An energetic, visionary, and proven leader, Eric Lesser will partner with our next Governor to make sure she is the most successful in the country. Together, they will work on the biggest issue our state faces: the skyrocketing cost of living. Eric has a plan to fix our broken transportation system, build more housing, create better jobs, protect our environment, and make our state more affordable and equitable.
Eric understands that Massachusetts has so much going for it. But despite our Commonwealth’s considerable advantages, it’s harder and harder to live here. It’s too expensive – housing is out of control, transportation is unreliable, and childcare costs are crushing families. Meanwhile, small pockets of our state boom while entire regions are left behind. Our current situation doesn’t work: it creates skyrocketing prices and gridlock in some places, and vacuums jobs and opportunity from others.
Massachusetts has strong laws on the books to protect women’s rights, but we still need to overcome serious inequities that are holding women and girls back. The average woman in our state earns 81 cents for every dollar a man makes; Black and Latina women earn 57 and 51 cents relative to white men. Across our state’s college campuses, women are vulnerable to sexual assault. Since the pandemic, gender inequities have been exacerbated.
With reproductive rights under attack across the country, Eric is ready to do everything he can to defend and expand them in Massachusetts – up to and including enshrining reproductive rights in the state constitution. Our state must also address stark inequities regarding access to reproductive health care, from workplace discrimination against pregnant workers to lack of insurance coverage for gender-affirming health care procedures.
Eric was a co-sponor of the ROE Act, which ensures the right to an abortion in Massachusetts. His campaign is proud to have the support of Senate President Emerita Harriette Chandler, the original author of the legislation.
Eric is calling for an amendment to the Massachusetts Constitution that would enshrine reproductive rights alongside freedom of speech and assembly, the ultimate step to protect Massachusetts from the risk of a federal abortion ban.
Eric supported legislation that provides for age-appropriate and medically accurate sexual education for students in a school setting to ensure our young people make informed decisions around reproductive health.
Eric was a co-sponsor of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which prohibits discrimination against pregnant women in the workplace. He also helped advance legislation that increases birth options for all pregnant people in Massachusetts by creating licensure for certified professional midwives who provide home birth services.
In response to disproportionate cases of maternal mortality and morbidity for people of color, Eric voted to create a special commission to reduce racial inequities in maternal health.
When Republicans at the federal level threatened to repeal the ACA, Eric co-sponsored the ACCESS (Advancing Contraceptive Coverage and Economic Security In Our State) Act, ensuring Massachusetts residents continue to have access to affordable birth control. He also supported the NASTY (Negating Archaic Statues Targeting Young Women) Women Act, which repealed archaic, unconstitutional laws that would restrict access to abortion and contraception.
To support college students, Eric supported legislation requiring sexual misconduct climate surveys at institutions of higher education. He also endorsed a program that trains campus officials to respond to sexual misconduct, requires systems for anonymous reporting, and instates a variety of other policies to protect survivors and prevent future assaults.