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Mass Alliance endorses candidates who request our endorsement and who have a clear record of supporting our values. We are proud to endorse these progressive champions:
Open Seats:
Katherine Clark
Candidates for Re-Election to the Senate:
Sonia Chang-Diaz
Candidates for Re-Election to the House:
Jen BensonWe work hard for the candidates we endorse. Join us to volunteer!
Rep. Katherine Clark is running for the open seat in being vacated by Richard Tisei. Katherine was elected in 2008 to the MA House of Representatives and is committed to continuing her fight for the kind of common sense reforms that keep government working for families and communities
As a school committee member and public school mom, Katherine knows the importance of providing a quality education to every child, no matter what community they live in. In the legislature, she has made her colleagues focus on making the funding formula for public schools fair to all communities. Because of her commitment to education, Katherine was named Legislator of the Year by Citizens for Public Schools for her work.
As a prosecutor and advocate for children, Katherine has seen up close the important role government plays in protecting our families. As a legislator, she has strengthened the protections for kids against bullying.
Katherine has showed her commitment to job creation as leader in passing legislation to create the Commonwealth's first small business administration. Katherine will work to protect the transportation systems businesses rely on and lower insurance rates for small businesses.
Katherine is committed to making sure that our resources do the most possible good in our communities. She stood up to leaders of her own party to open the books of the legislature itself. And she was one of a handful of legislators who fought and won accountability for the companies we invest in to create the jobs we need.
As a long time labor leader, community activist, and tireless organizer for working people in the Commonwealth, Ron Patenaude is Mass Alliance's endorsement for the Hampden State Senate Seat.
Ron is a healthcare professional who has worked locally as an alcohol and substance abuse counselor and mental health counselor, spending 12 years helping people learn to help themselves. As a health care professional, Ron knows where to eliminate the waste, abuse and mismanagement inherent in the current system. He will fight for and win changes to our fragmented healthcare delivery system to reduce costs while improving the quality of care and treatment outcomes.
When their employer tried to cut their wages, increase their health insurance costs and make other changes to their wages, benefits and working conditions, Ron joined his coworkers and helped lead and win a campaign to join UAW 2322.
Ron was elected President of UAW 2322. Ron works tirelessly with the 3,200 workers his local represents to fight for and win better wages, benefits and working conditions, so they and their families can enjoy a better life.
As a member of the Commonwealth Corporation's Board of Directors Ron has led on job training programs and development he will work to increase the number of and accessibility to desperately needed programs to provide training in the skills needed to qualify for jobs in new sectors and industries; to help displaced workers to find employment. Without this, the economy will not recover from the economic downturn that far too many of our friends and family members are still reeling from.
It is because of that work in the community that Ron was awarded the Pioneer Valley Labor Leader of the Year and why Mass Alliance is proud to endorse him.
Margot Barnet is a lifelong grassroots activist and long time community leader in the 13th Worcester District, a seat being vacated by Bob Spellane. Because of her leadership role in support of striking nurses, her work in the fight to adequately fund public education, her articulate advocacy for fair tax policy, clean elections, and equal marriage, her years of activism on behalf of progressive candidates in electoral campaigns, and her pioneering leadership work in support of environmental justice, Mass Alliance is honored to endorse Dr. Barnet.
Margot has publicly called for more democracy on Beacon Hill, for open and transparent government, and for more diffusion of political power within the legislature. She is a Board member and past President of the Regional Environmental Council of Central Massachusetts. REC's programs bring green jobs and leadership development skills to low income teens and organic food from Worcester county farmers to Worcester's poorest inner city neighborhoods.
The 2009 Worcester Democratic City Committee's Woman of the Year, Barnet has taken her passion for creating a better community and has hit the ground running with a vigorous grassroots campaign that will turn the concerns of area residents into an ongoing movement for progressive social and economic justice.
Mass Alliance is endorsing Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz for re-election in the Second Suffolk District, because of her passionate voice for progressive change and her ability to shed light on the issues that affect her community.
In just two short years Senator Chang-Diaz, has set herself a part as she fought for C.O.R.I. reform, finally securing its passage. She has fought racial profiling and anti-immigrant fervor that came up late this spring in the Senate. She addressed the foreclosure crisis by helping to create protections from foreclosures and evictions.
A former teacher herself, she has worked to protect K-12 funding and helped shape the educational reform package aimed at ending the achievement-gap. Through these tough fiscal times, she's also fought to protect millions of dollars going to youth intervention programs, housing assistance, community healthcare, and other programs that help those who need it the most.
Senator Chang-Diaz supports economic development that will help communities, while creating good jobs with good wages. She sees the need for accountability in all aspects of government, especially those pertaining to job creation and tax revenues. Mass Alliance is proud to support Senator Chang-Diaz.
Mass Alliance is proud to support progressive champion Sen. Cynthia Creem who is running for re-election to the State Senate in the 1st Middlesex and Norfolk District. She has been a leader in closing of corporate tax loopholes and champion for the landmark stem cell and biotech initiatives.
As chair of the Judiciary Committee, she has been an important and powerful voice for smart criminal justice policy and justice for all. She was instrumental in the recent passage of comprehensive C.O.R.I. reform.
Senator Creem is committed to quality public education, government accountability and creating the green jobs of the future. As former Chair of the Revenue Committee, Senator Creem fought to support funding for local aid and has worked with municipalities to find innovative ways to cope with the fiscal crisis.
Senator Creem's work for property tax relief for seniors and strengthening policies for quality health care won her recognition as the Massachusetts Council on Aging's 2009 Advocate of the Year.
Mass Alliance is proud to endorse Sen. Jamie Eldridge for re-election in the Middlesex and Worcester District, because of his passionate and eloquent voice for his communities and progressive values.
Sen. Eldridge knows that our public schools are the foundation of our economy, and that the investments we make in education now will benefit our Commonwealth for generations to come. Sen. Eldridge will work to make sure schools have the resources and tools they need to succeed, such as quality teachers, small class sizes, and well-rounded curricula. Sen. Eldridge won passage of the toughest anti-bullying legislation in the country to ensure every child in Massachusetts is safe at school.
Sen. Eldridge has worked to protect our open spaces, natural environment and clean water systems as co-sponsor of the Energy Efficiency Act, Global Warming Solutions Act, the Green Communities Act, and the Green Jobs bill. He understands the important issues because of his years of service on organizations like the Acton Conservation Trust, Nashua River Watershed Association, Organization for the Assabet River and the SuAsCo Watershed Community Council.
Sen. Eldridge is a leader in demanding transparency and accountability on Beacon Hill so that citizens of the Commonwealth can be sure their tax dollars are being spent efficiently and effectively. This dedication to these values have set him apart during his career in the Senate.
Senator Pat Jehlen is a principled leader dedicated to the progressive vision of the Commonwealth. Her commitment to creating a transformative public policy for our communities is the reason Mass Alliance is proud to endorse Sen. Jehlen for re-election in the 2nd Middlesex District.
As chair of Elder Affairs in the Senate, she has supported and helped pass legislation to assist seniors in making fair and equal choices about their quality of care, regardless of their finances. Pat is focused on improving the quality of life for all by implementing paid sick days, ensuring excellent education for all kids, keeping healthcare affordable and universal, and making sure jobs have decent wages and benefits.
Mass Alliance is excited to support this progressive champion for re-election.
Since Rep. Steve D'Amico was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2006, he has been a strong, independent voice for the people of Swansea, Rehoboth, Seekonk, and Norton. It is because of that commitment that Mass Alliance is endorsing him for re-election. Steve has fought to change the culture of Beacon Hill and has not been afraid to stand up to House leadership and special interests.
Rep. D'Amico has advocated for closing corporate tax loopholes and pushed for more transparency in government. He will be committed to working for wise investments in critical areas like education; transportation; public safety and a trustworthy judicial system which historically have been the underpinnings of our economic strength. Sustaining that infrastructure has been, and will remain, crucial to the economic recovery that is now underway.
His thoughtful and strong leadership for the 4th Bristol District is the reason Mass Alliance is so proud to endorse his re-election bid.
Mass Alliance is continuing support Rep. Mark Falzone who is running for re-election in the 9th Essex District because of his hard work and commitment to his community.
Education is a top priority for Rep. Falzone. His work supporting high quality education from K-12 to higher education has earned him consistently high ratings from the Massachusetts Teachers Association. Falzone also worked to lower the costs of prescription medication to help seniors on limited budgets, along with improving senior care programs and helping seniors to reduce their property taxes.
His successes as a state legislator earned him a Flemming Fellowship in 2002, among many other honors. Mass Alliance is proud to endorse his candidacy for reelection in 2010.
Representative Jason Lewis has been hard at work tackling the challenges facing the residents and small businesses in Stoneham and Winchester. It is because of his tireless, thoughtful work in supporting his community that Mass Alliance endorsed Rep. Lewis for re-election.
In the midst of a severe recession, Rep. Lewis has shown his leadership in spurring local economic development, championing education and local aid, and securing major improvements in public transportation and flood mitigation.
As a supporter of education, he is working for Chapter 70 reform, so that his constituents in suburban and rural school districts receive fairer funding. He has supported the Route 132 bus service, boosting public transportation in his district. He is also invested in making state government more efficient and accountable, and has helped to tighten ethics and lobbying rules.
Rep. Lewis brings the management and financial skills he gained working for fifteen years in the private sector to the State House and uses them to bring more transparency, accountability and efficiency to our state government. These skills also serve Rep. Lewis well as he fights for job creation and local economic development and affordable health care for all.
As Representative for the 3rd Barnstable, Rep. Matt Patrick has worked for a fair and balanced budget for the people of our Commonwealth that protects our seniors, our children, the hungry, the homeless and the disabled. It is this approach to finding thoughtful solutions to the difficult questions being faced by the Commonwealth during these hard economic times that Mass Alliance endorsed Rep. Matt Patrick for re-election. /
Rep. Patrick is strong supporter of the environment, he is a leader and sponsor of a bill that made it easier for residents to finance energy efficiency improvements with low interest loans and make all of our new appliances more energy efficient. Global warming is already having a financial impact on his community through increasing costs of homeowners insurance and stronger, more destructive coastal storms.
In addition, Rep. Patrick fought to close corporate tax loopholes that put an unfair burden on the working families. He has proudly stood up for civil rights and defended the Constitution of the Commonwealth from those who would jeopardize it by forcing a vote on gay marriage. He is also a proponent of comprehensive and expansive Pre-Kindergarten education, along with increased funding for schools.
Mass Alliance is proud to endorse a Rep. Carl Sciortino because he has been a tireless advocate for issues of social and economic justice and deeply committed to working for the families in his community. He passed amendments to the state budget which increased funding for the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP) and Hepatitis-C prevention and treatment programs. Rep. Sciortino also helped pass and worked to override Governor Romney's veto on legislation which increased the minimum wage to the highest in the nation at $8.00/hour.
He supported an amendment to the state's constitution which would make health care for all a constitutionally guaranteed right and he helped pass a landmark bill that makes affordable, quality insurance accessible to 95% to the state's 500,000 uninsured residents. As one of the few members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, & transgender community serving in the Massachusetts general court and as an avid civil rights proponent, Rep. Sciortino has also taken on a leadership role in opposing a constitutional amendment which would outlaw same sex marriage, and is the lead sponsor of legislation to extend civil rights protections to transgender individuals.
He has worked to lose corporate tax loopholes and advocates for increased transparency for tax credits and breaks given out in the Commonwealth. Rep. Sciortino has managed to increase local aid every year he has been in office, and has consistently worked to support Somerville and Medford. He supports the extension of the MBTA Green Line, as it will create jobs and help increase the use of public transportation and consequently lead to cleaner air.
Cleon Turner was compelled to run for representative of the First Barnstable District because of a sense that there's a disconnect between state and local government. As a former member of the Dennis Board of Selectmen, Rep. Turner saw firsthand that Beacon Hill just didn't seem to understand what the actual needs of his local communities were.
It is because of that focus on the needs of his community and his passionate advocacy for those issues, that Mass Alliance is endorsing Rep. Turner for re-election.
Rep. Turner has been a voice for education policies that meet the demands of the schools in Barnstable as well as the rest of the state. Rep. Turner has been a leader in bringing C.O.R.I. reform so that Commonwealth residents who have paid their debt to society have a path to gainful employment, housing and out of a cycle of crime forever.
Because of his strong advocacy for his community, Rep. Turner was recognized as legislator of the year by the Massachusetts Municipal Association and the Mass Teacher's Association.
See our previous endorsements here.