A longtime Governor’s Council member is facing a challenge from an immigration attorney in the Sept. 1 Democratic primary to represent most of Cambridge, all of Somerville and several other communities north of Boston.
Terrence Kennedy, who has represented the 6th District on the little-known but powerful council since 2011, is seeking another two-year term against Diann Baylis, a Marblehead immigration and family law attorney making her first run for the seat after an unsuccessful bid for state representative in 2022. The eight-member Governor’s Council reviews and votes on gubernatorial appointments of judges, clerk magistrates, Parole Board members and other officials. It also votes on pardons and commutations.
The two Democrats acknowledge they have few major ideological differences; instead, Kennedy argues his 16 years of experience on the council have made him an effective vetter of judicial nominees and other appointments, while Baylis argues her background in immigration and family law would bring a fresh perspective to the body at a time when immigration has become a major national issue.
Kennedy, 68, said his longevity on the council has given him experience evaluating judicial nominees that voters shouldn’t discount. He emphasized courtroom experience, empathy and a willingness to consider rehabilitation.
“A good judge is going to figure out what brought this person to the court, and how do we keep them from coming back without ruining their life?” Kennedy said.
Kennedy said he has supported all of the more than 100 judicial nominees Gov. Maura Healey has brought before the council since taking office in 2023, nearly all of whom have won unanimous or near-unanimous approval from the council. He praised Healey’s record of appointments, saying she is doing a “terrific job,” but said the overwhelmingly favorable confirmation votes do not mean nominees receive little scrutiny.
Kennedy had a similarly favorable record under Republican Gov. Charlie Baker, voting to approve 97.7% of his judicial nominees from 2015 to 2022, according to a review of council voting records.
Much of that vetting occurs before nominees reach a public hearing, Kennedy said. The governor’s office keeps councilors informed as potential nominees move through the selection process, allowing them to raise concerns before a formal nomination reaches a vote. Bad nominations “don’t make it that far,” Kennedy said. “A lot of nos happen, by me and other people, but before we get to that last day.”
Kennedy’s emphasis on rehabilitation also extends to the council’s power over pardons and commutations. He said the three votes he is proudest of were to commute the sentences of three men serving life without parole for first-degree murder, a sentence Kennedy said he disagrees with on principle.
“It doesn’t mean everybody should get paroled,” Kennedy said. “But I think everybody should have a shot at redemption, everybody should have hope.”
Baylis, 60, meanwhile, said the council would benefit from a different kind of experience as immigration has become a more prominent issue in a district home to many immigrant communities.
“Sixteen years ago this was not the big issue, and right now it is,” Baylis said.
Baylis previously practiced family law and volunteered with a program providing free legal advice to low-income litigants in Essex Probate and Family Court. She now works as an immigration attorney representing children, especially those seeking Special Immigrant Juvenile status, which can provide a pathway to lawful permanent residency for immigrant children and protect them from deportation while they pursue that relief.
Baylis said that experience shapes what she would look for in judicial nominees. “I have worked with women and children who have been subject to arbitrary judicial decisions that have affected their safety and well-being. I want to make sure that we see fair and compassionate judges,” she said.
Baylis has received support from Somerville’s Democratic establishment. The Somerville Democratic City Committee endorsed her after she defeated Kennedy 60-15 in its endorsement vote, and Mayor Jake Wilson endorsed her Monday, calling her the “more progressive candidate” in the race.
Baylis has leaned into that characterization while campaigning in Somerville. “Somerville is a wonderfully progressive community, and it’s a community that deserves a progressive voice on the Governor’s Council,” she said in announcing Wilson’s endorsement.
The council did have a close vote in April, when it confirmed Mary Ferriter to the Probate and Family Court on a 4-3 vote, the closest confirmation vote of Healey’s tenure. Domestic violence survivors and advocates opposed Ferriter in part because of her previous work with a court-ordered parenting program that critics said forced some survivors to interact with their alleged abusers.
Kennedy voted to confirm Ferriter, saying he investigated concerns about the parenting program and rejected criticism of it. “I looked into the program a lot, and it was not supporting batterers at all,” Kennedy said. “It’s trying to talk the people into not fighting in front of their children. That’s all it’s about.”
Baylis declined to say whether she would have supported the nomination, saying she had not participated in the council’s vetting process and did not have enough information to judge the decision. Ferriter’s confirmation has become a central issue in the 3rd District primary, which covers the remainder of Cambridge.
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