Meet the 24-year-old who defeated an incumbent

Sep 27, 2024

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED — Tara Hong campaigned hard in the run-up to the state's primary elections earlier this month. Sometimes a little too hard for residents of the 18th Middlesex District.

“We started canvassing in March. We hit the doors three or four times — and then there were some areas in the district we hit a little more than four times,” Hong told Playbook. “Some people, they met us so many times they were like, ‘Please don't come to our door anymore. We're gonna vote for you, but please don't come to the door anymore.’”

As results rolled in a little after midnight, it became clear the Lowell Democrat had accomplished something few have done in Massachusetts’ recent legislative races: defeat an incumbent. Hong bested state Rep. Rady Mom 47-40 percent, while another candidate, Andrew Kollar, earned around 12 percent.

It wasn’t the first time Hong, whose family immigrated to Lowell from Cambodia in 2013, tried to take on Mom; the pair also competed for the seat in 2022. Mom won that cycle, but only by around 50 votes. That was a sign for Hong, he said, that there were people in the district looking for a change. He’s effectively been on the campaign trail ever since that race, building up his name recognition.

This time around, people had already heard his pitch: a promise to improve constituent services in the district and show up year-round in the role — focusing full-time on a job that many lawmakers hold while maintaining roles outside the State House. Support from progressive groups like Progressive Mass and the Sierra Club this cycle also boosted his campaign’s ground game — vital in the state’s low-turnout primaries.

At 24, Hong, an activist and UMass Lowell grad inspired to run for office after volunteering during the Covid-19 pandemic, is on track to become the youngest member of the Legislature next session with no Republican opponents in November. His age came up while campaigning (“People question, Why is this young guy running for his office? What credentials does he have, what's his experience?”) but coming back for another round after his close loss in 2022 helped show Lowell voters he was serious.

Hong’s advice to those eyeing a challenge to an incumbent: “If you lose the first time, there's always an opportunity for the second time, but you have to keep going. You have to keep going and continue building your profile and showing the community that you really want to be in that position, because you have ideas and an agenda that can help improve our community,” he said.

The hard part is over — but Hong isn’t celebrating yet. Even though he’s uncontested, there’s a general to win.

Time to hit some more doors.

GOOD FRIDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Sure, the Beacon Hill spider may be pregnant with 500 (!?) babies, be but don't be scared… she’s actually shy. Tips? Scoops? Bug repellent? Hit me up: kgarrity@politico.com.

TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey is in California where she’ll headline a fundraiser for New Hampshire gubernatorial hopeful and former Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu attends a ribbon cutting for the new Boston Fire Department Engine 17 Firehouse at 10 a.m. in Dorchester, speaks at the Age Strong Americorp Senior Luncheon at 11 a.m. in Dorchester and at Boston’s inaugural “Deployable Flood Barrier Day” at noon downtown before attending the Boston Area Church League Community Fellowship Luncheon at 1 p.m. in Back Bay. Sen. Ed Markey holds a press conference on the U.S. Senate’s vote to hold Steward CEO Dr. Ralph de la Torre in contempt of Congress at 11 a.m. in Boston.

THIS WEEKEND — Evan Horowitz, executive director of the Center for State Policy Studies at the Tisch School at Tufts University, talks ballot questions on WBZ’s “Keller @ Large” at 8:30 a.m. Sunday. Boston City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune is on WCVB’s “On the Record” at 11 a.m. Sunday. Rep. Seth Moulton and former Acting Boston Mayor Kim Janey are on NBC10’s “At Issue” at 11:30 a.m. Sunday.

DATELINE BEACON HILL

LONG TIME NO SEE — Legislative leaders put aside their differences to celebrate some of the latest legislation they’ve cranked out during informal sessions after negotiations took a turn at the end of July.

House Speaker Ron Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka joined Gov. Maura Healey for a bill signing ceremony Thursday, the first time the pair have appeared in public together since the tense final day of formal sessions that left key bills in limbo.

It was also the first time they spoke to each other in person since then, Mariano told reporters, though they’ve connected over the phone. Their relationship remains “where it always has been,” according to Mariano.

That doesn’t mean things can’t get done. Lawmakers have passed several bills since they broke, something Mariano made sure to gloat about:"You all said we were going to be dead on the 31st. ... We kept telling you, that's not the case," he said on his way out of the event.

But there's no rush to make things happen before November's election. "These things take time," he said. "It's like making a stew. It's not done until it's done."

— “‘I don’t read the polls’: Mass. House Speaker Mariano shrugs off Legislature’s poor marks,” by John L. Micek, MassLive.

— "Mariano puts on ombudsman hat to slam Globe for coverage of Cambridge House race," by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald: "House Speaker Ron Mariano said he was “outraged” that Cambridge’s Evan MacKay declared victory over incumbent Rep. Marjorie Decker during this month’s primary election before all the votes were counted and also slammed The Boston Globe for its coverage."

— “Budget Secretary Bracing For ‘Unavoidable Deficiencies’,” by Chris Lisinski, State House News Service (paywall): “The Healey administration's budget chief is ‘cautiously optimistic’ about the economic outlook for the year ahead, even though he expects lackluster tax collections to continue and sees ‘unavoidable deficiencies’ on the horizon. Administration and Finance Secretary Matthew Gorzkowicz told business leaders Thursday that his team thinks the tax trends from fiscal year 2024 -- when non-surtax revenues lagged hundreds of millions of dollars behind projections -- will continue in fiscal 2025.”

— “Steward employees in ‘crazy situation’ and face hard choices, nurses union boss says,” by Matthew Medsger, Boston Herald: “Another unanticipated wrinkle in the Steward Health Care drama has come to light, and the head of the state’s largest nursing union says employees there are about to ‘be hosed, frankly.’ Julie Pinkham, executive director of the Massachusetts Nurses Association, explained to policy makers on Thursday that the effects of the company’s bankruptcy aren’t felt only by patients, but they’re also having a very real impact on the company’s soon-to-be former employees and their families.”

FROM THE HUB

TAX TALKS — Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and business community representatives huddled with Senate President Karen Spilka and the Senate’s Boston delegation to talk about Wu’s property tax shift proposal yesterday. Lawmakers who stopped to talk to reporters in the State House hallways were light on specifics about what was said during the roughly hour-long meeting, but the consensus seemed to be that there’s no consensus yet. More from CommonWealth Beacon.

— “March through Boston celebrates recovery and tries to erase stigma around treatment,” by Craig LeMoult, GBH News.

— “Boston City Council presses Retirement Board to reverse course on pension increase rejection,” by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: “The Boston City Council passed a measure urging the Retirement Board to reverse a vote it took last week to reject a cost-of-living-adjustment base increase for municipal retirees, while citing concerns over inflation and housing affordability. The resolution, approved via a 12-0 vote by the City Council, calls for the Retirement Board to approve its first increase to the COLA base for Boston retirees since 2021, when it was raised to $15,000.”

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

— “Arlington official tells MBTA board town deserves better,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Beacon: “Paul Schlichtman, the chair of the Arlington School Committee, came to a meeting of the MBTA board of directors on Thursday and during the public comment period pleaded for better bus service, and possibly even a subway line through his community. Schlichtman said students in Arlington have been riding MBTA buses since 1955, but service has deteriorated of late.”

— “‘You cannot fund the T on the backs of riders’: MBTA general manager says he’ll push cost cuts, track repairs,” by Erin Douglas, The Boston Globe: “The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority is scrambling to cut costs, attract new dollars, and curry political favor to avert a financial crisis, but fare increases are not yet on the table. Nor are they off the menu."

FROM THE 413

— “Amherst-Pelham Regional super warns of funding shortfall,” by Scott Merzbach, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “Should the four towns in the Amherst-Pelham Regional School District limit their assessment increases next year, 35 middle and high school staffers, or 10% of the 350-member workforce, could lose their jobs, leading to what Superintendent E. Xiomara Herman is calling the dismantling of local public secondary education.”

THE LOCAL ANGLE

— “Morton Hospital's addiction services program in Taunton is on the chopping block,” by Sarah Betancourt, GBH News: “A Taunton hospital sold by Steward Health Care under its bankruptcy proceedings could be closing its addiction support services program. Morton Hospital will be taken over by LifeSpan, the largest health care provider in Rhode Island.”

— “Cambridge bikers saddened, but unsurprised by cyclist’s death,” by Izzy Bryars, The Boston Globe.

— “Parents buckling under intense costs of child care in Worcester,” by Jesse Collings, Telegram & Gazette.

HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH

TRANSITIONS — Jason Ross has left his role as a public relations specialist at 1A Auto parts to focus full time on his business, Hockomock Digital.

SPOTTED — Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo in coach on a delayed Thursday night American Airlines flight from Boston to Washington.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Jack Eccles, Robert Cohen, former secretary of veterans affairs Francisco Urena, Nick VanSant, Misha Hyman and Abby Curran. Happy belated to Suffolk Register of Probate Stephanie Everett and Rich Calhoun, who celebrated Thursday; and to Patrick Sullivan, executive director of Seaport TMA, who celebrated Tuesday.

HAPPY BIRTHWEEKEND — to Matt Corridoni of the DNC, Simon Winchester, Ryan Migeed, Kevin Ready, Molly Crosby of Planned Parenthood, Calley Means and Stephanie Blumenthal, who celebrate Saturday; and to Sunday birthday-ers state Rep. Tommy Vitolo, Cassie Moreno, Tyler O’Day, David Nather, Yael Langer and British Consul General to New England Peter Abbott.

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