Election 2018: Candidate Profile Of Tram Nguyen

This is one in an occassional series looking at candidates running in contested races on November 6. Today we profile Tram Nguyen, the Democratic nominee for state representative for parts of Andover, North Andover and Tewksbury. She will face incumbent Rep. James Lyons (R-Andover) in the general election on Nov. 6.

ANDOVER, MA -- Tram Nguyen is making her first run for elected office and taking on an entrenched incumbent to represent parts of Andover, North Andover and Tewksbury in the state House of Representatives. The Democratic nominee and Andover resident will face Rep. James Lyons (R-Andover), who has held the seat since 2011, in the general election on Nov. 6.

Nguyen is a graduate of Tufts University and Northeastern University School of Law and has spent the past five years working as an attorney for Greater Boston Legal Services. The following are responses Nguyen gave to questions Patch posed to all candidates running in the race:

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Opioid addiction. It is a public health crisis. We should not simply brush it aside with arrests and incarceration. Instead, my efforts would focus on prevention and treatment. I support programs that educate youth about addiction and identify and support students at risk, as well as ones that educate doctors about safer prescription management. We can also save more lives by increasing the availability of the overdose reversal agent Naloxone (Narcan) to first responders and caregivers and supporting long-term treatments, including housing for recovering addicts and treatment beds for those suffering from addiction. Prevention and long-term treatment are how we rescue our community from this deadly affliction.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I will work hard to to bring much needed local aid money back to our community. Other districts have been getting more state funds than ours because their Representatives have been part of the fiscal budget process and fought to get earmarks for their constituents. We have received the bare minimum in funds, which means that property taxes go up to pay for important needs like our public schools and infrastructure. If I am fortunate enough to win I will get to work with Democrats and Republicans and make sure we are getting our fair share of state funding.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)?

Jim Lyons is a Tea Party Republican who was the campaign chair of Ted Cruz's 2016 presidential campaign in Massachusetts. His extreme views do not reflect the values of this community. Also, he has been unresponsive to many of his constituents, myself included. As part of my work as a legal aid attorney, I have worked on many bills through the years. For over two years, I tried to reach out to Lyons to work with him on important bills like Paid Family Medical Leave and Earned Income Tax Credit, and he would not return my calls, emails, or visits at the State House. Moreover, he has been in office since 2010 and has not passed a single bill during his 8 years as a state representative. He has voted against every single state budget since 2012 and he refuses to work with other legislators, including Republicans, and that is why he has failed this district.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

As an advocate I have worked with both Democrats and Republicans in the State House on several bills including Paid Family Medical Leave and Earned Income Tax Credit, which got bipartisan support and were passed and signed into law by Governor Baker. If I am elected, I will continue to advocate for the community and be your voice on Beacon Hill.

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Photo submitted by Tram Nguyen. Used with permission.

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).