Just days ahead of the Sept. 3 primary, former legislative staffer Kathleen Hornby is entering the final stretch of her campaign to unseat Rep. Erika Uyterhoeven, in what has become a heated battle for Somerville’s 27th Middlesex District. Uyterhoeven, a self-described Democratic Socialist who has served on Beacon Hill since 2021, represents an area that includes parts of Tufts’ lower campus, Davis Square, Magoun Square and Spring Hill.
As the incumbent, Uyterhoeven has enjoyed the advantages of more name recognition, a slew of endorsements including from Sen. Ed Markey and Rep. Ayanna Pressley and a track record from her two terms as legislator. But Hornby, a long-time Somerville resident who has stressed her deep ties to the community, has emerged as a formidable challenger, winning the endorsement of the Somerville Democratic City Committee on Aug. 16.
Hornby and Uyterhoeven, both progressives, are running on similar platforms focused on affordable housing, public transportation reform and climate change. The key difference between their campaigns, as the candidates expressed in interviews with the Daily, lies in their approaches to politics.
Uyterhoeven, who worked as a political activist and antitrust economist before assuming her government role, said that representatives should settle for nothing less than the sweeping reforms she says her district deserves.
“I am clearly much more progressive than my opponent. I think she checks the box enough, and I don’t think that this district is enough to just check some boxes and say, ‘I take this position’ and call it a day,” Uyterhoeven said. “I think that this district, being one of the most progressive districts in one of the bluest states in the country, needs to have someone who’s going to fight for bold, transformational change in the legislature.”
But Hornby argues that an overly ambitious approach is not a realistic way to get laws passed. As a former chief of staff to Reps. Marjorie Decker and Alice Wolf, she says her years of crafting bills and negotiating budgets taught her the value of a more pragmatic, consensus-building approach.
“My approach is about getting things done,” Hornby said. “I am focused on meeting people’s immediate needs, whether that’s constituent services, budget appropriations or policy being enacted, while we work towards larger, very important progressive goals.”
In their letter endorsing Hornby, Somerville Democrats argued that Uyterhoeven “subscribes to the idea that progressives should take unyielding stances on policy issues,” calling this philosophy “fatal to her work at the State House” and noting that none of the 62 bills she has sponsored have passed.
But Uytehoeven says that she has racked up numerous accomplishments during her two terms in office. On the campaign trail, she has consistently highlighted her efforts to protect reproductive rights in Massachusetts, increase investments in public education and pass major laws including the Affordable Homes Act.
“I do have a proven track record,” she said. “The support I’ve received in this campaign is truly humbling … and I think that’s really a testament to my work, not just my policy platform, but what I’ve championed as a legislator.”
When it comes to the issues, Uyterhoeven and Hornby have similar legislative priorities. Both agree that housing is one of the most pressing challenges facing Somerville, where nearly 40% of homeowners spend 30% or more of their income on housing alone. The candidates both support increasing funding for the construction of affordable housing and implementing measures including rent stabilization.
“We need to set specific goals for boosting our housing supply. We need to include real estate transfer fee,” Hornby said. “We also need stronger protection for tenants and more funding for affordable development.”
Uyterhoeven and Hornby have also made labor rights central to their campaigns, with both candidates standing by Somerville Municipal Employees and their years-long fight for fair wages. In her interview with the Daily, Hornby highlighted her experience working with labor organizations on issues such as pandemic relief for workers and expanding access to childcare.
Uyterhoeven, who recently filed a bill to restore public sector workers’ right to strike in Massachusetts, said that her fight for labor justice is a deeply personal one.
“My mom had to go on strike when I was in the womb,” she said. “Throughout my childhood, I’ve seen firsthand growing up how corporate America has just completely dismantled and tried to attack organized labor in America. … Now that I’m in this position of power, it’s just unacceptable for me to not have their back in these difficult times.”
Yet despite these similarities, the candidates diverge on several issues in ways that highlight their distinct brands of progressivism. Hornby says she hopes to expand MassHealth coverage for income-eligible children and young adults, while Uyterhoeven supports fully expanding the program to universal health care coverage. Only Uyterhoeven indicates support for a Massachusetts Green New Deal on her campaign website. And Uyterhoeven is a fierce advocate for making the T free, while Hornby has pledged to focus on more short-term public transportation improvements.
“As much as I would love free public transportation for everybody, it doesn't matter if the bus is free if it's not running. [It] doesn't matter if the train is free if it’s on fire,” Hornby said.
Voters will cast their ballots on Sept. 3, with polls open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Pressley and State Sen. Patricia Jehlen, all of whom are running uncontested, are also on the ballot for Somerville’s 27th Middlesex District.
