Q&A: Rep Candidate Orthman Would Fight for Affordable Childcare, Face Rising Costs for Seniors, and Stabilize MBTA

Roslindale resident Rob Orthman is one of three candidates vying for the 10th Suffolk County District representative seat being vacated. Orthman spoke with Jamaica Plain News about stabilizing the MBTA, fighting for public education, affordable housing, and more. All three candidates are Democrats, and would face off in a May 2 Democratic primary. The winner will advance to a May 30 special election, to face any other party's nominee or independent candidates, of which there are none so far. Q: What neighborhood do you live in?

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10th Suffolk District State Rep Candidate Forum on March 23

Two candidates for the 10th Suffolk District state representative race will be participating in public forum that can be seen in-person on on Facebook on March 23. The slate of candidates has been in flux in recent weeks for this special election due to current state Rep. Ed Coppinger leaving for another job. There are three candidates: Jamaica Plain resident Celia Segel, Roslindale resident Robert Orthman, and West Roxbury resident Bill MacGregor. MacGregor has declined to attend the forum. All three are Democrats, so they would face off in a May 2 Democratic primary.

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Four Candidates So Far for Special Election to Fill 10th Suffolk District Seat

Four Democratic candidates have filed paperwork to run for the 10th Suffolk County District rep seat after Rep. Ed Coppinger announced he'd be leaving the job. After redistricting, a small part of Jamaica Plain became part of the 10th Suffolk District. The majority of the 10th Suffolk District is in West Roxbury, Roslindale, and a little in Brookline. The four candidates are Roslindale resident Robert Orthman, Jamaica Plain's Garrett Casey, and West Roxbury residents William MacGregor, and David Giordano. All four are Democrats, so they would face off in a May 2 Democratic primary.

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Election Results: Montaño Wins, Hayden Wins DA, Miranda Wins State Senate

Unless someone mounts a write-in campaign, Kevin Hayden, has been elected to be the next Suffolk County District Attorney after defeating Boston City Councilor Ricardo Arroyo. In a four-person race for the 15th Suffolk District rep seat, Sam Montaño will be going to the Statehouse after winning the Democratic Party primary, and there was no Republican candidate. https://twitter.com/isaiah_thompson/status/1567331029932703746

In the 2nd Suffolk District state senate race, current state Rep. Liz Miranda announced herself as the winner defeating fellow state Rep. Nika Elugardo, former state senator Dianne Wilkerson, Miniard Culpepper, and James Grant. In Congressional races, US Rep Ayanna Pressley (7th-D) will face Republican Donnie Palmer Jr. who was uncontested. US Rep. Stephen Lynch (8th-D) will face Republican Robert Burke.

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Primary Election: Who’s On The Ballot?

This hasn't been your regular sleepy primary election season thanks to the very ugly Suffolk County District Attorney Democratic Party race. The primary is Tuesday, September 6, but mail-in voting is ongoing and can be submitted until 8 pm on Sept. 6. For those who voted with mail-in ballots, you can track your vote via the state's website. Not sure where you should vote?

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JP Progressives Hosting Attorney General Candidate Forum on July 20

The next JP Progressives political forum will be with Democratic Party candidates for Attorney General on July 13. The Democratic Party field includes former Boston City Councilor Andrea Campbell, Shannon Liss-Riordan, and Quentin Palfrey. Two of three candidates are confirmed to attend. The forum will be on Wednesday, July 20 at 7 pm via Zoom. Please Register at tinyurl.com/JPP-2022-AG.

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JP Progressives’ Suffolk County District Attorney and Sheriff Forums on July 13

JP Progressives next political forums will look at criminal justice with separate forums for Suffolk County District Attorney and Suffolk Country Sheriff on July 13. The Suffolk County District Attorney's forum will be with current DA Kevin Hayden, who became DA after Rachael Rollins was appointed U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts, and District 5 City Councilor Ricardo Arroyo. The sheriff's race will be with incumbent Steve Tompkins and Sandy Zamor Calixte. The forum will be on Wednesday, July 13 at 7 pm via zoom. Please register here to attend the forum online.

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Sonia Chang-Díaz Drops Out of Governor’s Race

Saying she cannot win, state Senator Sonia Chang-Díaz announced on Thursday that she is no longer running for Massachusetts governor. A Jamaica Plain resident, Chang-Díaz was regarded as an underdog to win the Democratic Party primary in September against Attorney General Maura Healey. Only a few weeks ago Chang-Díaz qualified for the primary, but she saw she could not win. She said she will be stopping her campaign, although her name will remain on the ballot. Chang-Díaz made history by becoming the first Latina and first Asian American elected to the state senate.

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State Rep Candidates Talk About Housing, Climate Change, and More

The four candidates for the 15th Suffolk District state representative seat discussed their leadership style, the housing crisis, pandemic, climate change, and more during an online JP Progressives forum on May 24. The four candidates Richard Fierro, Roxanne Longoria, Sam Montaño, and Mary Ann Nelson will face each other in the primary election on September 6, and the winner will advance to the general election on November 8. 
With the scheduled moderator Julio Valero unable to attend the forum, Vanessa Snow (from Mijente and RTCV), Cindy Lu (from JP Progressives), and Melissa Beltran (from JP Progressives) moderated the conversation between candidates. The forum consisted of candidate opening statements with their top three priorities, in-depth and rapid-fire questions, and candidate closing statements. Below is a summary of each candidate’s opening statement, responses to in-depth questions, and  closing statements. 
Below is a full recording of the forum. 

Candidate Opening Statements: 
Fierro:
Fierro is a graduate student at Northeastern University studying public administration. He spoke about his time working for Boston’s 311 constituent services office, the governor’s operations office, and Boston’s Elections Department. “Although I am not originally from here, I have grown to love the city and beautiful Jamaica Plain, and I am proud to call myself a Bostonian,” Fierro said. 
He said that Massachusetts “must create an example for the rest of the country and push comprehensive legislation for green energy and climate resilience, for addiction and recovery services, for housing stability, and for universal Pre-K and tuition-free community college." 
Fierro’s top three priorities are climate change, child care and education, and affordable housing. 
Longoria:
“I’m running for state representative because I know who is affected when systems fail and I want to use my lived experience to be part of the solution,” Longoria said. 
Longoria spoke about her experience working within former Mayor Marty Walsh's administration as Director of Youth Homelessness Initiatives and how she “saw how we need elected officials who understand firsthand the challenges facing our city and its residents." 
“I will build coalitions to help achieve the rent control, climate justice, transit funding, and the criminal legal system reform our city and state desperately need,” Longoria said. 
Montaño:
Montaño opened their speech with a brief acknowledgment of the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. 
Montaño then introduced themselves as a “queer, nonbinary Latino who uses she/they pronouns.” They spoke about their experiences that informed “two priorities: housing and substance abuse and recovery with mental health investments.” In addition, Montaño prioritizes environmental justice and “holding space for communities of color as they navigate this quickly changing climate.” 
“For the last eight years, I have been deeply engaged in JP, from advocating for and leading community processes for affordable housing as an organizer with JPNDC to working with Mildred C. Hailey [Apartments] youth in supporting them in their successful campaign for a youth center and painting the unity mural that you see on 273 Centre Street in response to the gun violence that happened,” they said.

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Senate Candidates State Their Cases in JP Progressives’ Forum

The four Democratic Party candidates for the 2nd Suffolk District state senate seat answered questions about COVID, housing, mental health, and more, during an online JP Progressives forum on May 19. The four candidates Miniard Culpepper, state Rep. Nika Elugardo (D-15th Suffolk), Liz Miranda (D-5th Suffolk), and Dianne Wilkerson will face each other in the primary election on September 6, and the winner will advance to the general election on November 8. 

Moderated by WGBH's Saraya Wintersmith and Yawu Miller from the Baystate Banner, the forum consisted of candidates providing opening statements with their top-three priorities, a mix of in-depth questions and rapid-fire questions, followed by closing statements. Below is a summary of each candidate’s opening statement, some of their responses to in-depth questions, and their closing statements. 

Below is a full recording of the forum. Candidate Opening Statements: 

Wilkerson: 

In Wilkerson’s opening statement she spoke about the newly drawn 2nd Suffolk district and how it's changed since COVID. She emphasized that Black and Latino communities have “lost big” during the pandemic.

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