Holyoke resident Patricia A. Duffy (Pat Duffy) has formally announced her intention to run for the State Representative seat in the Fifth Hampden District.
Pat has worked as Fifth Hampden State Representative Aaron Vega’s legislative aide since 2014. She’s served as a board member on the Holyoke Redevelopment Authority for the past ten years, having been first appointed by then Governor Deval Patrick. She also served on the board of Nueva Esperanza from 2006 to 2015.
Pat loves living in Holyoke and finds it rewarding to work in its service. She also knows that too many people in the city lack access to life’s essentials — from quality housing, to a good education — and businesses lack access to a well-trained workforce.
Pat is already building the relationships in the legislature needed to tackle these issues. When elected, she will bring to her work a true willingness to seek input from her constituents in every decision she makes. “We already have the resources we need, right now, to increase access and equity in the city. What’s needed is collaboration and a sense of common purpose,” she said.
“Pat Duffy was one of the first people I connected with when I moved to the city of Holyoke,” said Theresa Cooper-Gordon, Chair of the Holyoke Housing Authority Board. “We were like-minded in terms of our concepts of equity and accessibility for the entire community. Pat and I have worked together on various community initiatives in collaboration with Nueva Esperanza, the Holyoke Redevelopment Authority, and the Holyoke Housing Authority. Pat has remained a consistent leader in the preservation of community programs and growth.”
State Rep. Aaron Vega highlighted Duffy’s strong skills in working with constituents. “Of the hundreds of constituents my office has helped over the past seven years, Pat has been at the forefront of all those issues and resolutions. She knows the job and knows how to help people. I’m proud to support her as a candidate for state representative.”
The public and press are invited to her campaign kickoff event to be held Tuesday, February 25, at Summit View, from 6-8 pm.
Read Pat’s official announcement below:
Today I am announcing my candidacy for State Representative for the Fifth Hampden District.
In today’s political climate, much of the most impactful government work, the work that affects our daily lives and shapes our communities, is done on the state and local level. I have the tools, the background, and the relationships to fight for the people of Holyoke, and to ensure that our voices are heard in the State House.
Holyoke and this great Western Mass region are important for the future of all of Massachusetts. The conversations we are holding in Holyoke today about equity, fairness, and access to opportunity are echoed in the State House and reflected in the great steps forward that we have taken over the past few years in education funding parity and criminal justice reform. I want to build on those successes to bring that principle of fairness to legislation and policy on housing, health care, and protecting our environment.
It has been my honor and great fortune to work for Rep. Aaron Vega for the past six years. Succeeding Rep. Vega is no small task. I’ve seen firsthand how his love for his hometown drove him to work hard every day. I know that I can continue this work driven by the same love for Holyoke. I can continue to ensure that our community, our schools, and our businesses get the resources they need to make progress and to succeed.
I look forward to the campaign, to connecting with old friends and making new ones, to the conversations and debates to come, to working on our shared vision of Holyoke for generations of families and newcomers alike, as an example for the whole Commonwealth.