“Senator Donnelly worked hard to address the needs of those suffering with serious and persistent mental illness and he would be thrilled that the creation of a restoration center has been included in the final budget,” Cindy Friedman, Donnelly’s former chief of staff, who recently won the Democratic primary to fill his seat, said in a statement. “This is a giant step in the decriminalization of mental illness and substance use disorder in our state and I am so grateful for the commitment shown by our legislature to address this important issue.”
Friedman wins nomination for 4th Middlesex state Senate seat Your Arlington
Voters Tuesday, June 27, promoted Cindy Friedman, 64, to the state Senate seat held by her boss, Ken Donnelly, until his April 2 death.
Rep. Sean Garballey, still fresh-faced at 32, was pushed aside by 776 votes. He won Arlington and Woburn, but lost elsewhere. Friedman was particularly strong in Lexington, likely reflecting the support of state Rep. Jay Kaufman.
In a tweet, Rick Sobey of The Lowell Sun reported the first unofficial results. Later results showed Friedman with 7,075 votes and Garballey with 6,299. Stewart got 428. See an image of the unofficial tallies below.
Cindy Friedman captures Democratic nomination in state Senate primary election The Boston Globe
A veteran Beacon Hill aide on Tuesday captured the Democratic nomination for the state Senate seat that was vacated when her boss died of brain cancer in April.
Cindy Friedman, the longtime chief of staff to the late Senator Kenneth Donnelly, clinched the party nomination for the Fourth Middlesex District seat, which represents Arlington, Billerica, Burlington, Woburn, and parts of Lexington.
The tally from all five communities was not immediately available. But her two rivals, state Representative Sean Garballey and Mary Ann Stewart, a member of the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, both congratulated her late Tuesday.
Friedman election would restore women in senate to high water mark Arlington Advocate
Arlington Democrat Cindy Friedman’s win in a primary Tuesday paves the way for the state Senate to tie its all-time high number of women members, reached four years ago after another special election.
Friedman, who served as chief of staff to the late Sen. Ken Donnelly, D-Arlington, earned just over 51 percent of the vote in the special election held to replace her former boss. With no Republican or Libertarian candidates on the ballot, Friedman is on a path to victory in the July 25 general election.
She would be the first woman to be newly elected to the Senate since Sen. Barbara L’Italien in 2015, and the 41st female state senator in state history.
EMILY’s List Endorses Cindy Friedman for State Senate
Statement of EMILY’s List Endorsing Cindy Friedman for State Senator in the 4th Middlesex District
Cindy Friedman is a dedicated public servant who will be ready to lead on the issues of criminal justice and mental health the moment she steps back into the Massachusetts Statehouse as Senator Friedman.
Behind the scenes, she has been a tireless advocate for the women and families of Arlington, Billerica, Burlington, Woburn and Lexington, and EMILY’s List is excited to support Cindy Friedman as she continues to fight for them as state senator.
– Geri Prado EMILY’s List senior director of state and local campaigns
Senate candidates differ on salaries, Route 3 speed limit Lowell Sun
BILLERICA-Residents should be well aware at this point in the campaign: These candidates agree on a lot. Rep. Sean Garballey, Cindy Friedman, and Mary Ann Stewart are all progressive Democratic candidates – which showed yet again on Tuesday, a week from the primary. While the candidates for the 4th Middlesex District state Senate seat agreed on a majority of issues, they did break on a few topics during the Sun-sponsored debate at the Billerica Senior Center.
Retired State, County and Municipal Employees Endorse Cindy Friedman
Below is a statement submitted to the Friedman campaign on behalf of the Mass Retirees prior to the special primary election on June 27th:
Dear Candidate Friedman:
On behalf of the Retired State, County and Municipal Employees Association, we take great pride in endorsing your candidacy for the 4th Middlesex Senatorial District, a seat formerly held by the late Senator Ken Donnelly.
As you know, we lost a very good friend with Senator Donnelly’s passing. He will always be remembered by us as one of our most ardent supporters and defenders in the State House. While Senator Donnelly’s shoes will be difficult to fill, his path must certainly be followed and his remarkable legacy continued.
2017 Special State Senate Election Interview with Cindy Friedman Official ACMi Recording
In anticipation of the upcoming special primary election on June 27 for the 4th Middlesex District State Senate seat formerly held by Ken Donnelly, ACMi recently recorded extended conversations with each of the three candidates – Cindy Friedman, Sean Garballey, and Mary Ann Stewart.
Governor Baker’s quiet approach to the mental health crisis draws criticism The Boston Globe
Baker has quietly proposed an array of mental health care initiatives, including better training for police and a boost in spending on health care coverage for low-income people.
What he hasn’t been prepared to do, thus far, is provide much in the way of public leadership, or to speak to the issue.
“I don’t think the administration is doing enough or saying enough at all,” said Cindy Friedman, the longtime chief of staff to former state senator Ken Donnelly, an Arlington Democrat and champion of mental health care reform who died in April.
Massachusetts Must Respond to the Paris Accord Withdrawal
“I’m shocked and disappointed by the President’s decision to pull out of the Paris Climate Change Agreement. Not only will this damage our environment on a colossal level, it will also put the jobs of those working in the clean energy industry at risk. Now more than ever, we have to come together as activists, communities, and legislators to preserve and protect our planet because, as many of us say: “There is no Planet B.”
Friedman submitted an Op-Ed to the press in response to President Trump’s decision to pull out of the Paris Agreement, consisting of initiatives she believes Massachusetts must act on to protect the environment.