State Senator Pat Jehlen Defeats Primary Challenger

Sen. Pat Jehlen said tonight her strong victory in the Democratic primary shows voters will resist efforts by outside billionaires to pick their leaders for them.

Jehlen beat Cambridge City Councillor Leland Cheung by nearly four to one. Her margin was almost the same in every part of the 2nd Middlesex district, which consists of Somerville, Medford, part of Cambridge, and part of Winchester. She easily won every precinct.

Cheung had the support of Wall Street financiers who back Question 2 on the November ballot, which would allow unlimited expansion of privately-run, publicly-funded charter schools.

A Wall Street group, Education Reform Now (ERN), pumped at least $100,000 into Cheung’s campaign through its sister organization, Democrats for Education Reform. ERN does not reveal the names of its donors.

Jehlen campaigned against Question 2, and will continue to work against the ballot question, but said she won because of her record of working for social justice over the years, not just her opposition to charter expansion.

“I’ve been in the fight for equal pay, fair taxes, equal marriage, and many other efforts,” she said. “The people who have worked with me in all those campaigns came out to defend me from Wall Street.”

“There were people on the other side of the charter school question who were working for me because of what we’ve done together over the years.”

“One person told me today he changed his mind from supporting to opposing Question 2 because he resented the attempt by Wall Street to buy this election.”

Speaking to a crowd of supporters after the results came in, Jehlen said, “We didn’t win just because of this year. We won because of decades of organizing and community building.

“The friendships we made, the relationships we formed, the values we shared in those battles – that’s what has brought us together again tonight. Money can’t buy the passion and commitment you brought to this campaign, and to the other campaigns you work on.

“Wall Street money couldn’t beat that.”

– Submitted by Sen. Jehlen