Jesse Mermell, a former adviser to Governor Deval Patrick, has picked up the endorsement of State Auditor Suzanne Bump in the Democratic primary to fill US Representative Joe Kennedy’s congressional seat, Mermell’s campaign announced Sunday evening.
The endorsement could give Mermell a boost in a crowded field of nine candidates for the nomination to succeed Kennedy, who is in the midst of his own primary battle against incumbent US Senator Edward Markey.
In a statement, Bump, who is the first statewide elected official to make an endorsement in the race, described Mermell as “unabashedly progressive, understanding of the needs of both workers and business owners, [and] schooled in how you make change in government.”
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“Jesse’s values and personal story of hard work and persistence convinces me she can relate to the struggles and aspirations of the people of the Fourth District,” Bump said.
Mermell has been a Brookline selectwoman, a senior aide in the Patrick administration, and served as the president of the Alliance for Business Leadership. Globe columnist Shirley Leung wrote last week that Mermell has fought at the state level for paid family leave, equal pay, and a $15 minimum wage.
The race in the Fourth Congressional District — which spans Boston’s western suburbs to the South Coast, including the communities of Brookline, Newton, and parts of Fall River — is heating up as summer winds down and the Sept. 1 primary comes into view. Some voters have already begun sending in ballots by mail.
Mermell, in a statement, lauded Bump for her work as auditor while accepting her support.
“As Donald Trump has eroded public trust in government, Auditor Bump has been a leading advocate for holding public servants and government institutions accountable to the people,” she said.
Bump, who served under Patrick as Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development from 2007 to 2009, was the first woman elected auditor in 2010, when she defeated her Republican opponent in a close race. She went on to win re-election in 2014 and 2018 by convincing margins. Bump also represented Braintree in the Massachusetts House from 1985 to 1993.
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In May, Mermell received the endorsement of Barbara Lee, a prominent Boston-area activist who has worked to support women pursuing political office across the nation. She was also endorsed by US Representative Ayanna Pressley.
Nick Stoico can be reached at nick.stoico@globe.com.