With Senator Dan Wolf announcing he won’t run for re-election, the Cape & Islands senate seat is very much in play for 2016. The GOP, having won back the First Barnstable seat in the House, would like to recapture the senate seat also. While there are three candidates running in the Democratic primary, I am most enthused by the candidacy of my good friend, Brewster Selectman Ben deRuyter.
Ben has been an enthusiastic contributor to the party and to the town. He knows the Cape from the ground up, having gone through schools here, and returning to the Cape to raise his family and go into business. Part of Senator Wolf’s value to the Cape is his business experience. Ben too has experience running businesses, in fact even more valuable experience because his business are small and typical of the district. He practices what he preaches, not just advocating a minimum wage of $15, but also paying his employees that as a minimum. He has also implemented organic waste recycling for his restaurant.
In his tenure on the Board of Selectmen, Ben has developed the ability to bring a broad range of opinions into local government. Brewster had struggled for years to come up with a plan that would satisfy voters in building a new fire station for the town. Ben’s leadership helped create the plan that finally passes voter muster last year. Brewster residents have found Ben to be open to hearing a broad range of opinions. He understands the importance of infrastructure, having also led passage of a multi-year road improvement project.
A progressive Democrat with the both the business and public service record to support that vision has rallied significant support. Ben has outraised every Democrat and Republican running for the seat, with 75% of his contributors coming from within the district. When Ben advocates for single payer, or the Fight for $15 or affordable housing, I know he sees these as the right thing to do and more importantly, doable. Ben doesn’t run from hard fights.
Check out his website benderuyter.com for more information. This is our best candidate to keep this seat for Democrats.
Great post! I agree with you 100%. Ben is perfect for this seat and he is the most progressive. Ben will be able to pick up the torch from Senator Wolf and be a progressive leader for the entire state. He will be a fantastic advocate and fighter for his constituents in the Cape & Islands district. Ben has a great business background and he knows how to get things done. I’m excited to see what he will accomplish!
We should all be happy he’s gone, and she gets brownie points for saying it.
I know everyone wants to pretend to be sad, but let’s cut the crap. When a terrorist dies, we don’t express sympathy for their family. We celebrate. Scalia was very bad for the country, and we should acknowledge that and rejoice that he is gone.
Kudos to Lyons for not wimping out like the other two candidates.
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Should she try not to offend them by going easy on their boy, in case she wants to run for office?
Or should she do the right thing?