Planned Parenthood Endorses Johnson In State Rep Race

WILMINGTON, MA -- The Planned Parenthood Advocacy Fund of Massachusetts formerly endorsed Erika Johnson in the crowded race for the 19th Middlesex District seat in the state House of Representatives, which represents Tewksbury and Wilmington. Johnson, who chairs the Wilmington Democratic Town Committee, is one of five Democrats in the eight-way race.

"As D.C. politicians wage attacks on access to reproductive health care and comprehensive sex education, we need leaders like Erika Johnson in the State House to defend Massachusetts and push our state forward," Dr. Jennifer Childs-Roshak, president and CEO of PPAF, said in a news release. "Erika will fight for policies that strengthen reproductive rights and eliminate barriers to vital health care to ensure everyone has access to the care they need."

Candidates have been scrambling to publicize each and every endorsement as the primary draws near. Primaries in the race are on September 4, with the Democratic and Republican winners meeting independent Patricia Meuse of Tewksbury on the ballot in November's general election.

Prior to the April 21 death of Rep. James Miceli (D-Wilmington), the only candidate running was Tewksbury Republican Pina Prinzivalli. In addition to Meuse, who sits on the Shawsheen Tech School Committee, here are the candidates running. Click on a link to read Patch's candidate profile. If a candidate's name does not include a link, they have not responded to Patch's request for information to compile the profiles:

Republicans

• Pina Prinzivalli (R-Tewksbury)
• Tewksbury Finance Committee member Erin Buckley (R-Tewksbury)

Democrats

• Wilmington Democratic Town Committee Chair Erika Johnson (D-Wilmington)
• Tewksbury Selectman Mark Kratman (D-Tewksbury)
• Wilmington Selectman Michael McCoy (D-Wilmington)
• Former Wilmington Selectwoman & School Committee member Judy O'Connell (D-Wilmington)
• Jim Miceli's Chief of Staff Dave Robertson (D-Tewksbury)

Are you running to represent Tewksbury and Wilmington in the state legislature? Contact Dave Copeland at dave.copeland@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements to Patch.

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