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State senate candidates, incumbent Pat Jehlen and challenger Leland Cheung engaged in a lively debate at last week’s Democratic meeting.
By Donald Norton
On Tuesday evening, May 31 at the Somerville High School library, the Somerville Democrats met to handle business of each ward and to vote on business of the committee.
A motion was made to endorse Denise Provost for re-election to the State House of Representatives, as well as Christine Barber, who was also endorsed by the committee for her re-election to the State House.
The main event was a debate between the two candidates for the state senate seat currently held by eleven year incumbent Pat Jehlen and her challenger in the Democratic primary, Leland Cheung, who is currently a City of Cambridge council member.
— Photos by Donald Norton
The debate started out by each one giving an introduction and history of themselves and their accomplishments. The questions asked were very good, and were by no means soft questions. Each candidate answered them by effectively articulating their point of view. In some instances they both agreed on the same answers. Both candidates received a good round of applause.
Senator Jehlen, we’ve been told, is going to be working hard over the summer months to give her reasons why she should be returned for another term. With her name recognition in Somerville she has proven over the years that she is a candidate who is popular.
Councilor Cheung has been out working hard on his campaign, has told us, going door to door in the district. The district now includes parts of North Cambridge, all of Somerville, Medford and some parts of Winchester.
A debate hosted by local cable access will be taking place soon by both Cambridge and Somerville.
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As a resident of Cambridge and a staffer at Harvard, I can affirm that Leland Cheung in his years as City Councillor has consistently been incredibly responsive to the needs and concerns of his fellow citizens. Many times he has spoken forcefully and eloquently at gatherings of workers and students who were striving for and advocating for social and environmental justice.
When people’s jobs and well-being have been in an unacceptably deficient state, or well-being for the future has been threatened, he has made it clear that both city and university have civic responsibilities which must not be neglected. Even while he was simultaneously enrolled at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and MIT’s Sloan School of Management, he made time for these issues, coordinating the issuances of multiple resolutions by the Cambridge City Council.
When students learned that Harvard’s investments were having harmful impacts to communities in other countries, Leland once again represented moral principle as being out foremost priority. He has been involved with efforts to maintain and increase affordable housing, to enhance residents’ participation in city governance, and to ensure that planning and policies have sustainability as a major consideration.
As a committed resident with wife and young child, Leland is a stakeholder in educational excellence and in maintaining our global climate so that future generations do not face catastrophe. I think he will serve our state exceptionally well as Senator.