Big day for debate
Three debates on one day – including all nine candidates running to represent Somerville, Cambridge, Medford and Winchester – is 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday atSomerville High School, 81 Highland Ave., Central Hill. (The venue was changed Friday due to audiovisual tech issues, organizers said.)
With no Republican, third party or unenrolled candidates for these legislative districts, the Sept. 1 Democratic primary decides who takes these seats, said the Somerville Democratic City Committee, organizer of the event. The forums are:
5 p.m. 34th Middlesex House district: Somerville city councilor Will Mbah, Somerville political risk analyst and historian Chris Oates and Medford School Committee member Paul Ruseau
6 p.m. 2nd Middlesex Senate district: Cambridge vice mayor Burhan Azeem, state representative Christine Barber, Somerville city councilor Matthew McLaughlin and state representative Erika Uyterhoeven. (Winchester School Committee member Tom Hopcroft with drew.)
7 p.m. 27th Middlesex House district: Somerville city councilor Ben Ewen-Campen and Somerville educator Olivia Gilligan-Corsetti
Sign up to attend at: mobilize.us/massdems/event/998693/. To find your district, sample ballot, or early voting information visit SomervilleMassDems.org/vote.
Housing town hall organized
Cambridge vice mayor candidate for state representative Burhan Azeem hosts a national housing town hall on Tuesday with a 16-person panel including locals Justin Saif, president of A Better Cambridge, and Jesse Kanson-Benanav, executive director of Abundant Housing Massachusetts, alongside academics, policy wonks and politicians from around the country. “We’re building momentum,” event publicity says, and on the livestream will “be talking about the strategies that are working, exciting ideas that are unlocking housing and the results from innovative policies that have passed in different jurisdictions.” Azeem is running to represent the 2nd Middlesex Senate district, which includes the cities of Somerville and Medford; and parts of Cambridge and Winchester.
Candidate withdraws
The seven-month campaign by Winchester School Committee member Tom Hopcroft for a state Senate seat in the 2nd Middlesex district ended Tuesday with his withdrawal. Which remaining candidate gets his endorsement is being considered, he said online.
“I’m ending my campaign for state Senate. I entered this race because Massachusetts is at a pivotal moment, entering an era defined by rapid change, and I believed I would bring a fresh, future-oriented perspective that’s needed on Beacon Hill. The playing field, however, tilts more toward those with deep infrastructure and war chests than ideas, so I’m taking a different path,” Hopcroft said on his website. “I’ll meet with the candidates to learn how they plan to lead on climate, innovation, health, education, housing and transparent government, and I’ll share their views with my followers. My campaign may be ending, but my mission continues. I’m deeply grateful to everyone who helped build something meaningful.”
Hopcroft said at a July 16 forum that he got into the race because of issues he encountered as a parent that the state was failing at. “In schools, in health care, in mental health and in insurance, things just weren’t working for me. There were areas I was concerned about that we’re not addressing,” he said.
Union endorses Lander
A union representing thousands of grad student workers at Harvard University in Cambridge and people across the region has endorsed state Senate candidate Daniel Lander, the Lander campaign said Wednesday. UAW Region 9A took place in a strike at Harvard this spring; Lander joined in on the picket line.
“Daniel Lander is the progressive, pro-labor fighter that Suffolk and Middlesex needs. He showed up on the picket line when over 2,000 of our UAW siblings and over 4,000 health care workers at MGB were on strike while his opponent didn’t bother,” said Brianna Fougere, steward in UAW Local 2324 and member of the UAW’s political council in Massachusetts. She referred to Massachusetts General Brigham, a health care system associated with Harvard.
Lander is running for the Suffolk and Middlesex District state Senate seat against 14-year incumbent Will Brownsberger.
About the race districts
The 2nd Middlesex (a state Senate seat held by Pat Jehlen, in the office since 2005 but is retiring) includes the cities of Somerville and Medford; and parts of Cambridge and Winchester. Sought by: Burhan Azeem, Christine Barber, Matt McLaughlin, Erika Uyterhoeven
The 24th Middlesex (a state House seat held by Dave Rogers, in the office since 2013) includes parts of North Cambridge and Arlington and all of Belmont. Sought by: Nomita Ganguly
The 25th Middlesex (a state House seat held by Marjorie Decker, in the office since 2013) includes the central slice of Cambridge, following Massachusetts Avenue from Central Square through Harvard Square and just past Porter Square. Sought by: Evan MacKay
The 26th Middlesex (a state House seat held by Mike Connolly, in the office since 2017) includes East Cambridge and East Somerville. Sought by: Neil Miller
The 27th Middlesex (a state House seat held by Erika Uyterhoeven, in the office since 2021 but running for Jehlen’s state Senate seat) includes much of Somerville. Sought by: Ben Ewen-Campen, Olivia Gilligan-Corsetti
The 34th Middlesex (a state House seat held by Christine Barber, in the office since 2015 but running for Jehlen’s state Senate seat) includes parts of Somerville and Medford. Sought by: Will Mbah, Christopher Oates, Paul Ruseau
The Suffolk and Middlesex (a state Senate seat held by Will Brownsberger, in office since 2009 and running for reelection) includes the cities of Watertown and Belmont and parts of Cambridge and Boston. Sought by: Daniel Lander, Brandon Wood
This post was updated July 31, 2026, to reflect a change of venue for political forums.
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