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WMass Dems support new leadership atop state party

Steve Kerrigan is the new chair of the Massachusetts Democratic party. In 2014, he earned the party's nomination as lieutenant governor, running alongside Martha Coakley. They lost to Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito.
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State House News Service
Steve Kerrigan is the new chair of the Massachusetts Democratic party. In 2014, he earned the party's nomination as lieutenant governor, running alongside Martha Coakley. They lost to Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito.

Some western Massachusetts Democrats are weighing in on this week's election of former lieutenant governor nominee Steve Kerrigan to lead the Massachusetts Democratic Party.

“For me, as a Democrat in Greenfield, and in Franklin County, what I’ll be looking for is to what degree does the state party see Democrats that aren’t in Boston, Springfield and Worcester,” says Pete Brown, former chair and current member of Greenfield's Democratic Town Committee.

Brown, who supported Kerrigan, said he looks forward to Democrats addressing local issues such as affordable housing and school funding.

Another Kerrigan supporter is former State Senate President Stan Rosenberg of Amherst, who says Kerrigan is "a great manager, both in the public and private sectors. He has very deep party experience at the state and national level.”

Kerrigan replaces Gus Bickford, who led the Massachusetts Democratic State Party since 2016.

This report includes information from State House News Service.

Carrie Healy hosts the local broadcast of "Morning Edition" at NEPM. She also hosts the station’s weekly government and politics segment “Beacon Hill In 5” for broadcast radio and podcast syndication.