PM in the News: “Massachusetts primary offers late-game litmus test for Democrats”

Erik Ueblelacker, “Massachusetts primary offers late-game litmus test for Democrats,” Courthouse News Service, August 18, 2026.

Koh’s endorsements — Biden, Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg — reflect his vast connections. He’s also dominated when it comes to fundraising in his second foray into congressional politics. He lost the 2018 primary in the 3rd District by a mere 122 votes to eventual general winner Lori Trahan.

“Both of his parents are affluent and well connected,” said Jonathan Cohn, policy director at advocacy group Progressive Massachusetts. “And he used to be the chief of staff for former Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, so he has all of Marty’s connections as well.”

Progressive Massachusetts backed one of Koh’s opponents for the 6th District: Tram Nguyen, a state representative who has worked as a lawyer representing immigrants and domestic violence victims.

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But Cohn, whose Progressive Massachusetts endorsed Roath, is hopeful that momentum from other recent elections — and connections Roath built while as an aide to former Governor Deval Patrick — could propel him to victory. He’s particularly optimistic after races in cities like Quincy, not particularly known to be a progressive haven, yielded positive results for his allies.

“Quincy had a big upset year in local elections last year, where a number of progressive challengers won,” Cohn said. “With that level of local dissatisfaction with a conservative status quo, it’ll be interesting to see if that carries over to the congressional.”

PM in the News: “In Sixth District primary, it’s ‘outsiders,’ an insider — and one Democrat trying to convince voters she’s both”

Anjali Huynh, “In Sixth District primary, it’s ‘outsiders,’ an insider — and one Democrat trying to convince voters she’s both,” Boston Globe, August 9, 2026.

To Jonathan Cohn, policy director for Progressive Mass, which is backing Nguyen, candidates are trying anything to distinguish themselves in a race that “has the feeling”of the 2018 primary for the Third Congressional District, located just to the west along the northern Massachusetts border. In that race, a crowded field of Democrats pitched themselves as an antidote to President Trump. (Koh was a candidate in that primary, too, which was won by the current incumbent, Lori Trahan.)

PM in the News: “Massachusetts is weighing a ‘Clean Slate’ bill. Here’s what that would mean.”

Elise Larsson, “Massachusetts is weighing a ‘Clean Slate’ bill. Here’s what that would mean.,” Huntington News, July 20, 2026.

“We don’t want past history to be a roadblock for employment, for housing and for many other things where having a record can often lead to people being prohibited,” said Jonathan Cohn, the policy director of Progressive Massachusetts, a statewide organization dedicated to advancing racial and social justice and strengthening democracy.

Unlike petition-based record-sealing laws in states like California and New York, which often take years to complete, Cohn said the Clean Slate bill aims to minimize delays. By automatically sealing records after a period of law-abiding conduct, the bill shifts the focus from procedural hurdles to demonstrated rehabilitation.

“Society is able to benefit from this process better … if we’re able to offer better employment opportunities, better housing opportunities,” Cohn said. “We should just streamline the process.”

PM in the News: “A ballot question to eliminate party primaries in Massachusetts is dividing state Democrats”

Chris VanBuskirk, “A ballot question to eliminate party primaries in Massachusetts is dividing state Democrats,” Boston Globe, May 11, 2026.

Jonathan Cohn, policy director for Progressive Massachusetts and a former state committee member, said all-party primaries increase the power of candidates who can self-fund their own campaigns.

He pointed to a 2018 congressional race in California, which also has a “top-two” primary system and where the open seat initially drew more than a half dozen Democratic candidates.The lineup eventually winnowed to those who could bankroll their bid. Gil Cisneros, who scored a $266 million lottery jackpot with his wife in 2010, won the election.

In California, among those vying in the crowded race for governor this year is hedge-fund billionaire Tom Steyer, who’s already spent more than $130 million on the campaign, most of it from his own pockets.

“It increases the power of big money,” Cohn said of the “top-two” primary system.

Cohn also said opposition to the ballot question has united factions of the Massachusetts Democratic State Committee that were at odds last year amid an insider battle over the party’s platform, which saw a push to spell out support for LGBTQ+ protections, rent control, transgender individuals, and efforts to address systemic racism.

“Across all factions, people thought that the ballot question was a bad idea,” Cohn said.

Brookline.News: “Younger candidates push out some of Brookline’s political old guard in progressive sweep”

Sam Mintz and Vivi Smilgius, “Younger candidates push out some of Brookline’s political old guard in progressive sweep,” Brookline.News, May 6, 2026.

“This was an election about getting people to the polls,” said Miriam Aschkenasy, a former Select Board member who is one of the leaders of the recently launched group Progressive Brookline. “We have an idea about what we think Brookline should be as a community, and we have to get people involved.” 

…

Zimmerman, the 43-year-old co-founder of B4E, received the most votes by a large margin. She was endorsed by both B4E and Progressive Brookline.

“Between those two groups, you had a lot of very passionate people organizing around the election, door knocking, reaching out to their networks,” she said. 

…In Precinct 9, all five of the winners were endorsed by Brookline for Everyone and Progressive Brookline. 

Across Town Meeting races, those groups did exceedingly well: 95% of Town Meeting candidates endorsed by both Brookline for Everyone and Progressive Brookline were successful, compared with 76% endorsed by Brookline by Design, B4E’s frequent antagonist, which advocates for a more deliberate planning process. Eighty-five percent of Brookline PAX endorsees won. 

…

“I think that for a long time, a select few people really were the people involved in town politics. I think that’s changing,” said Aschkenasy of Progressive Brookline. “I think we are mobilizing a new group of people who want to do something and say something.” 

…

Federspiel, the incumbent, said this election felt like a shift toward more progressive values, which the past couple of elections have strayed away from. She added that new political groups in town, such as Progressive Brookline, played a big role — and raised some questions about existing groups and their values.

“The [Progressive Brookline] board has new faces, new voices … something like Brookline PAX has been around for a while. There’s not so many new faces, new voices,” Federspiel said. “They had supported me in the past and they did not endorse me this time. I don’t believe I’m less progressive, so I’m kind of thinking they’re less progressive.”

PM in the News: “Massachusetts’ AI program is more than meets the eye”

Jonathan Gerhardson, “Massachusetts’ AI program is more than meets the eye,” Shoestring, April 8, 2026.

The announcement has been met with controversy. State Rep. Erika Uyterhoeven (D-Somerville), who among elected officials has been one of the most vocal critics of the deal, points to a lack of clear privacy protections in the contract and alleged conflicts of interest by the advisory board which recommended OpenAI. And Jonathan Cohn, policy director for Progressive Massachusetts, said the governor did not engage with state employees to gauge whether the tools would actually be helpful before committing to the OpenAI contract. 

“She seemed proud to be the first state to do this, when no one was clamoring to do this,” he told The Shoestring.

PM in the News: “Massachusetts Has Few Laws to Show for Democratic Supermajority”

Greg Ryan, “Massachusetts Has Few Laws to Show for Democratic Supermajority,” Bloomberg News, March 10, 2026.

“They’re flattening everything to the point they can get every member of the caucus before they’re willing to vote for something,” said Jonathan Cohn, policy director at Progressive Massachusetts. “That really narrows what an agenda will be.”

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Passing bills with such full-throated support limits the extent to which those votes can be used against candidates when election season rolls around, Cohn said, criticizing the practice as an “incumbent protection racket.” 

PM in the News: Markey Endorsement

Our endorsement of Senator Markey was featured in MASSterlist:

Advocacy group Progressive Mass formally endorsed Sen. Ed Markey for reelection on Tuesday as Democratic Party caucuses ramp up.

“Ed Markey has been a stalwart champion for workers’ rights, immigrants’ rights, LGBTQ rights, bold climate action, and so much more,” Jonathan Cohn, the group’s policy director, said in a statement. “He is not only fighting every day in DC against the chaos, cruelty, and corruption of the Trump administration, but also continuing to introduce and endorse the big ideas necessary to make a more equitable, just, democratic, and sustainable Commonwealth and country.”

Markey, who was endorsed by Boston Mayor Michelle Wu a day earlier, is facing Rep. Seth Moulton in a primary for the Democratic nomination. John Deaton, who ran against Sen. Elizabeth Warren two years ago, is the expected GOP nominee. 

Moulton also went for the Progressive Mass endorsement. He sent a six-page letter instead of answering a lengthy questionnaire, a move that invalidated his application. His letter said he wanted to “outline my agenda rather than reduce such important questions to yes/no answers.”

Another Democrat running, Alex Rikleen, and socialist Joe Tache, both filled out the questionnaire along with Markey.

“I am deeply grateful for Progressive Mass’ endorsement and proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them in this fight as we take on corporate greed, defend our democracy, protect LGBTQ+ and immigrant communities, and accelerate the transition to clean energy,” Markey said.