American politician
Sonia Rosa Chang-Díaz (born March 31, 1978) is an American politician who serves in the Massachusetts Senate from the 2nd Suffolk district as a member of the Democratic Party . She was the first Hispanic woman elected to the state senate. She is running for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Massachusetts in the 2022 election .
Chang-Díaz was educated at the University of Virginia . She entered politics while serving as a legislature aide for Massachusetts Senator Cheryl Jacques and as a campaign manager for MassEquality . She attempted to win election to the state senate in the 2006 election as a write-in candidate in the Democratic primary, but lost to incumbent Senator Dianne Wilkerson , who was also running as a write-in candidate. She ran again in the 2008 election and defeated Wilkerson in the primary and general elections.
Early life [ ]
Sonia Chang-Díaz was born in Boston , Massachusetts , on March 31, 1978, to Franklin Chang Díaz , a NASA astronaut.[1] [2] [3] She graduated from the University of Virginia .[4] She worked as one of Senator Cheryl Jacques ' legislative aides and was a campaign manager for MassEquality .[5]
Massachusetts Senate [ ]
Elections [ ]
Massachusetts Senator Dianne Wilkerson failed to file her nomination petition with enough valid signatures to appear on the ballot in the Democratic primary during the 2006 election , but announced that she would run a write-in campaign for the Democratic nomination.[6] Chang-Díaz announced on June 18, 2006, that she would run as a write-in candidate in the primary.[5] Wilkerson defeated Chang-Díaz in the initial primary, but a judge ordered a recount due to write-in votes not being counted in eight precincts.[7] Secretary of State William F. Galvin started an investigation into Boston's handling of elections due to the error.[8] Chang-Díaz turned in enough signatures for a recount of all ten wards.[9] The final recount determined that Wilkerson had won by 767 votes which was more than the initial 141 votes.[10] Wilkerson won reelection in the general election.[11]
Chang-Díaz with supporters at her November 2008 election night celebration
Chang-Díaz ran against Wilkerson in the 2008 Democratic primary and defeated Wilkerson.[12] [13] A recount was conducted and maintained Chang-Díaz's victory.[14] Wilkerson launched a write-in campaign in the general election, but withdrew after she was arrested on charges of public corruption and Chang-Díaz defeated Wilkerson and independent candidate William Theodore Leonard in the general election.[15] [16] [17] She was the first Hispanic woman elected to the Massachusetts Senate.[18]
She won reelection without opposition in the 2010 , 2012, 2016, 2018 , and 2020 elections.[19] [20] [21] [22] [23] She defeated Republican nominee David James Wyatt in the 2014 election.[24]
Tenure [ ]
During Chang-Díaz's tenure in the Massachusetts Senate she served as the chair of the Education committee, vice-chair of the Senate Redistricting committee, and assistant vice-chair of the Ways and Means committee.[25] [26] [27] She was speculated as a possible candidate for the 2013 Boston mayoral election , but did not run and instead endorsed Marty Walsh .[28] [29] She endorsed Donald Berwick for the Democratic nomination in the 2014 gubernatorial election .[30] She endorsed Senator Ed Markey in the Democratic primary during the 2020 United States Senate election .[31] During the 2020 Democratic presidential primaries Chang-Díaz endorsed Senator Elizabeth Warren .[32]
Chang-Díaz announced on June 23, 2021, that she would seek the Democratic nomination in the 2022 gubernatorial election .[33]
Political positions [ ]
Chang-Díaz was critical of legislation passed by the Massachusetts Senate which targeted the ability of undocumented immigrants to obtain services from the state including Medicaid and public housing.[34] She opposed casinos stating that they were "a fancy way of putting a tax on the poor."[35] Chang-Díaz supported raising the income tax to increase education funding.[36]
She sponsored legislation to include transgender people in Massachusetts's anti-discrimination laws in 2011.[37] She supported legislation which allowed people to use gendered-public places that matched their gender identity and gave protections against discrimination for transgender people.[38]
Electoral history [ ]
References [ ]
^ "Hispanic Heritage Month: Dr. Franklin Chang Diaz" . Runnels County Register . October 19, 2020. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021.
^ "1996 NASA Press Kit" . NASA . February 1, 1996. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021.
^ "State Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz" . The John William Ward Public Service Fellowship . Retrieved January 8, 2022 .
^ "Chang-Díaz Exploring Run For Governor In 2022" . WBUR-FM . March 29, 2021. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021.
^ a b "Chang-Díaz seeks to unseat state senator" . The Boston Globe . June 20, 2006. p. 15. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "To Wilkerson, latest fight just part of quest" . The Boston Globe . August 20, 2006. p. 199. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "8 precincts uncounted in Boston Senate race" . The Boston Globe . September 21, 2006. p. 1. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Galvin probing Boston election" . The Boston Globe . September 23, 2006. p. 17. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "2d District recount to include all 10 wards" . The Boston Globe . September 29, 2006. p. 19. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Recount confirms Wilkerson victory in Boston Senate race" . The Boston Globe . September 30, 2006. p. 15. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "2006 State Senate General Election" . Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth . Archived from the original on June 26, 2021.
^ "Wilkerson feeling the heat again" . The Boston Globe . August 24, 2008. p. 152. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021 – via Newspapers.com .
^ a b "2008 State Senate Democratic Primary" . Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth . Archived from the original on June 26, 2021.
^ "Recount affirms Chang-Díaz's primary win" . The Boston Globe . September 28, 2008. p. 24. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Wilkerson announces write-in campaign" . The Boston Globe . September 24, 2008. p. 21. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Wilkerson terminates reelection campaign" . The Boston Globe . November 1, 2008. p. 6. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021 – via Newspapers.com .
^ a b "2008 State Senate General Election" . Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth . Archived from the original on June 26, 2021.
^ "Battenfeld: Far left Democrats hit Maura Healey for being too 'centrist,' denting her gubernatorial ambitions" . Boston Herald . May 28, 2021. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021.
^ a b "2010 State Senate General Election" . Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth . Archived from the original on June 26, 2021.
^ a b "2012 State Senate General Election" . Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth . Archived from the original on June 26, 2021.
^ a b "2016 State Senate General Election" . Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth . Archived from the original on June 26, 2021.
^ a b "2018 State Senate General Election" . Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth . Archived from the original on June 26, 2021.
^ a b "2020 State Senate General Election" . Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth . Archived from the original on June 26, 2021.
^ a b "2014 State Senate General Election" . Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth . Archived from the original on June 26, 2021.
^ "Senate budget committee head named" . The Boston Globe . January 21, 2011. p. B6. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Chang-Diaz sees no conflict in dual redistricting roles" . The Boston Globe . July 10, 2011. p. B5. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Chandler names Creem Senate majority leader" . The Boston Globe . March 1, 2018. p. B3. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "A possibly crowded field" . The Boston Globe . March 29, 2013. p. A11. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Capuano to back 'progressive' Walsh" . The Boston Globe . October 21, 2013. p. B2. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "State Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz of Boston endorses Democrat Don Berwick in Massachusetts gubernatorial race" . MassLive . January 16, 2014. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021.
^ "State Senator Sonia Chang-Díaz Endorses Ed Markey for U.S. Senate" . Ed Markey . July 24, 2020. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021.
^ "Who's Winning the Endorsement Popularity Contest?" . Boston . January 30, 2020. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021.
^ "Sonia Chang-Diaz says she's running for governor of Massachusetts" . Boston Herald . June 23, 2021. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021.
^ "Immigration measure OK'd" . North Adams Transcript . May 28, 2010. p. 5. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Hearing on casino bills a long, heated affair" . The Boston Globe . June 9, 2010. p. B5. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Teach-in focuses on economic divide" . The Boston Globe . November 14, 2011. p. B9. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Lawmakers urged to pass transgender discrimination bill" . The Boston Globe . June 24, 2011. p. B13. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Backers hail new gender rights" . The Boston Globe . July 12, 2016. p. B4. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "2006 State Senate Democratic Primary" . Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth . Archived from the original on June 26, 2021.
^ "2010 State Senate Democratic Primary" . Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth . Archived from the original on June 26, 2021.
^ "2012 State Senate Democratic Primary" . Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth . Archived from the original on June 26, 2021.
^ "2014 State Senate Democratic Primary" . Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth . Archived from the original on June 26, 2021.
^ "2016 State Senate Democratic Primary" . Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth . Archived from the original on June 26, 2021.
^ "2018 State Senate Democratic Primary" . Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth . Archived from the original on June 26, 2021.
^ "2020 State Senate Democratic Primary" . Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth . Archived from the original on June 26, 2021.
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