Key Progressive Democratic Races in Massachusetts
A new political group that has been quietly organizing for a year or so, is gaining increasing notoriety in Massachusetts politics. Progressive Democrats of Massachusetts (an outgrowth of the unsuccessful 2002 gubernatorial campaign of Robert Reich) is assisting several candidates for state offices, while seeking to build a strong progressive electoral capacity in the Democratic Party. (I am proud to be a founding member of PDM.)
Much is at stake. Republican Governor Mitt Romney has fielded an unprecedented number of challengers to incumbent democratic legislators. These candidates, as well as GOP incumbents and candidates for open seats, have received significant assistance from the Republican National Committee -- which has reportedly funneled three million dollars into the Massachusetts Republican Party to bankroll these campaigns. Romney and his allies plan an assault on the independence of the state judiciary in the wake of the Goodridge decision of the Massachusettes Supreme Judicial Court, that legalized gay marriage.
One PDM-backed candidate, Carl Sciortino, narrowly won the September Democratic primary against the conservative incumbent, state Representative Vincent Ciampa. Since there was no Republican candidate, it appeared Sciortino would be the new representative from Somerville. Ciampa is now running a sore loser write-in campaign. He is running hard, and has a chance of winning. Sciortino, an openly gay man, ran on a broad progressive platform -- including support for marriage equality. But a virulently anti-gay group called the Article 8 Alliance, has distributed leaflets all over the district supporting Ciampa, a fierce opponent of marrige equality, and attacking Sciortino as a "homosexual extremist."
PDM and other groups are rallying to help Sciortino. Please visit the PDM web site to find out how to contribute to Sciortino's campaign, or to help in other ways.
Other PDM-supported candidates in tight races that could use extra help include:
Ed Augustus of Worcester -- in a tight race for an open state senate seat against a wealthy conservative Republican.
Katherine Clark of Melrose -- running a spirited campaign against a wealthy incumbent Republican state senator.
Monica Palacios-Boyce -- running an strong race for an open seat for state representative from the Palmer area.
Pam Resor -- a progressive incumbent state senator facing a strong challenge from a conservative Republican in a suburban Boston district.
Peter Vickery -- who won the Democratic primary for the western Massachusetts seat on the 8-member Governor's Council (the body in Massachusetts that confirms judicial nominations), is now in a tight race against a well-funded, anti-abortion former Democrat.
Please visit the PDM web site to find out how to help these candidates.
Much is at stake. Republican Governor Mitt Romney has fielded an unprecedented number of challengers to incumbent democratic legislators. These candidates, as well as GOP incumbents and candidates for open seats, have received significant assistance from the Republican National Committee -- which has reportedly funneled three million dollars into the Massachusetts Republican Party to bankroll these campaigns. Romney and his allies plan an assault on the independence of the state judiciary in the wake of the Goodridge decision of the Massachusettes Supreme Judicial Court, that legalized gay marriage.
One PDM-backed candidate, Carl Sciortino, narrowly won the September Democratic primary against the conservative incumbent, state Representative Vincent Ciampa. Since there was no Republican candidate, it appeared Sciortino would be the new representative from Somerville. Ciampa is now running a sore loser write-in campaign. He is running hard, and has a chance of winning. Sciortino, an openly gay man, ran on a broad progressive platform -- including support for marriage equality. But a virulently anti-gay group called the Article 8 Alliance, has distributed leaflets all over the district supporting Ciampa, a fierce opponent of marrige equality, and attacking Sciortino as a "homosexual extremist."
PDM and other groups are rallying to help Sciortino. Please visit the PDM web site to find out how to contribute to Sciortino's campaign, or to help in other ways.
Other PDM-supported candidates in tight races that could use extra help include:
Ed Augustus of Worcester -- in a tight race for an open state senate seat against a wealthy conservative Republican.
Katherine Clark of Melrose -- running a spirited campaign against a wealthy incumbent Republican state senator.
Monica Palacios-Boyce -- running an strong race for an open seat for state representative from the Palmer area.
Pam Resor -- a progressive incumbent state senator facing a strong challenge from a conservative Republican in a suburban Boston district.
Peter Vickery -- who won the Democratic primary for the western Massachusetts seat on the 8-member Governor's Council (the body in Massachusetts that confirms judicial nominations), is now in a tight race against a well-funded, anti-abortion former Democrat.
Please visit the PDM web site to find out how to help these candidates.
posted by Frederick Clarkson at 8:37 PM
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