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Ayanna Pressley Stuns Capuano in Massachusetts House Race in Upset for Insurgents Ayanna Pressley Stuns Capuano in Massachusetts House Race in Upset for Insurgents
(35 minutes later)
BOSTON — Ayanna Pressley upended the historically white, male political establishment of Boston on Tuesday, scoring a stunning upset of 10-term Representative Michael Capuano and positioning herself to become the first African-American woman to represent Massachusetts in Congress. BOSTON — Ayanna Pressley upended the Massachusetts political order on Tuesday, scoring a stunning upset of 10-term Representative Michael Capuano and positioning herself to become the first African-American woman to represent the state in Congress.
There is no Republican on the November ballot in this storied Boston-based district, which was once represented by John F. Kennedy and is one of the most left leaning in the country.
Ms. Pressley’s triumph was in sync with a restless political climate that has fueled victories for underdogs, women and minorities elsewhere this election season, and it delivered another stark message to the Democratic establishment that newcomers on the insurgent left were unwilling to wait their turn. Ms. Pressley propelled her candidacy with urgency, arguing that in the age of Trump, “change can’t wait.”Ms. Pressley’s triumph was in sync with a restless political climate that has fueled victories for underdogs, women and minorities elsewhere this election season, and it delivered another stark message to the Democratic establishment that newcomers on the insurgent left were unwilling to wait their turn. Ms. Pressley propelled her candidacy with urgency, arguing that in the age of Trump, “change can’t wait.”
Adressing jubilant supporters at a union hall in Dorchester, Ms. Pressley said: “It seems like change is on the way.”
Speaking in abnormally hushed tones, in contrast to her fiery and impassioned style on the campaign trail, she told supporters “we have together ushered in something incredible.’’
“People who feel seen and heard for the first time in their lives, a stakehold in democracy and a promise for our future,’’ she said. “That is the real victory that is bigger than any electoral victory. And I want to thank you all for being foot soldiers in this movement and for ushering in this change.”
Her victory carried echoes of the surprise win in June by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who trounced a longtime House incumbent, Joseph Crowley, in New York. Ms. Pressley is also among several African-American progressives who beat expectations, and in some cases performed far better than polling projections; they include Stacey Abrams of Georgia, Andrew Gillum of Florida and Ben Jealous of Maryland, who each won the Democratic Party’s nominations for governor.Her victory carried echoes of the surprise win in June by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who trounced a longtime House incumbent, Joseph Crowley, in New York. Ms. Pressley is also among several African-American progressives who beat expectations, and in some cases performed far better than polling projections; they include Stacey Abrams of Georgia, Andrew Gillum of Florida and Ben Jealous of Maryland, who each won the Democratic Party’s nominations for governor.
“This is a big wake-up call to any incumbent on the ballot in November,” said Mary Anne Marsh, a Boston-based Democratic strategist. “We’ve been in a change election cycle for years. But Trump may have opened the door for all these young candidates, women, people of color, because voters want the antithesis of him.” There is no Republican on the November ballot in this storied Boston-based district, which was once represented by John F. Kennedy and is one of the most left leaning in the country.
Addressing jubilant supporters at a union hall in Dorchester Tuesday night, Ms. Pressley said: “It seems like change is on the way.”
Speaking in abnormally hushed tones, in contrast to her fiery and impassioned style on the campaign trail, she told supporters “we have together ushered in something incredible.”
“People who feel seen and heard for the first time in their lives, a stakehold in democracy and a promise for our future,” she said. “That is the real victory, that is bigger than any electoral victory. And I want to thank you all for being foot soldiers in this movement and for ushering in this change.”
Mr. Capuano conceded with barely 13 percent of the votes counted, saying: “I’m sorry it didn’t work out, but this is life, and this is O.K. America’s going to be O.K. Ayanna Pressley is going to be a good congresswoman, and I will tell you that Massachusetts will be well served.” Soon afterward, The Associated Press pronounced Ms. Pressley the winner.Mr. Capuano conceded with barely 13 percent of the votes counted, saying: “I’m sorry it didn’t work out, but this is life, and this is O.K. America’s going to be O.K. Ayanna Pressley is going to be a good congresswoman, and I will tell you that Massachusetts will be well served.” Soon afterward, The Associated Press pronounced Ms. Pressley the winner.
Ms. Pressley, who in 2009 became the first black woman elected to the Boston City Council, overcame a powerful lineup of the Massachusetts political establishment. Mr. Capuano, 66, who has held the seat for 20 years, was endorsed by almost every major political figure, including Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh, who deployed his extensive political machine on Tuesday on Mr. Capuano’s behalf. Ms. Pressley, who in 2009 became the first black woman elected to the Boston City Council, overcame a powerful lineup of the Massachusetts political establishment. Mr. Capuano, 66, who has held the seat for 20 years, was endorsed by almost every major political figure, including Mayor Martin J. Walsh of Boston, who deployed his extensive political machine on Tuesday on Mr. Capuano’s behalf.
“This is a big wake-up call to any incumbent on the ballot in November,” said Mary Anne Marsh, a Boston-based Democratic strategist. “We’ve been in a change election cycle for years. But Trump may have opened the door for all these young candidates, women, people of color, because voters want the antithesis of him.”
Ms. Pressley’s win, the margin of victory, and the historic nature of her candidacy are sure to reverberate throughout Boston, a city whose fraught racial history is baked into its national reputation. Ms. Pressley said Democrats throughout the state discouraged her from running against Mr. Capuano, and John Lewis, the civil rights legend and longtime Georgia congressman, held a campaign event for him in May. Yet Ms. Pressley rode a strong turnout among Boston’s minority communities toward history.
Her slogan, “change can’t wait,” was a nod to those who said her candidacy was disrupting the traditional order of Boston politics, she said. It was also a rallying cry for the state’s only minority-majority district — to have a representative who mirrors the community’s diversity.
Political observers said the win was the biggest sign yet that a “new Boston” was emerging in the shadow of the city’s historically white, union-driven political establishment. This new electorate is powered by minorities, immigrants and young college students who have flocked to the city’s start-upsstartups and tech-friendly industries.
“It felt like a good time to give someone who’s not a white male a shot,” said Linus Falck-Ytter, 26, a software developer, after voting in Cambridge. “And I liked that she’s more outspoken about helping underrepresented communities.”
Primary races for Congress in the state’s all-Democratic delegation are exceedingly rare, and Ms. Pressley, long perceived as one of her party’s rising stars, had shocked the Democratic establishment in January when she announced she was taking on the 10-term incumbent.Primary races for Congress in the state’s all-Democratic delegation are exceedingly rare, and Ms. Pressley, long perceived as one of her party’s rising stars, had shocked the Democratic establishment in January when she announced she was taking on the 10-term incumbent.
Only two of the state’s nine House members are women, and one is retiring. It was not until 2012 that Massachusetts elected its first woman – Elizabeth Warren – to the Senate. It has never elected a female governor. Only two of the state’s nine House members are women, and one is retiring. It was not until 2012 that Massachusetts elected its first woman — Elizabeth Warren — to the Senate. It has never elected a female governor.
“It felt like a good time to give someone who’s not a white male a shot,” said Linus Falck-Ytter, 26, a software developer, after voting in Cambridge. “And I liked that she’s more outspoken about helping under-represented communities.”
But perhaps one of Ms. Pressley’s biggest obstacles was Mr. Capuano’s liberal voting record, which denied her the chance to paint a stark ideological contrast with him. A reliable progressive vote, he was an early advocate of sanctuary cities, opposed the Iraq War and the Patriot Act and sat out President Trump’s inauguration. Over time he funneled millions of dollars home for much-needed transit, housing and health care projects.But perhaps one of Ms. Pressley’s biggest obstacles was Mr. Capuano’s liberal voting record, which denied her the chance to paint a stark ideological contrast with him. A reliable progressive vote, he was an early advocate of sanctuary cities, opposed the Iraq War and the Patriot Act and sat out President Trump’s inauguration. Over time he funneled millions of dollars home for much-needed transit, housing and health care projects.
Ms. Pressley and Mr. Capuano readily agreed they would likely vote the same way most of the time, leaving Ms. Pressley instead to shape her candidacy into a broad, multifaceted call for change.Ms. Pressley and Mr. Capuano readily agreed they would likely vote the same way most of the time, leaving Ms. Pressley instead to shape her candidacy into a broad, multifaceted call for change.
She argued that the needs of the district – the only one in Massachusetts where a majority of residents are people of color — had changed over time and that the overwhelming “hate” coming from the White House required more than simply voting the right way. Battling President Trump and overcoming economic and racial inequities of longstanding required an entire movement, she said, suggesting she was better positioned than Mr. Capuano to spearhead that effort with what she called “activist leadership.” She argued that the needs of the district — the only one in Massachusetts where a majority of residents are people of color — had changed over time and that the overwhelming “hate” coming from the White House required more than simply voting the right way. Battling Mr. Trump and overcoming longstanding economic and racial inequities required an entire movement, she said, suggesting she was better positioned than Mr. Capuano to spearhead that effort with what she called “activist leadership.”
Moreover, she argued that her life experience — her father struggled with drug addiction and was incarcerated for most of her youth, and she is a survivor of sexual assault – better prepared her to help people who have lived through trauma and other struggles. Perhaps the defining line of her stump speech was this: “The people closest to the pain should be closest to the power.” Moreover, she argued that her life experience — her father struggled with drug addiction and was incarcerated for most of her youth, and she is a survivor of sexual assault — better prepared her to help people who have lived through trauma and other struggles. Perhaps the defining line of her stump speech was this: “The people closest to the pain should be closest to the power.”
Mary MacDonald, 49, a biotech researcher who voted for Ms. Pressley in Cambridge, said Ms. Pressley “represents a perspective that Congress is lacking and that resonates with me. As a woman of color, she understands my concerns, as a lesbian. Capuano has done a great job for the district, but he doesn’t get it.”Mary MacDonald, 49, a biotech researcher who voted for Ms. Pressley in Cambridge, said Ms. Pressley “represents a perspective that Congress is lacking and that resonates with me. As a woman of color, she understands my concerns, as a lesbian. Capuano has done a great job for the district, but he doesn’t get it.”
Mr. Capuano, who had not faced a serious challenge since he first won the seat in 1998, conceded he was out of practice in confronting a competitive race, or, as he told WGBH, “there was some rust on the machinery.”Mr. Capuano, who had not faced a serious challenge since he first won the seat in 1998, conceded he was out of practice in confronting a competitive race, or, as he told WGBH, “there was some rust on the machinery.”
Nonetheless, he quickly lined up a formidable array of establishment endorsements. They included not only Mr. Walsh, but Representative John Lewis, the civil rights icon, and former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick; both are black, which seemed to undercut Ms. Pressley’s argument that she better reflected the district. Nonetheless, he quickly lined up a formidable array of establishment endorsements. They included Mr. Walsh, Mr. Lewis and former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick; the latter two are both black, which seemed to undercut Ms. Pressley’s argument that she better reflected the district.
But Ms. Pressley was not without her backers. Most notably, she had the support of Maura Healey, the state’s popular attorney general, who had also bucked the establishment when she won her race in 2014, as well as Michelle Wu, the first woman of color to serve as president of the Boston City Council.But Ms. Pressley was not without her backers. Most notably, she had the support of Maura Healey, the state’s popular attorney general, who had also bucked the establishment when she won her race in 2014, as well as Michelle Wu, the first woman of color to serve as president of the Boston City Council.
The fact that the state’s two Senators – Ms. Warren and Edward Markey – remained neutral in the race was seen as a win for Ms. Pressley. The fact that the state’s two Senators — Ms. Warren and Edward Markey — remained neutral in the race was seen as a win for Ms. Pressley.
Schools including Harvard University, Tufts University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are all housed in the district, which gives it more voters with white collar jobs and college degrees than almost any district in the country. But Ms. Pressley worked hard to activate the more diverse voters of what some call “new Boston.” This includes the black voters of Boston neighborhoods such as Roxbury, Jamaica Plain and Dorchester, but also includes the college students who may have sat out past elections past. Several colleges are housed in the district, which gives it numerous voters with white collar jobs and college degrees. But Ms. Pressley worked hard to activate the more diverse voters of what some call “new Boston.” This includes the black voters of Boston neighborhoods such as Roxbury, Jamaica Plain and Dorchester, but also includes the college students who may have sat out past elections past.
Though Ms. Pressley has linked herself with other insurgent candidates such as Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, she has a much longer legislative history. As a member of the council, she notched legislative successes including a sweeping reform of the city’s liquor licenses, and she led the effort to update the policy for pregnant and parenting teenagers in Boston Public Schools.Though Ms. Pressley has linked herself with other insurgent candidates such as Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, she has a much longer legislative history. As a member of the council, she notched legislative successes including a sweeping reform of the city’s liquor licenses, and she led the effort to update the policy for pregnant and parenting teenagers in Boston Public Schools.
Ms. Pressley also created a city council committee specifically focused on the needs of women and girls. Ms. Pressley also created a City Council committee specifically focused on the needs of women and girls.
“The idea that she could win by out-liberaling a liberal is the most interesting,” said James Manley, who spent more than 20 years as an aide in the United States Senate, including with former Massachusetts Senator Edward M. Kennedy.“The idea that she could win by out-liberaling a liberal is the most interesting,” said James Manley, who spent more than 20 years as an aide in the United States Senate, including with former Massachusetts Senator Edward M. Kennedy.
“I don’t think anyone expected her to be this competitive at beginning of campaign,” Mr. Manley said. “Because Massachusetts politics tends to favor the incumbent, establishment types — especially in Boston.”“I don’t think anyone expected her to be this competitive at beginning of campaign,” Mr. Manley said. “Because Massachusetts politics tends to favor the incumbent, establishment types — especially in Boston.”