Cambridge Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui Endorses Lander’s State Senate Challenge

Cambridge Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui endorsed Daniel A. Lander ’14 in his challenge against incumbent state Senator William N. Brownsberger ’78 — marking her first public endorsement in a State House race this cycle.

The endorsement, which has not been previously reported, adds Siddiqui to the growing networks of support both candidates have built ahead of the Sept. 1 Democratic primary. Lander, a first-time candidate, is seeking to unseat the 14-year incumbent, who has never faced a primary challenge for the Suffolk and Middlesex seat.

Siddiqui wrote in a statement that she is backing Lander because of his commitment to addressing the state’s affordable housing crisis — an issue that has defined Cambridge politics throughout her three terms as mayor.

“He’ll be a strong partner to cities and towns across the district, taking urgent action to build more affordable housing, support renters, strengthen our local economies, and help create welcoming neighborhoods where everyone has the opportunity to live, work, and thrive,” Siddiqui wrote.

Siddiqui pointed to Lander’s work as a senior aide to Boston Mayor Michelle Wu ’07, where he helped conduct an audit of city-owned land eligible for affordable housing development, as evidence of record on affordability.

“He understands that the affordability crisis is one of the defining challenges facing families across the district, and he has already made a real difference through his work as an organizer and in the City of Boston,” Siddiqui wrote.

Siddiqui has only occasionally weighed in on contested Beacon Hill races. She endorsed Jen Fries in her 2020 challenge against state Representative David M. Rogers and joined other Cambridge officials in backing state Representative Marjorie C. Decker’s 2024 reelection campaign.

Though Siddiqui appeared at state Representative Marjorie C. Decker’s campaign kickoff event in May, her endorsement of Lander is the first announced endorsement in a State House race this cycle.

Lander called the endorsement “another big shot of momentum” for his campaign and said he hoped to build on Siddiqui’s work on affordability on Beacon Hill.

“Mayor Siddiqui is so focused on making sure that working people and low-income people in Cambridge can build a good life,” Lander said in a Tuesday interview with The Crimson. “I’m so grateful for the leadership she’s shown in Cambridge.”

Elected officials across Cambridge have backed candidates in the race, as much of western Cambridge falls within the district. Lander has secured endorsements from City Councilors Jivan G. Sobrinho-Wheeler, Marc C. McGovern, and Ayah A. Al-Zubi ’23, as well as School Committee Vice Chair Caitlin E. Dube ’05 and member Luisa de Paula Santos.

Brownsberger has assembled a similar slate of Cambridge supporters, including City Councilors Patricia M. “Patty” Nolan ’80, Catherine “Cathie” Zusy, Timothy R. Flaherty, and Paul F. Toner, as well as School Committee Chair David J. Weinstein.

Brownsberger, the Senate president pro tempore, has amassed substantial backing from Massachusetts politicians, including U.S. Representative Katherine M. Clark (D-Mass.), Massachusetts Governor Maura T. Healey ’92, Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll, Attorney General Andrea J. Campbell, and several of his colleagues in the legislature.

Lander, who has never held elected office, has also built a network of supporters during his more than seven months on the campaign trail. His most high-profile endorsement has come from U.S. Sen. Elizabeth A. Warren (D-Mass.). Lander is also backed by municipal leaders in Watertown and national labor organizations.

Lander said municipalities across the country have looked to Cambridge as a “leader” on key issues, like affordability, and that he is seeking to support that work on Beacon Hill.

—Staff writer Shawn A. Boehmer can be reached at [email protected] and on Signal at shawnb.18. Follow him on X @ShawnBoehmer.