CAMBRIDGE, MA — Boston Democratic Socialists of America (DSA)’s endorsed member Evan MacKay fell 41 votes short of beating the incumbent in the Democratic primary for Cambridge’s 25th Middlesex district of the Massachusetts State House. MacKay conceded following a recount which took place on September 12th. They challenged Marjorie Decker, who first became State Representative in 2012 and had the support of the Massachusetts Democratic Party establishment this election.
Evan’s platform centered on transparency in the State House and taxing the rich. Throughout the campaign, volunteers educated Cambridge voters about the State House’s secret committee votes and backroom deals that shift power away from everyday people and towards special interests and the ultrawealthy; and how establishment State House leaders routinely ignore legislation that community organizations prioritize.
Boston DSA members — alongside Cambridge Bike Safety, UAW, and other community members — knocked doors and contacted Cambridge voters up to polls’ closing time to mobilize support for Evan. DSA organizers gained experience and honed skills to continue fighting for a better world, both on the ballot and beyond it.
This near-miss by 41 votes out of several thousand ballots cast — a less than one percent margin — is a sign that a growing movement of Massachusetts residents are increasingly fed up with how the Democratic Party has governed the State Legislature with its super-majorities. The utter lack of transparency that shields state legislators from accountability to their constituents, ensures Beacon Hill is the least productive state legislature in the nation. While Massachusetts residents suffer the consequences of state legislators failing to adequately act on the climate & housing crises, the state of the MBTA, and on more fronts, these lawmakers lavishly spend their campaign funds on cigars, drinks, and fine food in the privacy of smoke-filled rooms.
Boston DSA has previously run successful candidates Quinton Zondervan and Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler for Cambridge City Council, as well as city councilors in other municipalities, and victorious candidates for the State House.
“Campaigns are opportunities for organizing and for listening to the needs of everyday, working class people. This has always been about building a movement and growing our power. We are proud that this campaign uplifted the Cambridge DSA priority campaign of taxing Harvard and bringing working class Cantabrigians into this fight” stated MacKay. As the results trickled in on September 3rd, before the official election results were known, MacKay announced, “They claimed we were up against impossible odds. We know our movement is strong and we know there will be times in the future where we are against impossible odds.” Boston DSA could not agree more. Boston DSA is grateful for Evan’s tireless efforts to engage Cambridge voters in this campaign. For those who want to carry on Evan’s fight for a transparent statehouse, rent control, a fully funded T, and a ban on new fossil fuel infrastructure — join DSA: https://Bdsa.us/Join24
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About Boston Democratic Socialists of America (DSA):
Boston DSA is a branch of the Democratic Socialists of America that covers much of Eastern Massachusetts. Members of Boston DSA are members of the broader community who organize to build a better world free of exploitation. Cambridge DSA has organized successfully for the Cambridge Green New Deal, the unanimous resolution for a ceasefire from the Cambridge City Council, rallies against transphobia and Islamophobia, and more.