I don't know if this *too* downballot, but we do have some competitive races for State Rep in my area. In the 25th Middlesex (Cambridge), Evan MacKay is challenging 6 term rep Marjorie Decker. In the 27th Middlesex (Somerville), Kathleen Hornby is challenging 2 term rep Ericka Uyterhoeven.
The common thread linking both races is reforming…
I don't know if this *too* downballot, but we do have some competitive races for State Rep in my area. In the 25th Middlesex (Cambridge), Evan MacKay is challenging 6 term rep Marjorie Decker. In the 27th Middlesex (Somerville), Kathleen Hornby is challenging 2 term rep Ericka Uyterhoeven.
The common thread linking both races is reforming the State House, whose rules concentrate power in the Speaker and keep many proceedings secret. This includes votes on whether to advance legislation, meaning members can kill a bill in committee while publicly claiming they supported it.
Ericka has supported reform, which earned her a challenge from a State House insider (Hornby has worked as staffer for the last decade) who says she will be more effective in passing legislation and getting money for Somerville. There's also some lingering animosity against Our Revolution, which backed Ericka, and that may help Hornby win. (Our Revolution Somerville and Democratic Socialists of America tried to take over the City Government a couple years ago, which failed so catastrophically that the organization, which once was able to provide considerable boots on the ground for its endorsees, essentially disbanded.)
In Cambridge, the challenger is the pro-reform candidate. MacKay is also aided by Decker's duplicity on the hyper-local issue of keeping Memorial Drive (which runs along the Charles River) free of cars on the weekends. The road has long been closed to automobile traffic on Sundays during the Summer, but during the pandemic this was expanded to included Saturdays as well. When the decision was eventually reversed, Decker said in community meetings that she supported extending the Saturday closures, but behind the scenes was lobbying the powers that be to get road reopened to cars. Needless to say, this angered a number of folks when it came to light.
what amounts of money have been raised?? Frankly, beating incumbents usually cost a great deal;are the challengers funded adequately??.. And yes these are indeed the down ballot races that draw me to this site
At least in my district (Somerville), there's been significantly more mail for the incumbent. This is in part from the Massachusetts Teachers Association, which endorsed Ericka.
I don't know if this *too* downballot, but we do have some competitive races for State Rep in my area. In the 25th Middlesex (Cambridge), Evan MacKay is challenging 6 term rep Marjorie Decker. In the 27th Middlesex (Somerville), Kathleen Hornby is challenging 2 term rep Ericka Uyterhoeven.
The common thread linking both races is reforming the State House, whose rules concentrate power in the Speaker and keep many proceedings secret. This includes votes on whether to advance legislation, meaning members can kill a bill in committee while publicly claiming they supported it.
Ericka has supported reform, which earned her a challenge from a State House insider (Hornby has worked as staffer for the last decade) who says she will be more effective in passing legislation and getting money for Somerville. There's also some lingering animosity against Our Revolution, which backed Ericka, and that may help Hornby win. (Our Revolution Somerville and Democratic Socialists of America tried to take over the City Government a couple years ago, which failed so catastrophically that the organization, which once was able to provide considerable boots on the ground for its endorsees, essentially disbanded.)
In Cambridge, the challenger is the pro-reform candidate. MacKay is also aided by Decker's duplicity on the hyper-local issue of keeping Memorial Drive (which runs along the Charles River) free of cars on the weekends. The road has long been closed to automobile traffic on Sundays during the Summer, but during the pandemic this was expanded to included Saturdays as well. When the decision was eventually reversed, Decker said in community meetings that she supported extending the Saturday closures, but behind the scenes was lobbying the powers that be to get road reopened to cars. Needless to say, this angered a number of folks when it came to light.
Nothing is too downballot for a site literally named The Downballot!
Maybe someone can tell us about Probate Court elections in Connecticut (and yes, those do exist)!
what amounts of money have been raised?? Frankly, beating incumbents usually cost a great deal;are the challengers funded adequately??.. And yes these are indeed the down ballot races that draw me to this site
At least in my district (Somerville), there's been significantly more mail for the incumbent. This is in part from the Massachusetts Teachers Association, which endorsed Ericka.
With zero knowledge of the demographics of the district; all things be equal, if the challenger is being outspent, I'll bet on the incumbent
Agreed; but of course there have been various famous exceptions to that rule.
Too downballot? I remember a discussion of actual Dog Catchers on SSP! Thanks for the report!