Brookline's PAX Endorses Jesse Mermell For Congress

Press release from Brookline PAX:

Aug. 18, 2020

Brookline PAX, founded 1962, endorses candidates for office, especially the more local ones. We now eagerly endorse JESSE MERMELL for Congress. As 3 PAX Board Members said in a previous TAB/Patch op-ed: “Mermell is clearly the best choice for progressives in the Sept. 1 primary. She’s been a front-line fighter for progressive change throughout her 20-year career in Brookline and Massachusetts. She’ll take that fight to Congress, to overturn Trump’s disastrous policies, and replace them with sorely-needed reforms.” [brookline.wickedlocal.com/news/20200801/guest-column-jesse-mermell-for-congress]

In June, PAX’s Board split among several candidates, mainly Jesse and Dave Cavell, none getting our 60% threshold. Now that Dave—graciously and tellingly—dropped out and endorsed Jesse, our large, diverse Board overwhelmingly endorses JESSE.

That TAB op-ed, referring to Jake Auchincloss, said, “With numerous candidates self-promoted ‘progressives’, there’s a huge risk that a very wealthy former Republican snatches this former seat of Father Drinan and Barney Frank.” That fear’s now worse -- with Auchincloss’ big, largely family-funded ads, and yet another politically erratic Globe’s near-laughable editorial, later shamed by their columnist, Shirley Leung. Not only a converted Republican “operative,” his reactionary comments have now been unearthed.

Jesse is solidly progressive! Witness her long public service and her consistent, early progressive positions, like, supporting Medicare for All, free tuition for colleges and technical schools, comprehensive student debt relief, Green New Deal, defunding police, eliminating qualified immunity and life without parole sentences, abolishing ICE. She has a strong record of actual accomplishments, including tackling climate change as Brookline Selectwoman, championing reproductive health with Planned Parenthood, spearheading Gov. Patrick’s Strong Women Strong Families Initiative as senior staff, and negotiating the USA’s strongest Paid Family and Medical Leave law.

She’s built an amazing, broad grassroots coalition -- Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, SEIU, Mass. Teachers Association, Mass. Nurses Association, National Women’s Political Caucus, Coalition for Social Justice, and recently AG Maura Healey, and Auditor Suzanne Bump -- and district-wide local officials and activists, including the vast majority of Town Meeting Members who’ve endorsed any candidates.

No other self-professed “progressive” met all three criteria. Jesse’s not only the only proven progressive, but she’s the best shot at preventng Auchincloss’ plurality.

This press release was produced by Brookline PAX. The views expressed here are the author's own.