2021 Worcester Election: Planned Parenthood Makes Endorsements

Worcester MA

12 August, 2021

9:49 AM

Description

WORCESTER, MA — A slate of nine 2021 Worcester candidates are being backed by the Planned Parenthood Advocacy Fund of Massachusetts (PPAF), a statewide advocacy group that typically provides lots of volunteer support for campaigns. The PPAF endorsed a mix of City Council and School Committee candidates, including a handful of candidates who are facing off in 2021 against incumbents. The endorsements were based on each candidate's willingness to support sexual and reproductive health — including sex education, a hot topic in Worcester. For the first time, the Worcester School Committee in May approved a districtwide sex education plan. The plan drew criticism from political conservatives and religious leaders, and recently signs have popped up around Worcester calling the sex education program "pornographic." Two of the candidates endorsed by PPAF Thursday — Mayor Joseph Petty and School Committee member Tracy O'Connell Novick — voted for the sex ed curriculum in May. Other candidates endorsed by PPAF include Johanna Hampton-Dance, who is running against three-term incumbent District 2 Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson. The group also endorsed Thu Nguyen, who is running for an At-Large Council seat against six incumbents and four challengers. In the open four-way District 5 race — incumbent Matthew Wally is running for an At-Large seat in 2021 — PPAF endorsed Central Massachusetts Housing Alliance education and advocacy director Etel Haxhiaj. School Committee candidate Jermaine Johnson got an endorsement in an eight-way race featuring four incumbents — including Dianna Biancheria, who voted against the sex ed plan in May. For the incumbents, PPAF endorsed incumbent At-Large Councilor Khrystian King and District 3 Councilor George Russell, who is running unopposed. District 1 Councilor Sean Rose got the endorsement in a three-way race against Worcester police union leader Richard Cipro and David Shea Jr.