney believes she could play a role in addressing affordability in the state if she's elected.

"I would not only advocate for local aid, but I'm drawing a line in the sand by saying next year's incremental increase needs to be at least $2 billion," said Dionne, explaining it would be "spread over 351 cities and towns."

The race itself has turned contentious, as Dionne demands debates between her and Goldberg. The incumbent has suggested she's open to debates but only from reputable news outlets.

"We would very much want to be in a situation where I was not constantly being attacked and I have seen an awful lot of that since this race started," the treasurer said.

But according to Dionne, outlets like WGBH offered to hold a debate between the two candidates.

When we asked Goldberg about that claim, she said, "Reputable news organizations that are willing to work with us on fact-checking and not having just a free-for-all back-and-forth and have not shown bias in the past."

Meanwhile, both candidates are urging voters to look at their records and allow them to lead for the next four years.

"I will absolutely be a representative for the people," said Dionne.

"This is what I was trained to do, and this is what I love doing," said Goldberg.

You can listen to the full conversations with both Dionne and Goldberg below, and get more of our "Taking Issue" interviews in our podcast feed and on YouTube.

Massachusetts Treasurer Deb Goldberg is running for a 4th term — at a critical time for the state’s lottery system, which just launched its iLottery. How does Goldberg respond to allegations from her Republican opponent, Elizabeth Dionne, that the online lottery can be played by children? Why isn't the treasurer debating her opponent? Goldberg answered that and more in this episode of "Taking Issue."

Elizabeth Dionne is the Republican candidate for the Massachusetts Office of the Treasurer and Receiver General, taking on two-time incumbent Deb Goldberg. What’s her political background and what are her ideas for this position? Dionne sat down for a conversation with NBC10 Boston political reporter Matt Prichard.