Tara Jacobs cruised in Tuesday's Democratic primary as she seeks a third two-year term as the western Massachusetts representative on the Governor's Council.
The North Adams resident earned more than 60% of the vote, despite Springfield City Councilor Mike Fenton outraising her five to one and receiving the support of the party establishment.
Jacobs became a rare Berkshire voice on the body that advises the governor on issues like pardons and judicial appointments through a similar upset in 2022. She spoke with Berkshire Bureau Chief Josh Landes about how an $11,000 grassroots campaign led to a convincing win.
INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT
Editor's note: This conversation has been lightly edited for clarity.
Jacobs: Based on the first primary where I was outspent 30-to-1 and each of the other three contenders in that first primary each raised over $100,000, I expected to see six-figures on his side, as well.
That 50,000 number suggested to me a weaker support going into the race than I anticipated. But also, I got a little smarter with how I spent my money and I partnered in a way that was incredibly effective with a media company in in Hampden County in Springfield who had a very clear $8,000 budget.
With that $8,000 budget, we managed to have radio and streaming and a digital mobile truck that I hope you saw out there driving around Hampden County.
In the last week and-a-half, there was a huge push, especially in Berkshire County, to fundraise. We managed to add another $3,000 to that budget that extended it to all 102 of my cities and towns. Not the full plan, but a bunch of the plan that I wouldn't have been able to afford without last minute help from people who just were part of what I call my 'people-powered movement' made that happen. I wasn't able to do things like that in my very first primary race, but I was able to to make that happen.
Landes: In addition to being outspent by five-to-one in this race, you also saw prominent voices in Berkshire County, including elected officials like District Attorney Timothy Shugrue and Sheriff Tom Bowler, endorse your opponent, Mike Fenton, in this race.
It seems that despite the money and despite those somewhat high profile endorsements, that also did not really affect the impact of this race. What do you make of that?
Jacobs: I think it did have an effect, but not the one intended, because the response to that press conference where three prominent Berkshire County elected officials supported my opponent and the quotes that they gave indicting me were for the most part not really related to my job, which people who do pay attention to counsel immediately noted.
More so, the response that I heard from that was outrage and increased support for my campaign, increased fervor to help me, recognizing what people called 'bullying,' when they reached out to me.
People don't like a bully. So, as much as I had the incumbency in my favor, I also sort of had this underdog aspect too. It really just galvanized people to get out there. There was just a flood of all kinds of support. Donations like I mentioned, but also people were sending email blasts to all their friends and all the family. They were posting on social media — a continuous stream of posts and friend requests and followers, including organizing their own standouts, making their own signs that they couldn't get one from me fast enough. It just exploded with true grassroots movement of the voters in Berkshire County didn't buy the message, but also were just energized by it in a way that only increased my support. That was incredibly meaningful and I'm so grateful.
Landes: With that being said, is there anything you want to articulate about your approach to this role that you feel like may have been misrepresented over the campaign by the establishment figures who did criticize aspects of your role as a governor's counselor?
Jacobs: There's a lot of mischaracterization, there's a lot of misinformation coming from the other side.
Ultimately, while that was happening, it also underscored that as someone who's not there to get my friends on the bench, I really want the absolute best judges for western Mass. and the entire Commonwealth from what their qualifications are and who they are as people outside of the political aspects that are often involved in the work of council. The message that they were were sending from the the challenger side was that somehow, it was a bad thing that I had voted 'no' on the occasions that I had voted 'no,' very few occasions overall, but still when I see problems with with a nominee, I'm gonna vote 'no.' I'm proud of that. I will continue to be that voice who will alert when I think that I have concerns about about a nominee. Often council is presented as a rubber stamp committee.
I think it just underscored that that's not me. I will never be a rubber stamp. I take every single piece of business the governor sends to council for consideration seriously. I deliberate seriously and by and large enthusiastically support the vast majority of what the governor has asked council to consider. But every so often, yeah, I'm gonna vote 'no' when I think it's appropriate to vote 'no.'
As much as they were trying to paint that as a negative, I see it as a strength and I think the results suggest that the voters did too.
Landes: Often when we discuss regional inequity in Berkshire County, we think about relationships with Boston and the state government. But looking over again, the people who poured money into your opponent's campaign, really this power base around Springfield was putting an immense amount of effort into supporting Mike Fenton. Again, to no avail.
What do you think this says about the dynamics within western Massachusetts, about what kind of role Berkshire County can play in in the face of a regional power hub like Springfield?
Jacobs: Berkshire County came through with incredible support. The one number I do remember because it just I was so proud to see it, but North Adams came through with an 87% vote for me. I think that's a reflection of Berkshire appreciating how rare it is to have a seat in the state house at the council, how much they appreciate having that voice there, and that the work that I do is so grounded in fighting for not only representation for western Mass, but in every way that I can.
Bringing resources and serving the needs of all of western Mass, but from Berkshire County, which rarely has that opportunity, it's been valued and it's been validated that it's important and that Berkshire County thinks it's important.
