In Middlesex state House race, Hecht is ready for serious run

In the Democratic primary race to replace state Rep. Rachel Kaprielian (D) in the 29th district in Middlesex County, Watertown Councilor Jonathan Hecht has emerged early as serious contender.
Jonathan Hecht
Hecht, 50, told PolitickerMA.com this week that he is running because he believes there are big problems facing both his district in the state and that he believes he is the best candidate to address them on Beacon Hill.

"There are a lot of infrastructure issues that are statewide problems," he said. "Education funding. Investment in housing. These are statewide issues that need to be worked at. My most fundamental concern and reason for wanting to be in the legislature is that as a state we have to invest more in physical infrastructure and in people."

Hecht, who was born in Mt. Auburn and grew up in Belmont, currently works as a senior researcher at Yale Law School. Despite the title, he works almost entirely from Watertown, except when he occasionally jets to China where he studies to human rights law. Hecht said his international job has given him a unique perspective on how the global work force is progressing faster than that of the United States.

"I do a lot of work internationally and I see what the international competition is like," he said. "In Massachusetts, like in a lot of places around the country, we've kind of been coasting and its coming back to haunt us."

"The legislature has to get focused on these basic building block issues of what must a good, healthy and just society," he added.

Since moving to Watertown, Hecht has immersed himself in community organizations and the Town Council. He has been particularly invested in the district's education system since he has three kids in the public school system.

Hecht's work on the Town Council has primarily focused on improving bridges and roadways, many of which, he said, desperately need to be repaired. "I have done a lot of work related to Nonantum Road," he said. "It's been a very dangerous stretch of road and the parks running alongside it have not been maintained."

Hecht said he would work to secure funds for the district to address these problems. He also said he’s devoted to obtaining state authorization for the district so they can take more actions on their own to raise money. In particular, he said, the district should be able to place a property tax on telecommunications companies for their telephone polls and wires in the district. "That would be a lot of money," he said. "Nowadays with finances as tight as they are, that extra money we could get would mean a lot."

By all accounts, the Democratic primary in the district is going to be hotly contested. When Kaprielian vacated her seat to run the Registry of Motor Vehicles, the Watertown Democratic Committee and Cambridge’s Ward 9 decided against appointing a nominee to appear on the November ballot. As a result, the primary, which will be a stickier race, was open to anyone that was interested.

So far, Julia Fahey, a Watertown attorney, and Stephen Corbett, a fellow town councilor, have emerged as Hecht's biggest competition. Fahey is said to have significant union backing because she works for the National Association of Government Employees and her family has strong ties to the community. Fahey already has campaign signs up in the district.

But Democrats in the district aren't quick to anoint any of the candidates as frontrunners. "They are three very aggressive candidates," said Mel Poindexter, who represents Watertown on the Democratic State Committee. "All three each has an equal chance of winning. I don't see anyone really having a bigger operation than any of the others."

"All three," he added, "are pretty equal in terms of their grassroots efforts and their outreach operation."

Hecht plans on expanding his existing political organization for the race. "We're going to build a very broad and deep organization," he said. "We have a lot of work to do to get known in Cambridge."

Steve Owens, the chair of the Watertown Democratic Town Committee, said no one in the district will count Hecht out. "I think he's a great candidate as are all of the candidates," he said. "He's got a good a shot to win as any of them."

Hecht plans to campaign primarily by going door to door through the district. He also plans on doing a series of mailings as well as developing a full phone bank and field organization. He plans on opening his campaign headquarters in the next two weeks. To accomplish all of this, he knows fundraising will be important.

"It will take substantial resources," he said. "I am assuming we're going to need at least $40,000 or $50,000 and it could well be more ... We will run a very serious campaign and we will raise the resources we need to do it."