Mike Connolly (Massachusetts politician): Difference between revisions

He defeated Representative [[Timothy J. Toomey Jr.]] in September 2016 in the Democratic primary for the [[26th Middlesex Massachusetts House of Representatives district|26th Middlesex District]], which comprises [[East Cambridge, Massachusetts|East Cambridge]] and [[Somerville, Massachusetts#Geography|East Somerville]]. Connolly was active with [[Occupy Boston]] and ran unsuccessfully against Toomey in 2012. In 2016, he was backed by [[Our Revolution]], a [[Bernie Sanders]]-based political organization, and was endorsed by the prominent Cambridge academics [[Noam Chomsky]] and [[Lawrence Lessig]].Adam Vaccaro (September 9, 2016) [https://www.boston.com/news/politics/2016/09/09/once-no-money-mike-cambridges-mike-connolly-now-primed-for-beacon-hill Once ‘No Money Mike,’ Cambridge’s Mike Connolly now primed for Beacon Hill] ”Boston Globe”. Accessed September 10, 2016. Connolly beat Toomey by about 300 votes and was elected to represent the 26th Middlesex District after Toomey’s term ended; Connolly did not face a Republican in the November 2016 election for the [[Massachusetts House of Representatives]].Kyle Scott Clauss (September 9, 2016) [http://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/blog/2016/09/09/mike-connolly-elected-occupy-boston/ Mike Connolly to Become First Occupier Elected to Beacon Hill] ”Boston Daily”. Accessed September 11, 2016. Connolly opposed the November 2016 “ballot question that would lift the charter school cap” and supports the legalization of recreational marijuana. He is a member of the [[Democratic Socialists of America]], although the Boston chapter announced in July 2023 that they were considering his expulsion from the local chapter.Joseph M. Schwartz (June 14, 2017),[https://www.dsausa.org/coalition_politics_and_the_fight_for_socialism_dl Coalition Politics and the Fight for Socialism], Democratic Socialists of America{{Cite web |title=https://twitter.com/Boston_DSA/status/1676751707227709440?t=bLjr8Kgj0B2Z1T5o_Bk_bQ&s=19 |url=https://twitter.com/Boston_DSA/status/1676751707227709440?t=bLjr8Kgj0B2Z1T5o_Bk_bQ&s=19 |access-date=2023-07-06 |website=Twitter |language=en}}. On July 10th, 2023, Connolly announced he was leaving the DSA in response to the expulsion proceedings{{Cite web |title=https://twitter.com/MikeConnollyMA/status/1678365705580716032 |url=https://twitter.com/MikeConnollyMA/status/1678365705580716032 |access-date=2023-07-10 |website=Twitter |language=en}}.

He defeated Representative [[Timothy J. Toomey Jr.]] in September 2016 in the Democratic primary for the [[26th Middlesex Massachusetts House of Representatives district|26th Middlesex District]], which comprises [[East Cambridge, Massachusetts|East Cambridge]] and [[Somerville, Massachusetts#Geography|East Somerville]]. Connolly was active with [[Occupy Boston]] and ran unsuccessfully against Toomey in 2012. In 2016, he was backed by [[Our Revolution]], a [[Bernie Sanders]]-based political organization, and was endorsed by the prominent Cambridge academics [[Noam Chomsky]] and [[Lawrence Lessig]].Adam Vaccaro (September 9, 2016) [https://www.boston.com/news/politics/2016/09/09/once-no-money-mike-cambridges-mike-connolly-now-primed-for-beacon-hill Once ‘No Money Mike,’ Cambridge’s Mike Connolly now primed for Beacon Hill] ”Boston Globe”. Accessed September 10, 2016. Connolly beat Toomey by about 300 votes and was elected to represent the 26th Middlesex District after Toomey’s term ended; Connolly did not face a Republican in the November 2016 election for the [[Massachusetts House of Representatives]].Kyle Scott Clauss (September 9, 2016) [http://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/blog/2016/09/09/mike-connolly-elected-occupy-boston/ Mike Connolly to Become First Occupier Elected to Beacon Hill] ”Boston Daily”. Accessed September 11, 2016. Connolly opposed the November 2016 “ballot question that would lift the charter school cap” and supports the legalization of recreational marijuana. He is a member of the [[Democratic Socialists of America]], although the Boston chapter announced in July 2023 that they were considering his expulsion from the local chapter.Joseph M. Schwartz (June 14, 2017),[https://www.dsausa.org/coalition_politics_and_the_fight_for_socialism_dl Coalition Politics and the Fight for Socialism], Democratic Socialists of America{{Cite web |title=https://twitter.com/Boston_DSA/status/1676751707227709440?t=bLjr8Kgj0B2Z1T5o_Bk_bQ&s=19 |url=https://twitter.com/Boston_DSA/status/1676751707227709440?t=bLjr8Kgj0B2Z1T5o_Bk_bQ&s=19 |access-date=2023-07-06 |website=Twitter |language=en}} On July 10th, 2023, Connolly announced he was leaving the DSA in response to the expulsion proceedings{{Cite web |title=https://twitter.com/MikeConnollyMA/status/1678365705580716032 |url=https://twitter.com/MikeConnollyMA/status/1678365705580716032 |access-date=2023-07-10 |website=Twitter |language=en}}