William N. Brownsberger (born March 21, 1957) is an American politician and the President pro tempore of the Massachusetts Senate[1] representing the Suffolk and Middlesex District[2] which includes his hometown of Belmont, as well as Watertown, the Boston neighborhoods Allston and Brighton, part of Boston's Fenway-Kenmore area, and part of Cambridge. From 2007 to 2012, he was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives. He was a candidate for the Democratic nomination in the 2013 special election to succeed Ed Markey in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Will Brownsberger | |
|---|---|
 | |
| President pro tempore of the Massachusetts Senate | |
| Assumed office March 20, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Marc R. Pacheco |
| Member of the Massachusetts Senate from the Suffolk and Middlesex district | |
| Assumed office January 24, 2012 | |
| Preceded by | Steven Tolman |
| Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from the 24th Middlesex district | |
| In office January 3, 2007 – January 24, 2012 | |
| Preceded by | Anne Paulsen |
| Succeeded by | David M. Rogers |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 21, 1957 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | Harvard University (BA, JD) |
| Website | willbrownsberger |
Early life and education
editBrownsberger was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and raised in nearby Watertown. He received a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard College in 1978 and then went on to obtain his Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School in 1985.[3]
He served three terms as a Belmont Selectman and as Massachusetts Assistant Attorney General for six years.[3]
Massachusetts House of Representatives
editBrownsberger served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 2007 to 2012, where he represented the 24th Middlesex district. He was endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America while seeking reelection in 2010.[4]
Massachusetts Senate
edit
A member of the Democratic Party, he ran uncontested in a January 2012 special election to replace Steven Tolman in the Massachusetts Senate, having won a crowded Democratic primary.[5] He was sworn in on January 24, 2012.[6] He was then re-elected in November 2012 to a 2-year term to the 188th General Court.
Union opposition
editIn 2022, Brownsberger joined Senate President Karen Spilka in opposing unionization effort by Senate staffers, stating "There would be a whole lot of conflict of interest issues if they're working with a union who has its own political agenda. You can't have people serving multiple masters, that’s just not acceptable."[7]
Electoral history
editBrownsberger ran unsuccessfully in the 2013 special election to succeed U.S. Representative Ed Markey, who resigned in June 2013 to take a seat in the U.S. Senate.[8]
Personal life
editBrownsberger resides in Belmont, Massachusetts. He is married with three daughters. He is also a marathoner, triathlete, and cyclist.[3] Amidst the Pride parades of June 2023, he came out as bisexual while explaining that his announcement would not change his married lifestyle.[9]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "New Job". 2019-03-20. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
- ^ [1] (Massachusetts General Court).
- ^ a b c "About Will Brownsberger". Will Brownsberger - State Senator. the Brownsberger Committee. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
- ^ "Socialist group endorses Mass. Legislators".
- ^ Tucker, Franklin; Breitrose, Charlie (December 14, 2011). "Why Will Won: Staying Close to Home Pays Off for Brownsberger". Belmont Patch. Belmont, MA.
- ^ General Election Results. Elect Will Brownsberger.
- ^ Bedford, Tori (29 July 2022). "State House staffers aren't buying Spilka's reason to reject their union". GBH. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
- ^ Miller, Joshua (July 1, 2013). "Candidates propose 'People's Pledge' for US House race". The Boston Globe.
- ^ Brownsberger, Will (June 11, 2023). "Pride 2023 - Will Brownsberger". Will Brownsberger - STATE SENATOR. Archived from the original on September 24, 2023. Retrieved April 6, 2024.