Clean Sweep For Our Revolution Somerville’s Endorsed Candidates

A seismic shock for local politics...
Our Revolution Somerville’s Endorsed Candidates Sweep into Office

For three months, Our Revolution Somerville campaigned to elect its slate of endorsed candidates to the Board of Aldermen. On November 7, it succeeded beyond anyone’s expectations, sweeping into office Matt McLaughlin (Ward 1), JT Scott (Ward 2), Ben Ewen-Campen (Ward 3), Jesse Clingan (Ward 4), Mark Niedergang (Ward 5), Lance Davis (Ward 6), Will Mbah (At-Large), Mary Jo Rossetti (At-Large), and Bill White (At-Large), along with School Committee candidates Lee Erica Palmer (Ward 3), Laura J. Pitone (Ward 5), and Carrie Normand (Ward 7).

Three of the candidates (Scott, Ewen-Campen, and Mbah) were first-time challengers who defeated incumbents. Two other candidates (McLaughlin and Clingan) defeated opponents backed by Mayor Joe Curtatone.

On July 30, Our Revolution Somerville’s membership meeting voted at a citywide meeting to endorse a slate of candidates. Its endorsement was followed by an ambitious organizing plan to educate voters. Members knocked on thousands of residents’ doors to identify supporters and ask them to commit to vote for the slate. Volunteers also distributed slate cards at community events, farmers markets and other gatherings.

Our Revolution volunteers used their telephones to have phone conversations or send texts in the last days of the campaign to help get-out-the-vote for its endorsed slate. On election eve, the group put slate cards on the doors of thousands of identified supporters as a final reminder to vote.

“What was unprecedented for Somerville is that our campaign knit together twelve independent politicians into a coherent slate,” said Penelope Jennewein, a volunteer Somerville organizer who lives in Ward 2. “The challenge now will be to build on our successful campaign by winning measurable victories at the municipal level. By keeping the community fully engaged, we can ensure that our newly elected officials fight for real progressive change.”

The campaign is only the beginning of the group’s effort to energize and engage residents to make city government more responsive to the needs of the community rather than for-profit interests and big campaign donors. “At our next city-wide organizing meeting, our issue committees will meet to begin setting a new Somerville municipal agenda,” said Jon Leonard, a volunteer organizer from Ward 1. Meetings and membership in Our Revolution Somerville are open to all residents.

About Our Revolution Somerville
Our Revolution Somerville seeks to increase community engagement, transform politics in Somerville, and advance a broad progressive agenda. For more information, visit our Facebook page here and our website at http://ourrevolutionsomerville.com