Massachusetts CAP Announces Primary Endorsements

UAW Region 9A’s Massachusetts CAP Council voted to endorse 14 candidates for the Massachusetts State Legislature, adding to our previous endorsement of Ed Markey for U.S. Senate and Tram Nguyen for U.S. Congress in advance of the Democratic primary on September 1.

Last November, members voted to endorse UAW Local 2320 member and current State Representative Tram Nguyen in her bid to represent Massachusetts' 6th District in the U.S. Congress. “Congress needs new energy and new leadership. We know Tram, first as a UAW 2320 member, now as a State Representative, and we know her record fighting for issues affecting working people,” said Brandon Mancilla, UAW Region 9A Director. “She will stand with UAW and with working families.”

In March, members also voted to endorse Senator Ed Markey for reelection given his strong support for the UAW, from walking the picket line with Local 422 in Mansfield to fighting for research funding for our membership in higher education. “Senator Ed Markey has stood with labor and the UAW throughout his career,” said Director Mancilla. “From joining our workers on the strike line at Stellantis to fighting back against cuts to NIH that impact our members in higher education, Senator Markey understands that a strong working class depends on strong unions. He doesn’t just talk about workers’ rights—he delivers.”

UAW Local 5118 member Evan MacKay was our members' first endorsement for the Massachusetts State House in April, seeking to represent the 25th Middlesex District in Cambridge. As a former president of the Harvard Graduate Students Union-UAW Local 5118, Evan has been deeply involved with union organizing and contract campaigns at Harvard since the local was certified in 2018. From showing up for fellow union members on picket lines across the city to pushing for the UAW's political priorities in state and local government, they have been an advocate for social and economic justice both within and beyond the UAW.

This summer, our Massachusetts CAP Council has researched candidates’ records, reviewed their responses to our questionnaires, and conducted interviews to identify the candidates we believe will best support us on our core issues. This process resulted in a strong slate of endorsed candidates who, if elected, will fight for causes that are most important to us.

For State Senate:

• Daniel Lander, Suffolk & Middlesex
• Persis Yu, Norfolk & Suffolk
• Latoya Gayle, 1st Suffolk

For State House

• Alison Leary, 10th Middlesex
• Ravi Simon, 13th Middlesex
• Lorena Betts, 16th Middlesex
• John Drinkwater, 17th Middlesex*
• Evan MacKay, 25th Middlesex*
• Mike Connolly, 26th Middlesex
• Ben Ewen-Campen, 27th Middlesex*
• Will Mbah, 34th Middlesex
• Tom Hendrickson, 3rd Hampden*
• Johnnie McKnight, 11th Hampden
• Michael Lachenmeyer, 12th Hampden

Governor's Council

• Tamisha Civil, District 2 (unopposed in primary)

We are proud that four of these candidates—John Drinkwater, Evan MacKay, Ben Ewen-Campen, and Tom Hendrickson—are current or former UAW members. Our CAP Council will work to elect them to join other UAW members currently serving in the Massachusetts legislature including Representative Nguyen, Senator Jamie Eldridge, and Senator Lydia Edwards.

The Massachusetts Democratic primaries will be held on September 1, 2026, with vote by mail underway and early voting from August 22 to 28. The voter registration deadline is August 22. Members can see all of UAW Region 9A’s 2026 endorsements so far at region9a.uaw.org/cap.