When the Legislature Fails: Tales from the Field of Super Blue Massachusetts
This week marks the end of the Massachusetts 2025-2026 formal legislative session. As one of only ten states that has a year-round legislature, Massachusetts is in a unique place where its legislators can serve full-time in their roles. They receive an annual salary of $82,000 and receive an additional sum based on committee and leadership assignments. It's not uncommon to see a pipeline of leadership develop. Staffers for state representatives often run for the position if their representative moves on. Representatives frequently run for state senate when that seat opens. And in the rare instance when one of our nine congressional seats opens up, there is a rush of both locally elected officials and sitting members of the legislature to pursue the position. Taking all this together, you'd expect the Massachusetts state legislature to be a formidable, well-oiled machine. But it is not. Not even close. Despite having an overwhelming supermajority in both the State House and the...
