Seven candidates are vying to win the Democratic primary for Massachusetts’ Fourth Congressional District. The seat, currently held by Rep. Joe Kennedy III, opened up in November when Kennedy announced his run for U.S. Senate.

COVID-19 has made in-person campaigning difficult for these candidates, and for their would-be constituents looking to make an informed choice.

That’s why we’ve invited all of them to participate in a special three-part Under The Radar congressional candidate forum. For these discussions, the candidates were divided randomly into groups of three, as listed below. Whoever wins the Democratic primary will then face one of the two Republican candidates also running for the seat: Julie Hall and David Rosa.

The state's primary election is Sept. 1 and early voting begins Aug. 22.

*Since these segments were taped, Dave Cavell and Chris Zannetos have dropped out of the race, though their names will remain on the ballot. They’ve each backed candidate Jesse Mermell.

Later in the show: Revisiting Native American Representation In American Culture

The Washington, D.C. football team will soon have a new name — finally dropping a slur Native Americans found offensive. Some Massachusetts school have followed suit, dropping names and customs that have long been controversial. Black Lives Matter protests this summer spurred individuals and institutions to begin the process of dismantling the vestiges of systemic racism. That includes revisiting a history of offensive cultural representation of Native Americans. Are Native Americans finally being heard? And will this moment of racial reckoning become permanent change?

Guest:

Listen to our guest Darren Edward Lone Fight discuss Joy Harjo, the incumbent United States poet laureate and first Native American to hold that honor.

Show Credits:

We’re on the web at wgbh.org/news/undertheradarwithcalliecrossley and available for download wherever you get your podcasts.

Under the Radar with Callie Crossley is a production of WGBH, produced by Hannah Uebele and engineered by Dave Goodman.

Our theme music is FISH AND CHIPS by #weare2saxys’, Grace Kelly and Leo P.