Former State Senator Susan Fargo endorses Katherine Clark for Congress

MALDEN – Former State Senator Susan Fargo endorsed Katherine Clark for Congress in the special Democratic primary to be held October 15. Fargo represented the Fifth Congressional District towns of Waltham, Weston, Lincoln and parts of Lexington and Sudbury as a state senator.

“Katherine has spent her entire career fighting for women and families,” said Fargo, of Lincoln, who represented the Third Middlesex District for 16 years. “I worked side-by-side with her when I was in the State Senate, and as a former teacher, I admire Katherine’s dedication to improving education for every student, particularly her passion for early literacy. I know Katherine will be a tireless advocate for progressive values and she will take on extremists at every turn to stand up for us.”

Katherine has worked to improve access to quality, affordable education and childcare for all families and authored a key 2012 law, co-sponsored by Fargo, which takes dramatic steps to ensure that Massachusetts students are reading at grade level by third grade, which studies show make students more likely to graduate from college and achieve prosperity as adults. Investing in early education will be a priority for Katherine in Congress and is a key part of her Pledge to Women and Families.

“I’m honored to have the endorsement of a great legislator like Susan Fargo, who worked diligently for the people of Massachusetts,” Clark said. “In Congress, I’ll do the same for the 24 cities and towns in the Fifth Congressional District to secure pay equity for women, reduce gun violence in our communities and keep our promises to seniors.”

Katherine has been endorsed by EMILY’s List, the Women's Campaign Fund, Attorney General Martha Coakley, Melrose Mayor Robert Dolan, State Rep. Marjorie Decker, D-Cambridge, and State Rep. Paul Brodeur, D-Melrose. She also has the backing of the Melrose Democratic City Committee, the Winchester Democratic Town Committee, APWU Local 100, IBEW Local 2222, IBEW Local 2321, the United Steelworkers Union Local 12012, Ironworkers Local 7, NAGE/IBPO/SEIU Local 5000, Teamsters Local 25, and the IBEW Local 123.

About State Senator Katherine Clark
Katherine Clark is a Democratic candidate for Congress in the Massachusetts Fifth Congressional District. Katherine was sworn in for her second term as a Massachusetts state senator representing Malden, Melrose, Reading, Stoneham, Wakefield and Winchester on January 2, 2013. She was first elected in March 2008 to the Massachusetts House of Representatives.

Senator Clark serves as the Chair of the Joint Committee on the Judiciary and Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Mental Health and Substance Abuse. She also serves on the Joint Committees on Public Health and Public Safety and Homeland Security. Senator Clark is a member of the Advisory Council for the Department of Early Education and Care. In 2011, Senator Clark was appointed to the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy Advisory Board at the University of Massachusetts Boston.

Katherine and her husband Rodney are raising their three school-age boys in Melrose.