On the Sept. 3 primary ballot, Democrats will nominate their candidates for Congress and state offices, including the contested State House race in the 27th Middlesex District in Somerville between incumbent Erika Uyterhoeven and challenger Kathleen Hornby. The elected members of the Somerville Democratic City Committee voted overwhelmingly to endorse incumbents Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Rep. Ayanna Pressley, state Sen. Pat Jehlen and state Reps. Mike Connolly and Christine Barber along with first-time candidate for state representative Kathleen Hornby. = Uyterhoeven’s subsequent public comments calling duly elected members of the SDCC “out of step with the clear progressive values of this district” is yet another example of tactics that are hurting the progressive movement in Somerville and beyond.
Somerville is one of the most progressive communities in our country, placing our politics to the left of the Democratic Party in Massachusetts and nationwide. The only way for Somerville’s elected officials to pass progressive legislation into law is by building coalitions and doing the hard, oftentimes uncelebrated, work of amending legislation, passing bills and securing much-needed funding for our local communities. Uyterhoeven’s lackluster record of achievement in the State House falls well short of Somerville’s aspirations for legislative progress including zero bills passed in four years, zero amendments submitted for fiscal year 2025 and less than $100,000 in district appropriations over her four years in office (a mere fraction of her State House salary in the same period).
By any standard, Uyterhoeven underperforms nearly every other elected Democratic representative in Somerville and statewide, and this weighed heavily on the minds of the elected members of the SDCC who voted for much-needed change, endorsing Hornby for state representative instead. It is simply not enough to use progressive slogans and support progressive activism, which both candidates clearly do; we need state representatives who will do the hard work to pass progressive ideals into law. Hornby will do the hard policy work and has a track record of success as a State House employee, helping to secure hundreds of thousands of dollars in aid annually in the past couple of fiscal years for programs serving Somerville, including Food for Free.
The elected members of the SDCC volunteer their time, without pay, to support Democrats and progressive causes. Elected only months ago on the March presidential primary ballot, the current committee is more diverse than ever and has already mobilized hundreds of volunteers to elect Kamala Harris our next president. Our current committee puts the progressive values of Somerville into action. Uyterhoeven’s attack on the committee’s progressive credentials is tone-deaf at best, but unfortunately, it’s a familiar tactic she has employed against her State House colleagues and party leaders. Uyterhoeven’s alienation of Democratic constituencies and lackluster legislative record show she’s just not motivated to do the hard work of building coalitions and passing legislation: Uyterhoeven’s approach to progressivism is not working.
Somerville’s hopes for legislative progress are on the Sept. 3 ballot. It’s time for much-needed change by electing Hornby for state representative.
Justin Klekota, Conwell Avenue, Somerville
The writer is a Democratic state committeeman in the 2nd Middlesex District.
A stronger
Please consider making a financial contribution to maintain, expand and improve Cambridge Day.
We are now a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and all donations are tax deductible.
Please consider a recurring contribution.
This is an embarrassing letter. At least define what you mean by “progressive” before accusing your opponent of being the wrong version of it.
The Democrats have full control over our statehouse and yet they regularly fail to pass meaningful change for residents — I would **expect** there to be clashes with a city Democrat party, especially if they choose not to endorse one of the few state representatives who pushes back at Beacon Hill cronyism.
Hornby is clearly running to the right of Uyterhoeven on every single substantive issue. She stopped working for a conservative democrat with a progressive challenger to challenge another progressive. Hornby likely will fit in a lot better with the lack of transparency, kiss the ring politics, and small c conservatism of the MA legislature but if anything that should be raising alarm bells not serving as the basis of an endorsement.