Democratic candidates’ meet-and-greet highlights primary challenges

With a number of Democratic incumbents running unopposed in the September primaries, Sunday’s candidates forum at the Robert Treat Paine Estate featured the candidates in the remaining contested races going head-to-head.

Hosted by the Waltham Democratic City Committee, the candidates delivered their platforms to local voters and answered residents’ questions.

Former prosecutor David Solet is challenging 13-year incumbent Marion Ryan for the Middlesex County district attorney seat. Solet, who used to work in Ryan’s office, said he’s unsatisfied with the current DA office’s effectiveness on enforcing firearms laws, and wanted to challenge some state laws he says limit prosecutors.

Ryan, by contrast, talked about arrests by federal immigration enforcement interrupting cases in local courts, and pointed to her experience as evidence that she can protect against further incursions from the federal government.

Waltham is represented by two districts in the state House of Representatives. Tom Stanley is running unopposed in the Ninth Middlesex district, but in the Tenth Middlesex district — covering part of the South Side and the Bleachery — incumbent John Lawn faces a challenge from Newton City Councilor Alison Leary. Both spoke at the event; Leary talked about her record on environmental reforms and cost-of-living issues and Lawn emphasized a focus on local issues and collaboration.

The Middlesex seat on the Governor’s Council — a state body that reviews and confirms judges and other positions appointed by the governor — is also facing a primary challenge. Trial attorney Margie Palladino said she’s running to protest a recent confirmation by incumbent Mara Dolan of a family court judge who has faced criticism from domestic violence survivors over a controversial court-ordered parenting program. Dolan, who works as a public defender, argued that the allegations against the appointee in question were not credible and said she personally emphasizes trauma-informed work in her role on the council.

Some of Waltham’s federal representatives are up for election as well, with challenges both inside and outside the Democratic Party for seats in the House and the Senate.

Waltham is covered by the state’s 5th Congressional District, where House Minority Whip Katherine Clark is being challenged by Jonathan Paz, former Ward 9 City Councilor, and Tarik Samman of Cambridge. Paz and Clark both showed up to the event, although Clark left before making a public speech to avoid confrontation with protesters opposed to federal aid to Israel. Paz spoke about his background as an organizer on issues of social justice and talked about his work in the immigration rights group Fuerza.

The gubernatorial race will still see primary contests, with two challengers from the Republican Party vying for a spot on November’s ballot. Although only one Republican candidate for lieutenant governor will be on the primary ballot, a second candidate, Anne Brensley, is also conducting a write-in campaign for the nomination.