District: 1st Suffolk District

District: 1st Suffolk District

From July 20 through July 23, American Future conducted research to assess opinions on issues of importance from likely voters in the 1st Suffolk District Democratic Primary election on September 1, 2026. Below is a summary of the most important findings of that research.

Research Findings – Positive Messages

Research shows that voters in the 1st Suffolk Senate District respond favorably to the following messages or candidate descriptions.

  1. All families should have access to early childhood care, and our children should be able to receive a high-quality education through our public schools. We must invest in education that puts students on pathways to success by investing in tuition free community college, expanding financial aid and creating more opportunities for career education and technical training programs.
  2. A candidate who is focused on addressing the affordability crisis and helping families, seniors and young people who are being squeezed by rising prices. One who has sponsored and passed a Property Tax Relief Package for homeowners and small businesses, expanded tax credits for seniors, working families, and small businesses; helped secure additional funding for low-income transit riders and SNAP recipients to offset cuts made by the Trump Administration.
  3. A candidate who understands that improving public safety requires addressing our community’s substance abuse crisis caused by the opioid epidemic. A candidate who has fought to secure a substantial increase in funding for substance abuse treatment, has worked with a local coalition to improve public safety and public health outcomes and has sponsored legislation to expand and strengthen addiction treatment services, including in-patient facilities to reduce homelessness and get people the help they need to rebuild their lives.
  4. A candidate who has helped pass new laws to speed up the building of new homes to create affordable housing and reduce costs for renters.  This includes the MBTA Communities Act building new affordable housing near transit stations, investing more than $5 billion to build homes and opportunities for first-time homebuyers, working to reduce taxes on construction costs and supplies, and supporting a ban on broker fees to protect renters.

Research Findings – Vulnerabilities:

Research shows that voters in the 1st Suffolk Senate District respond unfavorably to the following messages or candidate descriptions.

  1. Views on crime that are too extreme and would threaten public safety.  Eliminating life sentences for murderers and their accomplices and other violent criminals. Reducing drug-related penalties—making it easier for the traffickers and other criminals who have destroyed lives with fentanyl to walk free.
  2. A candidate who opposes reducing taxes for the middle class and working families. One who also backs imposing a statewide real-estate transfer tax, which is another property tax that will make housing less affordable and push rents higher.
  3. A candidate funded by wealthy individuals who do not live in our district.  Corporate executives, people connected to the oil industry, and high-priced lawyers who represent businesses and wealthy individuals want to hand pick their candidate to protect their interests.

Research Findings – Citations:

 

CITE: Some candidates support eliminating mandatory minimums for drug offenses and eliminating the sentence of life without parole. Eliminating life sentences without parole would reduce sentences for the most violent criminals. (Progressive Mass 2026 Legislative Endorsement Questionnaire, 2026)

CITE: Some candidates are opposed to cutting the state income tax from 5 percent to 4 percent, even though cutting the tax would lower taxes for low- and middle-income families. (Dorchester Reporter, 06/18/26)

 CITE: Some candidates support real estate transfer taxes (Dorchester Reporter, 06/18/26); which “are also associated with higher rents” and “in substantial decreases in housing affordability.” (The Community Coalition for Jobs and Housing, 2022)

CITE: Some candidates have received numerous donations more than $500 from executives and out-of-state employees of international corporations and attorneys from large law firms.  (Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance, accessed 07/02/26)