We Need a Slate of Unpledged Progressive Delegates

Not ready to commit to a gubernatorial candidate?  Want to be part of the process to elect a bold and effective progressive leader?  Then please consider going to your local caucus and running to be part of Progressive Democrats of Massachusetts’ (PDM) statewide slate of unpledged progressive delegates to the state convention.

PDM has undertaken an extensive and careful process to review all the candidates on their values, their proposals, and their ability to get elected and govern effectively.  We interviewed the four leading candidates.  Our membership concluded that there are several attractive candidates who are presenting themselves as true progressives, and that it would be premature to endorse one of them at this point.

Instead we hope to build a statewide slate of convention delegates who will work together to assess the candidates on their values and priorities, on their ability to get elected, and on their capacity to advance a progressive agenda once elected.  We believe that such a slate can help to steer the debate among the candidates in a more progressive direction in the months leading up to the convention, can provide the opportunity for a better informed judgment about which candidate most merits progressive support, and can help build consensus among progressive activists.  If this makes sense to you, please join the effort.

Here are our goals for the unpledged progressive slate:

• As members of a slate of unpledged progressive delegates, we promise to work together to identify and support the candidate for Governor who shows the greatest capacity to be an effective leader for bold progressive change.
• We will seek a candidate who shares our values and priorities, including commitment to redressing the growing chasm between rich and poor, to expanding and strengthening vital public services (including early childhood education, public transportation, affordable housing, behavioral and social services, etc.), and to addressing the challenges of climate change and criminal justice reform.
• We will seek a candidate with a realistic grassroots strategy for getting elected, and with the skills to be a bold and effective leader as governor.
• We promise to work together with the statewide slate to gather and share information and insight about the candidates’ values, priorities, and potential effectiveness.  The statewide slate will meet with the candidates to explore their comparative strengths and to encourage them to campaign on strong progressive principles.
• We agree to seek consensus within the statewide slate, but we each will ultimately make our own independent decision about whom to support at the Convention and beyond.

 If you want to join our effort, here’s what you can do:

1. Check the date, time and location of your local caucus.  For a full list, go to the Democratic Party’s website. Remember that you need to arrive at the caucus by the listed starting time and be prepared to stay through the voting.
2. Reach out to friends and neighbors to encourage them to join you as part of the unpledged progressive slate, or to come to the caucus and support the slate.
3. Contact us at info@progressivedemsofmass.org, so that we can provide you with further information and connect you with other supporters.
4. Before the caucus, prepare flyers with the names of people on your slate and describing the slate’s aims (even if you’re the only person you know of who’s running as part of our statewide slate).  Use the information above to describe our goals.  For most caucuses, you will want to make a few hundred copies.
5. Be prepared to speak for 1-2 minutes at the caucus about why you are running as an unpledged progressive.
6. If you contact us, we’ll provide you with additional talking points and advice before your caucus.