Voting day for state primaries is just around the corner! Progressive Massachusetts has endorsed in five races in the upcoming state primaries on Thursday, September 8. and our endorsed candidates need your help!
When Progressive Massachusetts supports progressive candidates in primaries, we are doing two important things for the long-term movement —
- Making the legislature more progressive, so we can get more legislation passed
- Building the bench of progressive leaders who someday can run for even higher office
Do your part this weekend.
– Monica Cannon (events in Roxbury)
– Mike Connolly (events in Cambridge)
– Pat Jehlen (events in Somerville, Cambridge, Medford)
– Jack Lewis (events in Framingham, Ashland)
– Moses Dixon (events in Worcester)
– Mike Connolly (events in Cambridge)
– Pat Jehlen (events in Somerville, Cambridge, Medford)
– Jack Lewis (events in Framingham, Ashland)
– Moses Dixon (events in Worcester)
And don’t forget to donate to our candidates if you haven’t already!
Remember, your time and dollars go much further in state legislative races — and you’re investing in the movement long-term.
Monica Cannon
“Join Team Cannon for our champion for the voiceless, for our community activist candidate, Monica Cannon. In this tight 7th Suffolk District race, it is the difference between electing the status quo and a real change-maker for Roxbury. Your support door knocking and phone banking will ensure we leave no stone unturned, no vote neglected, and a better future for the communities of Roxbury, Dorchester, and the Fenway.”
Canvassing Opportunities for Cannon:
Saturday, Aug. 27: 10:00 am, 12:00 pm, 2:00 pm, Meet at Tropical Foods (El Platanero) at 450 Melnea Cass Boulevard, Roxbury, MA 02119
Sunday, Aug. 28: 12:00 pm, 2:00 pm, 4:00 pm, Meet at 6 Fenno Street, Roxbury, MA 02119 (Monica’s House)
Phone Banking Opportunities for Cannon:
Saturday, Aug. 27: 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm, 140 Winthrop Street, Roxbury, MA 02119
You can reach out to Meaghan with any questions at 617-396-7085 or votecannonforstaterep@gmail.com.
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Mike Connolly
“This is the one race where a conservative House Democrat is being credibly challenged from the progressive Left. Mike Connolly’s been active in Progressive Massachusetts from the beginning; he started as an activist at Occupy Boston, and worked his way into the role of legislative aide for the Cambridge City Council. If we want to see a more progressive House, we need to win this race in Cambridge and Somerville.”
Canvassing Opportunities for Connolly:
Saturday, Aug. 27: 11:00 am to 6:00 pm, Meet at the HQ at Workbar Cambridge (45 Prospect St, Cambridge, MA 02139)
Sunday, Aug. 28: 11:00 am to 6:00 pm, Meet at the HQ at Workbar Cambridge (45 Prospect St, Cambridge, MA 02139)
Phone Banking Opportunities for Connolly:
Saturday, Aug. 27: 11:00 am to 6:00 pm, Meet at the HQ at Workbar Cambridge (45 Prospect St, Cambridge, MA 02139)
Sunday, Aug. 28: 11:00 am to 6:00 pm, Meet at the HQ at Workbar Cambridge (45 Prospect St, Cambridge, MA 02139)
Contact Chris at 301-807-8378 OR chris@mikeconnolly.org to get involved.
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Pat Jehlen
“Pat has a well funded and aggressive opponent. She needs all the grassroots activist support she can get to ensure her progressive vision for Massachusetts is fulfilled. Pat could use your help in these final weeks, and on election day itself.”
Canvassing Opportunities for Jehlen:
Saturday, Aug. 27: 10:30am, Meet at Bourbon Coffee (1815 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02140)
Saturday, Aug. 27: 11:00am — with State Rep. Denise Provost. Meet at the HQ at 212 Elm Street (3rd Floor), Somerville, MA 02144
Sunday, Aug. 28: 12:00 pm — with Congresswoman Katherine Clark. Meet at The Danish Pastry House (330 Boston Avenue, Medford, MA 02155)
Phone Banking Opportunities for Jehlen:
Daily at HQ (212 Elm Street (3rd Floor), Somerville, MA 02144)
Contact Field Coordinator Charlotte at (617) 909-0408 or at charlotte@electpatjehlen.org with any questions or to get involved.
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Jack Lewis
“I am running for state representative to be a voice for those not traditionally represented in the halls of power. My background in ministry and as a non-profit leader make me uniquely qualified to represent Framingham and Ashland. I would be honored to bring my lifelong commitment to progressive principles and practical solutions to the State House.”
Canvassing Opportunities for Lewis:
Saturday, Aug. 27: 9:30am, 2:00pm, Meet at 10 Lilian Rd, Framingham, MA 01701
Sunday, Aug. 28: 9:30am, 2:00pm, Meet at 90 Concord St, Ashland, MA 01721 (adjacent parking lot to David Mindess School)
Can’t make these times? There are volunteers knocking on doors and making calls daily. Contact Rachel Quinn at Rachel@ElectJackLewis.com or 631-905-4671.
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Moses Dixon
“I’m pleased to have the endorsement of Progressive Massachusetts because it really means something. Your questionnaire is uniquely comprehensive, and your members are uniquely involved in the endorsement decision, giving it real progressive grassroots credibility. Progressive Massachusetts members are among the most effective volunteers, and I’m grateful for your help in door-knocking, talking to voters, and getting out the word. Let’s keep it up —Mo’smentum!”
Canvassing Opportunities for Dixon:
Saturday, Aug. 27: Latino Day of Action, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm, Meet at corner of Chandler St and Main St at 10am to hold signs for Moses.
Sunday, Aug. 28: 11:00 am, Meet Carpenters Local 107, 29 Endicott St, Worcester, MA 01610
Phone Banking Opportunities for Dixon:
Sunday, Aug. 28: 11:00 am, Meet Carpenters Local 107, 29 Endicott St, Worcester, MA 01610
Want to get involved, or have any questions? Contact Jon at 508-556-4383 or jonobrien56@gmail.com.
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Please share widely!
…where incumbents are being challenged by candidates claiming to be more progressive. Did you look at those at all?
They get the Jconway endorsement. So does Kim Maxwell in Fitchburg and Bob Croce in Peabody, Jennifer Migliore in Wakfield along with all of these fine names. The latter three and Jessica Lambert have been formally endorsed by the UIP as well.
Lastly, Keri Thompson and I had a great day canvassing today and I am actively looking for volunteers. It’s a write in race to get other choices in the ballot and ensure a progressive is running in the general election.
Speaking as a board member —
We would love to endorse in all of the races, seriously. But we are still new and powered, truly, on grassroots dollars, so resources are limited RIGHT NOW. Therefore, priorities have to be made based on a variety of factors. One of them is progressive “upgrades” and another is PM organizing strength in the district in question.
Where we have more dues-paying members, or/and a vibrant community of PM-identified organizers, that is going to be a check in the column for endorsement consideration.
The Election and Endorsement Committee (all PM members with a history of strong engagement with the organization’s efforts) has been extraordinary. It’s a LOT of work, in multiple dimensions and I’m deeply grateful for the hard work they’ve put in and continue to put in!
Check out the questionnaires
and
here, all candidates who sought our endorsement
And if you like the work they’ve been doing, and want to see more of it, please do become a dues-paying member and support the efforts. If we want a truly grassroots organization, we actually DO have to fund it with the grassroots! Many BMGers are dues-paying members, and we are all grateful! (And some are even monthly-dues members, which is another level of awesome!
Explain to me why I should care. What’s so great about your candidate that the others lack? Jehlen and Connolly are obvious choices for progressives because the incumbents in those races have established records that anyone can look up.
But the other races, I have no reason to believe in your endorsements without better explanations. My understanding in 7th Suffolk, for example, is that Tuitt is a progressive also. I don’t know anything about the third candidate. Why is Cannon better?
Chiming in as a resident of the 7th Suffolk (I live in Fenway), and as someone who’s seen all of the candidates speak.
First of all, I would say that Chynah’s support for Question 2 is immediately disqualifying for me. She also comes across very nervous when she speaks (not disqualifying, but something she needs to work on), and when I saw her speak, she didn’t seem to realize that Fenway was even a part of the district (a red flag about her own campaign and future constituent services to me).
Monica has an impressive background in advocacy/activism, both on education (She’s a strong BPS advocate, and I first heard about her through all of the awesome BPS parent-activists I know) and CJ issues (she’s worked on combating recidvism, and attentiveness to such issues is important to be a good advocate for the 7th Suffolk district).
Mary’s good on the issues generally just as the retiring incumbent–Gloria Fox–has been (although GF’s office never responds to emails–if Mary is elected, I hope she’d be better), but there’s been a lack of professionalism in her campaign (both in terms of how she responded to a number of the questions in the PM questionnaire and how the website featured on her FB campaign page was a dead link for the longest time).
Monica’s impressed me more as someone with passion on the issues she cares about, a willingness to learn more about those she is not as involved with, and a combination of professionalism and solid outreach skills. We want legislators who not only vote well, but also lead on those votes–and I see Monica as that type.
If you want to see the candidates speak in person, you are more than welcome to come to the candidate forum tomorrow night at 6 PM at Twelfth Baptist in Roxbury!
Hi Seamus, just popping in to provide some context — all endorsed candidates need to clear a 60% threshold vote from our dues-paying members to earn the Progressive Mass endorsement.
Members reviewed the questionnaires and Cannon cleared that hurdle.
The 7th Suffolk questionnaires can be found here.
Let’s do this, Medford! Pat Jehlen for State Senate!!
and go Mike!!
Late last week, a pro-charter school group called “Democrats for Education Reform” quietly filed a report with Massachusetts’ Office of Campaign and Political Finance announcing that they are prepared to spend $200,000 ahead of next Thursday’s Primary Election to help elect Cheung, currently a Cambridge City Councilor, to the state senate.
Yeah, because some Democrats believe that without deep pockets,you lose. They don’t know whether or that means dirty money or not, but the money MUST come from somewhere, so they let it slide.