InNewsWeekly - Jamie Eldridge Proud to be a Progressive Democrat

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Two gay-friendly candidates on ballot for Fifth District congressional seat

By Chuck Colbert
InNewsWeekly

Why would an invaluable, gay-friendly Statehouse mover and shaker want to trade Beacon Hill for Capitol Hill, especially given the race in which he's running positions him against Niki Tsongas, who, if elected, would become the first woman elected to Congress from Massachusetts in more than 20 years?

Because there are more and greater challenges with deeper consequences for the country at the federal rather than state level, said Jamie Eldridge, a man with a plan from Acton who has a record of championing for gay rights and social reform.

In his bid to fill the Fifth District congressional seat left vacant after Marty Meehan resigned to accept another job offer Eldridge has already garnered support from State Rep. Carl Sciortino, (D-Somerville), who has endorsed early in this race.

"I want someone who knows how to fight [and] be there for the GLBT community," said Sciortino. Other gay supporters and activists have also endorsed Eldridge.

"To me it's a no brainer," said Bonnie Winokar, a retired schoolteacher and GLBT community leader. "This man deserves this position. He's the fellow in the Legislature that's running, who's been behind us on all of the issues. I know a lot of other people who are gay friendly, but he's done his bit. He's cast that vote for us."

During a freewheeling, wide-ranging interview, Eldridge said he wants the war in Iraq to end, endorses a universal, single-payer health-care system and sees global warming as a real threat.

"We need to take dramatic action to stop global warming," said Eldridge, who added that such action should involve "increasing gas-to-mileage standards, requiring utility companies to purchase more clean energy and passing national energy efficiency legislation."

During various joint-sessions of the Legislature meeting in constitutional convention, Eldridge served as one of four floor whips working to block anti-gay marriage measures. And in introducing Eldridge at a May 8 South End fund-raiser, Sciortino said Eldridge was effective, "taking our cause on and convincing our legislative colleagues to vote with us and defeat the proposed amendment."

Bottom line, Eldridge believes in fairness and equal protections, promising to "never back down in the fight for GLBT rights, including full marriage equality [and] ending the "Don't ask, don't tell" policy [and let] gay and lesbian soldiers serve our country and strengthen America's military."

His support for full gay equality came after a close, personal friend came out of the closet to him.

"I found it so offensive," said Eldridge of the roadblocks his friend faced around getting married or having a family.

Accordingly, Eldridge also supports current hate-crimes legislation that recently passed in the U.S. House of Representatives, and he favors federal legislation to ban workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Finally, Eldridge pledges to fight for repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act, passed in 1996 by a GOP-dominated Congress and signed into law by Democratic president Bill Clinton.

Bread and butter issues also figure quite prominently in the Eldridge campaign.

"Economic policies must ensure that everybody's prosperous in America, not just the top CEO," said Eldridge. "Working people need to be able to earn a living, buy a house and send their kids to college." To that end, Eldridge supports raising the minimum wage and closing corporate tax loopholes.

"All across the district, I hear about health care, living wage, affordable housing, the war in Iraq," said Eldridge. "People want someone who is going to fight the hardest for them on every one of those issues."

The Democratic Party primary will be held on Sept. 4. For more information about Eldridge, connect to www.jamieforcongress.com.

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