Massachusetts Democrats are gearing up for a busy year.
“We are going to be working very hard to get President Biden reelected in November, to get Senator Warren reelected come November, and then also if there are any contests to our senator, our rep, our governor's councilor, to support a candidate of their choice, and then to get out the vote in anytime there's an election- In March, in September, and November. We have three elections this year," explained Ross Jacobs, chair of the North Adams Democratic City Committee. “The Massachusetts Democratic Party is organized mostly on the state and the city and town level. So, every city and town is eligible to have a city committee or a town committee. The city committees are based on wards. So, the ward committee or the town committee is the foot soldiers of the party. It’s where the doors get knocked, it's where the money gets raised.”
North Adams Democrats will select their representatives for the June 1st state party convention in Worcester at tonight’s gathering at the Freight Yard Pub.
“Every year, the town committees and the ward committees get together to elect delegates from their wards and from their towns to this convention," Jacobs continued. "And at the convention, nominees get endorsed platforms get decided upon. And all the typical stuff- Connections get made. There's a lot of connections going on.”
The Massachusetts Democratic Party has maintained a long stranglehold on the state legislature. With Democrat Maura Healey succeeding retiring two-term Republican Governor Charlie Baker in the 2022 election, the commonwealth is now as blue as it’s ever been.
“We want people to get out there and become part of the process," Jacobs told WAMC. "It really only works when everybody's involved. And it is a way to make your voice heard. Even in a state like Massachusetts, where there is the big joke about the one-party rule- If you want to help rule, become a member of that party. Our doors are open to everybody.”
Berkshire County’s all Democratic legislative delegation is up for re-election this year, as is Jacobs’ wife Tara, who serves on the Governor’s Council.
“Our State Senator Paul Mark, our State Rep John Barrett, our Governor's Councilor Tara Jacobs, and our Senator Elizabeth Warren, and our Congressman Richie Neal, they are all up for reelection," said Jacobs. "We also have contested elections this year for Register of Deeds and Clerk of Courts here in Berkshire County- And papers for those candidates, if those candidates are available to drop off those papers, we will be happy to sign them and get them towards being on the ballot in September.”
Jacobs says he expects to hear a wide variety of priorities to be shared at the local caucus.
“Also attending our caucus on Wednesday will be Lee Harrison, who is a Democratic State Committee member, and he's going to be representing the Berkshire Democratic Brigades, which is an organization that tends towards the national priorities," the chair said. "He'll probably want to talk about a postcard campaign to help elect Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown, whereas we are very interested in the state side of politics, and we try to work policies that help local communities, especially here in Western Massachusetts, get more recognition in Boston. I work with a number of people to try to make sure that the we have a priority on the justice system to make sure that judges and other members of the judiciary and a lot of the legislation around some of that is prioritized and hopefully passed.”
The meeting will also feature presentations from two candidates for the Democratic State Committee.
“So every state senate district – and ours is Paul Marks district here, Berkshire Hamden, Hampshire and Franklin – will have the opportunity for a male democratic state committee member and a female democratic state committee member to be elected on also the presidential primary ballot coming up in March," said Jacobs. "And this seat is contested this year, the female seat. We have our incumbent member, Marietta Rapetti Cawse. She is from Pittsfield, and she will be opposed by another resident of Pittsfield, Meg Arvin.”
The North Adams Democratic City Committee caucus kicks off at 6.
“We'd really just like to see people get involved in any phase of the process," Jacobs told WAMC. "It really helps everybody when our voices are heard and amplified and sent to Boston to remember that some of our smaller towns in Western Massachusetts exist, and that we can represent our viewpoints, our unique challenges, and concerns here. So, get involved if you can. If you don't have a committee in your town, you can start one.”
