Marcus’s MA04 Candidate Profile: Becky Grossman [OPINION]

Becky Grossman wants a better world for her children. Her call of duty was inspired by her responsibilities as a mother of two school-aged children who are growing up in a country that she sees as headed in the wrong direction.

Grossman has lived in Newton since 2010 with her husband, a lifelong resident of the city. In 2016, she announced what would be a successful run for an at-large seat on the Newton City Council and has served there ever since.

Grossman isn’t just running on her credentials as a mother of two, but also as an Ivy League degree holder of three. After graduating from Cornell with a degree in economics, Grossman attended Harvard Law School and Harvard Business School where she earned a J.D. and M.B.A., respectively, graduating with honors.

Grossman served as an assistant district attorney in Middlesex County, where she advocated for fairness in the criminal justice system and saw first hand the grip that the opioid epidemic has on our communities. In private practice, Grossman was an associate attorney for Goodwin Procter. Grossman also served in a senior position for the campaign of her father-in-law, former Massachusetts State Treasurer Steve Grossman. She advocated for financial literacy for otherwise underserved populations in the Commonwealth. A former investment banker, Grossman brings her fiscal expertise to the Newton City Council as chair of the Finance Committee.

Grossman’s endorsements include the Retired State County & Municipal Employees Association of Massachusetts, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, the Newton Firefighters Association Local 863, Newton City Councilors Marc Laredo, David Kalis, and Josh Krintzman, and Lisle Baker, Newton School Committee Member Kathy Shields, Needham Selectmen Moe Handel and John Bulian, Democratic Activist Ruth Shapiro, Attleboro Dem. Committee Chair Ellen Parker, Attleboro City Councilors Todd Kobus, and Ty Waterman, Former Attleboro City Councilor and State Rep Bill Bowles, Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan, Former Mass. Dem. Chair and Senate Majority Leader Joan Menard, State Reps Lou Kafka, Ruth Balser and Kay Khan, and State Senator and Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, Michael Rodrigues.

1. Why did you decide to run for Congress?

“I’m currently a Newton City Councilor, but the job I cherish most is being mom to my two young kids – Madeleine, who is eight, and Jack, who is five. I’m running for Congress with the fierce urgency of a mom who is fed up by what’s going on in this country and determined to make a change. I wake up every day thinking about the world we’re leaving for all of our kids and for generations to come. The NRA continues to threaten our kids’ safety at school as well as our streets and households. Our planet is in serious peril. Drug companies are charging thousands of dollars for prescription drugs that people like my mom need to stay alive. And Donald Trump is tearing up Obamacare and relentlessly attacking women’s choice. As a mom to two young kids, I can’t accept that. If there was ever a time to step up and fight, it’s now.”

2. How has your campaign adapted to the new realities of the COVID-19 pandemic?

“I’m very proud of how our campaign has adapted to the new realities of the pandemic, all while prioritizing community health and safety. We were the first campaign in this race to announce a series of virtual town halls and Q&As, allowing us to continue spreading our message and reaching voters across the district, and also to highlight some of the people and groups being impacted the most by the coronavirus. We’ve also found new and creative formats to engage with and expand our base of volunteers and interns and to connect with important stakeholders like local unions and activist groups. Finally, we were able to put together a fantastic mail program to collect enough signatures to appear on the ballot, surpassing the threshold by more than 2,000 signatures.”

3. What experiences and qualities do you have to separate yourself from the other candidates in the race?

“Out of 435 members of Congress, only 25 are mothers of school-aged children. I believe that if we had 100 (or 250!) moms of young kids in Congress, it would change the conversation in Washington completely – from combatting the climate emergency, to tackling gun violence, to implementing universal pre-K. If we’re going to make real progress on our most urgent issues, we need to be sending new and different types of leaders to Washington who aren’t afraid to stand up to powerful special interests.”

4. What do you think is the most important issue facing the country today and how do we address it?

“For me, the climate crisis is the most important issue facing the country because our success or failure is a matter of existential importance. That is not to discount the monumental task of rebuilding an economy that works for everyone as we emerge from this pandemic – rather, these two issues are interrelated. Climate change is nothing short of an emergency, but it also presents an opportunity for Americans to unite around a common cause, to put millions of people back to work with good-paying jobs, and to lead an international coalition to safeguard our planet for generations to come. If we leverage our federal resources effectively, we will become the world leader in clean energy research and development, we will overhaul our infrastructure to better serve all of our communities and the economy as a whole, and we will uplift countless Americans with a new wave of job growth and innovation. Reaching carbon neutrality by 2050 is absolutely essential for our long-term future, but if we start the hard work of achieving that goal now, the economic benefits will also be tremendous.”

5. What is one of your favorite features of MA04 District?

“One of my favorite features of the 4th District is that we are a hub for higher education. From liberal arts schools like Wellesley and Wheaton, to community colleges like Bristol and Mass Bay, to religious schools like Hebrew College in Newton, the 4th District offers such a wide range of accessible opportunities for our young people to pursue the path that works best for them. I’m proud that our District is playing a significant role in developing the leaders of our future, and as Congresswoman I will be eager to partner with students and faculty at these vital institutions.”

For more information on Grossman’s campaign visit beckygrossman.com.

Marcus Ferro is an attorney practicing in New Bedford and a weekly contributor to The Chris McCarthy Show on 1420 WBSM. Contact him at marcusferrolaw@gmail.com. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.