if there’s a hot-button issue brewing at the State House, like rent control or tax cuts, you can generally expect state Rep. Mike Connolly of Cambridge to stake out a position to the left of most of his colleagues. In fact, after the 2021-2022 legislative session wrapped up, Connolly was one of just three state reps singled out as exemplary by the group Progressive Mass, which gave him an A-plus, 100% rating for those years.
Now, though, Connolly is facing possible expulsion by the Boston chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America — for, among other things, endorsing Maura Healey for governor in the 2022 Democratic primary, twice supporting Ron Mariano for House speaker, and deviating from the DSA’s national platform on housing by working with landlords in the push to make rent control a reality in Massachusetts.
A vote by the Boston DSA on Connolly’s proposed expulsion is scheduled for Sunday, July 23. He joined Adam Reilly to discuss criticisms of his approach and why he thinks it's necessary to work within the political system while also seeking to transform it.
When it comes to politics, what's the right balance between purity and pragmatism? Email us your thoughts at TalkingPolitics@wgbh.org, or share them via the Talking Politics page.
You can watch this discussion right now or catch the full show at 7 p.m. on GBH 2. Subscribe to the GBH News’ YouTube channel to get updates on future segments and episodes.
