Progressive Democrats of Massachusetts (PDM) is proud to announce that we have voted to endorse Maura Healey for Attorney General and Tom Conroy for Treasurer. These endorsements follow upon PDM’s endorsement of Don Berwick for Governor earlier this month.
We encourage all progressive activists to join us in working to elect these three impressive candidates.
PDM is a statewide network of grassroots activists and organizers, which has been working since 2003 to build progressive power in Massachusetts communities and government. PDM’s endorsements are made by our sustaining members after careful review and open discussion. Our process considers both the candidates’ commitment to progressive values and policies and their likely ability to provide effective leadership if elected. We only endorse if two-thirds of those voting agree.
In the present process, both Maura Healey and Tom Conroy received the support of more than 80 percent of those participating in the voting. In two highly competitive primaries, these tallies reflect extraordinary consensus among our active members about the strengths of these two candidates.
Both Maura and Tom demonstrated their clear, consistent, and energetic commitment to core progressive values and strong track records of achievement in pursuing progressive policies. Likewise, both have compelling credentials and experience that establish their capacity to provide the highest quality of service and leadership in the offices they seek. For further description of the considerations behind our endorsements, you can see our press releases here and here.
We hope that you’ll join us in doing the needed work to ensure that all three of Don Berwick, Maura Healey, and Tom Conroy win their primary contests on Sept. 9.
Perhaps the most important thing you can do is to spend time and energy over the coming weeks talking to your friends, neighbors, and networks about these three extraordinary candidates. As voters start to focus on the upcoming elections, nothing is more influential than what they hear from people they know and trust.
In addition, of course, each of the campaigns needs our financial assistance. PDM has set up ActBlue pages through which you can make contributions directly to the three campaigns. Links for all three pages are here on our website.
And, of course, any time you can volunteer between now and Sept. 9 will be incredibly helpful. You can contact each of the campaigns directly to volunteer, or, if you’d like us to help connect you to the right local contacts, let us know at info@progressivedemsofmass.org.
Our sustaining members also considered endorsing in the race for Lieutenant Governor. In our voting, Mike Lake received substantially more support than either of the other candidates, but did not reach our two-thirds vote threshold. So, PDM will not be endorsing in that race.
Both Progressive Dems of Mass. and Progressive Mass http://www.progressivemass.com/maurahealeyforag endorsed Maura Healey for Attorney General, the former with 80% of members votes and the later w/ 68% of members’ votes. Both organizations underscored Healey’s progressive record of leadership, independence and bold progressive vision. This is a remarkable achievement for a first-time statewide candidate who started the race with just about no name recognition.
And, both organizations endorsed Don Berwick for governor. I think of these two candidates as able to usher in a new political landscape to Massachusetts. One in which issues and people trump relationships, donors and the sotto voce back scratching that plagues politics in Massachusetts.
Congratulations to Healey and to Tom Conroy.
It is so nice to see a brand new candidate on the scene with the experience and intelligence to do this job in a totally independent way. There is nothing more important in my mind.
These groups looked at the candidates on all issues and thoroughly vetted them. The Progressives of 2014 have spoken.
Good get!
I like his background, experience, and commitment to progressive values. Hope his candidacy gets more traction.
Berwick (smart, articulate but not “slick”, accomplished, progressive who will surprise everyone who has not followed him thus far – NOT A HACK)
Healey (smart, compelling, accomplished with upward trajectory)
Conroy (proven strong progressive despite the odds of living in DeLeo’s House, smart, ready to lead)
Apparently Progressive Dems of MA doesn’t care about government surveillance, expansions of the Patriot Act, police killing witnesses (like we saw in the Todashev killing), or any related issues.
Mr. Tolman said he would have investigated the Florida killing. Ms. Healey answered with different and irrelevant talking point.
For me, this endorsement hurts Progressive Dems of MA far more than it helps the annointed candidate.
Thinks she might be the only front runner on that list, maybe they went for the more electable option since the others in the skate are not leading at the moment. At this point I wouldn’t be surprised if she loses. Lot of support from Berwick and Coakley supporters alike.
How would that work, somervilletom? The killing was in Florida, by an FBI agent.
How would the state AG get involved in that?