Gaining Momentum: Scarsdale Feeling the Connection with Residents

PEPPERELL – Since the last check in early September on the campaign trail, 1st Middlesex District State Representative Margaret Scarsdale continues to see an appreciation for her focus on bringing as many people to the table as she can. The finish line is in sight for Tuesday November 3’s general election against Republican challenger Chris Lyons, where mail-in ballots have already been received, and Scarsdale feels optimistic about the direction the campaign is heading into the final stretch.  

Scarsdale says going door to door and meeting constituents is one of the most important things that a legislator can do. She says it’s important to emphasize that it’s not a title, and that it’s your neighbor showing up every day to listen to what your concerns are, and then putting together a plan to help resolve those issues, whether it can be done by one’s self, or by building a coalition or team of people to accomplish the goal.

“Most things take a coalition,” Scarsdale said. “So the question is always how are you going to build a coalition to solve this problem. I tell this all the time at their doors, and you can see I believe that. I’m at your door, I care, and most importantly I get the jobs done. Politicians can say that as a soundbyte, but you look at the record of showing up for this district, day after day, in snowstorms, over holidays, in the evenings, on the weekends… I have a proven record of being successful for this district.”

Scarsdale’s approach has witnessed some major gains for the district, including kickstarting a path forward to strategically fix the school funding formula, through starting Project 211+, a statewide coalition of 272 school districts negatively impacted by the school funding formula. The swiftest and most urgent action, was helping to lead a coalition that saw the return of emergency services to the district, with a soon to be opened medical facility in Groton on Route 119 that will be a satellite of UMass Memorial Hospital and providing essential emergency services that will impact residents even beyond the first Middlesex District.

“The school funding efforts were successful, the emergency facility was successful,” Scarsdale said. “We’re returning almost $300 million to this district to six towns, in barely 3.5 years. That shows dedication, that shows a really fierce dedication to showing, over and over, and continuing the work even when, especially you need to meet challenges. People understand that genuine commitment when they talk to me knocking on their doors, it’s not theoretical, it’s not a soundbyte, it is how I really feel and I really do believe in this work. People see that and it’s wonderfully transformative for both of us.”

Since starting the doorknocking campaign in May, Scarsdale has knocked on about 6,000 doors in the 1st Middlesex District. She says that an overwhelming amount of people are aware of what’s happening in the district, One of her proudest achievements through the campaign efforts is giving everyone a voice and seat at the table, where residents of smaller communities like Ashby and Dunstable might not traditionally feel like their voices are heard as loud by elected officials as bigger communities.

“I will meet you in your living room,” Scarsdale said. “I will meet you at a coffee shop. And people are beginning to understand that’s what politics should’ve been all along. Because it’s not really politics, it's public service. It really does affect people, and it affects them in a profound way in the end. It’s very humbling, and it’s very powerful.”

Pick up a copy of the Lunenburg Ledger over the weekend of Oct 16 to see a story on both candidates' views of economic development in the state and region.

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