Several Socialists Running For City Council In Boston Area This Year

Printed from: https://newbostonpost.com/2021/08/26/several-socialists-running-for-city-council-in-boston-area-this-year/

What do Somerville, Cambridge, Boston, and Medford have in common?

All four cities have self-identified democratic socialists running for city council this year — and the Boston chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America supports them.

Somerville is the area with the most socialists running. There are seven candidates backed by the Boston DSA in the city this year.

That includes incumbents Ben Ewen-Campen of Ward 3 and J.T. Scott of Ward 2. They are both Democratic Socialists of America members and were elected in 2019.

It also includes challengers Tessa Bridge in Ward 5, Becca Miller in Ward 7, and Willie Burnley Jr., Charlotte Kelly, and Eve Seitchik for at-large seats.

In April, Bridge tweeted favorably about socialism. She said that, “Socialism is really about us caring for one another and building a community where everyone can thrive.”

Miller’s Twitter bio describes herself as a democratic socialist while Burnley Jr. has a rose in his Twitter bio. A rose in the bio indicates that someone is a democratic socialist. Additionally, Burnley Jr. is a founder of BDS Boston (Boycott Divest and Sanctions), which supports taking economic action against the State of Israel.

Meanwhile, Kelly has a rose in her Twitter bio. Seitchik, a biological male who identifies as “transfeminine” and uses the “they/them” pronouns, serves as co-chairman of the Boston DSA.

In the state’s capital, Boston, there are two candidates backed by Democratic Socialists of America running for city council:  Kendra Hicks in District 6 and Joel Richards in District 4.

The Boston DSA’s web site describes Hicks as a “proud socialist.” NewBostonPost could not find a public statement from Richards showing he identifies as a socialist, but democratic socialists support him. One other example is state representative Mike Connolly (D-Cambridge), a democratic socialist, who has endorsed Richards’s campaign.

In Cambridge and Medford, there are a combined three socialists running for city council this year. However, they are all incumbents.

That includes Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler and Quinton Zondervan in Cambridge. Both of them supported the proposal that made Cambridge the second city in Massachusetts to officially recognize polyamory; they voiced their support for the idea in email messages to NewBostonPost last year.

Cambridge first elected Sobrinho-Wheeler to the city council in 2019 and Zondervan in 2017. Both Sobrinho-Wheeler and Zondervan have roses in their Twitter bios.

In Medford, the Boston DSA supports re-electing Zac Bears. He is a Democratic Socialists of America member; he first won a seat on the Medford City Council in 2019.

All four cities will have general elections for citywide office in November.

 

New to NewBostonPost?  Conservative media is hard to find in Massachusetts.  But you’ve found it.  Now dip your toe in the water for two bucks — $2 for two months.  And join the real revolution.