For those following the MA state senate seat to replace Pat Jehlen this fall:
https://www.gottaknowmedford.com/20260717_five-democrats-pour-nearly-500-000-into-open-2nd-middlesex-race/
For what it's worth, my vote is undecided at this time. I’m not voting for Barber and definitely definitely not voting for Hopcroft.
Jul 15, 2026, 5:31 AM@crystalvisits I've had a few decent conversations with Azeem. He can be a little slippery, but usually voted the way I wanted him too, and overall I'm more likely to support him than any other candidate.
@ozdreaming I've had two good chats with him, as well. One of my remaining concerns is that he's super pro-tech, and I worry we need some anti-AI-server-building legislation. He and Matt McLaughlin are both very pro-housing stuff and have demonstrated successful efforts to address housing needs, which is why they're still on my list.
@crystalvisits My personal take is that once you're past a certain good-enough threshold on policy, policy positions don't matter here. Because the state legislature is so fucked up, whoever wins won't be able to pass any laws. (They passed 7 laws in 2025. 7!).
What matters is knowing how to change the way the legislature works.
Which is why I'm supporting Uyterhoeven, she's been on this forever from cofounding Act on Mass onwards, and understands the procedural levers that need to change.