Worcester 2022 Senate Race: Joe Petty On Gender, Mayoral Succession

WORCESTER, MA — One of the most consequential state Senate races in Massachusetts is playing out in Worcester this year.

Former YWCA leader Robyn Kennedy and Worcester Mayor Joe Petty will face off in the Sept. 6 Democratic primary for the chance to replace retiring state Sen. Harriette Chandler — a local progessive icon, and the first woman to represent the First Worcester District in the Senate.

Kennedy, who resigned as a vice president at the YWCA of Central Massachusetts during the campaign, was the first candidate to officially enter the race in early March following Chandler’s reitrement announcement in January, followed a week later by Petty.

The race has heated up in recent months. Kennedy has pulled endorsements from former lietenant governor — and Worcester mayor — Tim Murray and former governor Deval Patrick. U.S. Sen. Ed Markey has endorsed Petty, and both candidates have pulled support from prominent local musicians. Kennedy held an event with “The Voice” contestant and Grafton native Ricky Duran, and Petty has an event on Sunday — the first day of early voting — with rapper and Worcester native Joyner Lucas.

In Worcester, Petty faces a unique electoral prospect. He says a win will mean a solid voice for Worcester and other local towns in the district. A win would also trigger a shuffling of local elected officials: At-Large Councilor Donna Colorio would take over as mayor since she got the second-most votes in the 2021 election; and former District 5 councilor Matt Wally would be given the first chance at taking over Colorio’s seat. Colorio would also take over as chair of the school committee as part of her mayoral duties.

Worcester Patch interviewed both Petty and Kennedy to talk about their campaigns, reasons for running and issues surrounding the race. Here’s what Petty told us about his campaign and what he would do in the state Senate. [Read Kennedy’s interview here.]

Can you tell me about your process for deciding to run for this seat?

So about [the end of 2021] I heard [Chandler] may not be running. I waited because she wasn’t going to run two years before that, either. You never know until it’s really done. Once she announced it, and I was thinking about it and had talked to a few people, I thought it was a good time to run after doing COVID-19 for the last two years.

I feel I could work hard and really take off on what she already started. I’ve had the experience and I get a lot of results here in the city of Worcester by working together with people

Worcester has really gone in the right direction in the last 10 years. It’s a changed city. I’m glad I was with the leader of that, working with other people, of course. And I just thought going to the statehouse this time would be the right thing to do to bring back some resources to Worcester.

One major job of state lawmakers is bringing funds home from the state. What are some local projects in Worcester and other towns in the district you would like to see get state funding?

Definitely mental health. We don’t even understand the impact yet of COVID-19. And I know the state just passed a law for a mental health emergency room wait period. They put some money into that, and also for wellness checks [read about that bill here]. Mental health to me is almost the same as physical health. I don’t care if you’re a child or an adult, we know COVID-19 has an impact on a number of people. From a policy level, I’d like to see growing and addressing of mental health issues.

And housing is an issue. We were just talking about when did Worcester become unaffordable? It’s getting to that point where I worry my kids won’t be able to buy a house. And in the towns, it’s not much different than Worcester. So housing is important to me, along with education. I’d also like to see the Massachusetts School Building Authority … I think they need help and more money.

The environment is always an issue. Worcester is headed in the right direction. By 2050 we have our Green Worcester Plan. We’re chipping away at that. We got the largest solar array in Massachusetts here. We did our LED lighting.

Issues I hear about in the towns are almost the same: traffic, public safety is always important. In each town, I would meet with the administrators on a regular basis and elected officials to determine what they want. I wouldn’t want to tell them what I want.

We just saw Boston Mayor Michelle Wu start the application process to be part of the pilot program banning fossil fuels in new developments. But Worcester hasn’t decided to do that yet.

It’s a good goal to have. I’d look at it probably after the [Worcester City Council] Economic Development Committee has a hearing on it and see both sides. Even if we voted it tomorrow, I don’t think National Grid has the capabilities of even doing it. I don’t know what their infrastructure is like. This is by talking to people. I haven’t had a hearing to discuss it on the record or anything like that, but my understanding is there are a lot of obstacles in the way of getting it done right away. That doesn’t mean we’re not going to try to chip away at it.

I did want to ask about the issue of gender in the race. Harriette Chandler was the first woman to hold this state Senate seat. Your primary opponent is a woman, so what are your thoughts on that?

Gender is very important. Harriette has done a great job. There’s no question about that. I decided to run in this race because I’m results driven and I’m going to bring back some of the resources that we need in the First Worcester District. I’m ready and prepared, and I’ve got a good track record.

Do you feel like maybe women in politics are losing out if, frankly, a man wins this seat?

I think gender is very important, and I think I can represent the issues that address women’s concerns. And I’ve done it already with the ROE Act [Chandler’s signature abortion access legislation]. I was one of the few mayors that supported Chandler and the ROE Act. So I understand I represent everybody as an elected official and I would just continue to do that.

What do you think are the main differences between you and Robyn Kennedy?

I have a record, results-driven, and experience knowing people, decision-makers, whether it be at the federal, state or local level. So I’m ready to hit the ground running.

Are there any policy differences or areas where you disagree with something she stands for?

We’re pretty closely aligned in some respects. I’ve known Robyn for years, and she’s known me, we’re friends really in some respects. I’m doing my own race, and I’m proud.

[Worcester] was ranked the third-safest place to live in America by U.S. News and World Report. It didn’t just happen by accident. Back in 2014, we had some violence in the city of Worcester, and we put together a youth violence prevention task force. We invested with the police department to make sure everyone was working together. We had tons of different agencies working with these individuals and not just the kid, but the family. It’s made a difference, you know. So making sure the police were equipped and well-trained and understand the issues. Now we’re doing the counselors who will go out into the field and train with police.

[UMass Memorial’s Community Healthlink is in the midst of building a co-response program to send mental health counselors into the field with Worcester police.]

Are you saying public safety is one area that you disagree with Robyn or differ somehow?

It’s never come up with Robin. I haven’t heard her talk about it, so I can’t say yeah. We never defunded the police.

I don’t think anyone has.

A lot of cities did. I think they did? Boston did, right?

It’s something that people like Marjorie Taylor Greene say to scare people, but I don’t think it’s actually happened. Even in Minneapolis, they didn’t.

[At this point, Petty, campaign manager Kate Norton and a reporter discussed Boston’s police budget. Boston did cut police overtime, but an ACLU analysis the amount could still increase beyond what was budgeted.]

If you win this seat, have you decided if you would step down as mayor, or would the Senate want you to step down?

I don’t know the answer about the Senate rules. But my intention is not to hold two positions. Now say for example, if [acting City Manager Eric Batista] is like three weeks away from being appointed city manager, and if I had to stick around for a short period of time, I would, but my intention is not.

So if you win and you’re inaugurated in January, you wouldn’t say like, ‘I’m gone the same day that I’m inaugurated to the Senate, I’m leaving City Hall.’ It could be a little longer or maybe shorter?

It could be shorter too, yeah. I’d probably stay right up to the point where I had to leave.

If you leave, At-Large City…