Sonia Chang-Díaz

Sonia Rosa Chang-Díaz (born March 31, 1978) is an American politician who served in the Massachusetts Senate from the 2nd Suffolk district as a member of the Democratic Party. She was the first Hispanic woman elected to the state senate. She ran for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Massachusetts in the 2022 election.

Sonia Chang-Díaz
Member of the Massachusetts Senate
from the 2nd Suffolk district
In office
January 7, 2009 – January 4, 2023
Preceded byDianne Wilkerson
Succeeded byLiz Miranda
Personal details
Born (1978-03-31) March 31, 1978
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
RelativesFranklin Chang-Díaz (father)
EducationUniversity of Virginia (BA)
WebsiteCampaign website

Chang-Díaz was educated at the University of Virginia. She entered politics while serving as a legislature aide for Massachusetts Senator Cheryl Jacques and as a campaign manager for MassEquality. She attempted to win election to the state senate in the 2006 election as a write-in candidate in the Democratic primary, but lost to incumbent Senator Dianne Wilkerson, who was also running as a write-in candidate. She ran again in the 2008 election and defeated Wilkerson in the primary and general elections.

Early life

Sonia Chang-Díaz was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on March 31, 1978, to Franklin Chang-Díaz, a NASA astronaut.[1][2][3] She graduated from the University of Virginia.[4] She worked as one of Senator Cheryl Jacques' legislative aides and was a campaign manager for MassEquality.[5]

Massachusetts Senate

Elections

Massachusetts Senator Dianne Wilkerson failed to file her nomination petition with enough valid signatures to appear on the ballot in the Democratic primary during the 2006 election, but announced that she would run a write-in campaign for the Democratic nomination.[6] Chang-Díaz announced on June 18, 2006, that she would run as a write-in candidate in the primary.[5] Wilkerson defeated Chang-Díaz in the initial primary, but a judge ordered a recount due to write-in votes not being counted in eight precincts.[7] Secretary of State William F. Galvin started an investigation into Boston's handling of elections due to the error.[8] Chang-Díaz turned in enough signatures for a recount of all ten wards.[9] The final recount determined that Wilkerson had won by 767 votes which was more than the initial 141 votes.[10] Wilkerson won reelection in the general election.[11]

Chang-Díaz with supporters at her November 2008 election night celebration

Chang-Díaz ran against Wilkerson in the 2008 Democratic primary and defeated Wilkerson.[12][13] A recount was conducted and maintained Chang-Díaz's victory.[14] Wilkerson launched a write-in campaign in the general election, but withdrew after she was arrested on charges of public corruption and Chang-Díaz defeated Wilkerson and independent candidate William Theodore Leonard in the general election.[15][16][17] She was the first Hispanic woman elected to the Massachusetts Senate.[18]

She won reelection without opposition in the 2010, 2012, 2016, 2018, and 2020 elections.[19][20][21][22][23] She defeated Republican nominee David James Wyatt in the 2014 election.[24]

Tenure

During Chang-Díaz's tenure in the Massachusetts Senate she served as the chair of the Education committee, vice-chair of the Senate Redistricting committee, and assistant vice-chair of the Ways and Means committee.[25][26][27] She was speculated as a possible candidate for the 2013 Boston mayoral election, but did not run and instead endorsed Marty Walsh.[28][29] She endorsed Donald Berwick for the Democratic nomination in the 2014 gubernatorial election.[30] She endorsed Senator Ed Markey in the Democratic primary during the 2020 United States Senate election.[31] During the 2020 Democratic presidential primaries Chang-Díaz endorsed Senator Elizabeth Warren.[32]

Chang-Díaz announced on June 23, 2021, that she would seek the Democratic nomination in the 2022 gubernatorial election, but ended her campaign on June 23, 2022, although she remained on the ballot.[33][34]

Political positions

Chang-Díaz was critical of legislation passed by the Massachusetts Senate which targeted the ability of undocumented immigrants to obtain services from the state including Medicaid and public housing.[35] She opposed casinos stating that they were "a fancy way of putting a tax on the poor."[36] Chang-Díaz supported raising the income tax to increase education funding.[37]

She sponsored legislation to include transgender people in Massachusetts's anti-discrimination laws in 2011.[38] She supported legislation which allowed people to use gendered-public places that matched their gender identity and gave protections against discrimination for transgender people.[39]

Electoral history
2006 Massachusetts Senate 2nd Suffolk district Democratic primary[40]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Dianne Wilkerson (write-in) (incumbent) 6,478 49.98%
Democratic Sonia Chang-Díaz (write-in) 5,711 44.06%
Democratic John G. Kelleher (write-in) 400 3.09%
Democratic Samiyah Diaz (write-in) 238 1.84%
Democratic Write-ins 134 1.03%
Total votes 12,961 100.00%
Blank 12,645
2008 Massachusetts Senate 2nd Suffolk district Democratic primary[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Sonia Chang-Díaz 9,071 50.55% +6.49%
Democratic Dianne Wilkerson (incumbent) 8,858 49.36% -0.62%
Democratic Write-ins 15 0.08% -0.95%
Total votes 17,944 100.00%
Blank 444
2008 Massachusetts Senate 2nd Suffolk district election[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Sonia Chang-Díaz 55,865 92.29%
Independent William Theodore Leonard 3,080 5.09%
Independent Dianne Wilkerson (incumbent) (write-in) 988 1.63%
Independent Write-ins 597 0.99%
Total votes 60,530 100.00%
Blank 10,147
2010 Massachusetts Senate 2nd Suffolk district Democratic primary[41]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Sonia Chang-Díaz (incumbent) 10,022 76.06% +25.51%
Democratic Hassan A. Williams 3,134 23.78% +23.78%
Democratic Write-ins 21 0.16% +0.08%
Total votes 13,177 100.00%
Blank 1,087
2010 Massachusetts Senate 2nd Suffolk district election[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Sonia Chang-Díaz (incumbent) 38,997 98.36% +6.07%
Independent Write-ins 650 1.64% +0.65%
Total votes 39,647 100.00%
Blank 9,127
2012 Massachusetts Senate 2nd Suffolk district Democratic primary[42]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Sonia Chang-Díaz (incumbent) 8,904 83.18% +7.12%
Democratic Roy A. Owens 1,773 16.56% +16.56%
Democratic Write-ins 28 0.26% +0.10%
Total votes 10,705 100.00%
Blank 962
2012 Massachusetts Senate 2nd Suffolk district election[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Sonia Chang-Díaz (incumbent) 54,886 98.58% +0.22%
Independent Write-ins 791 1.42% -0.22%
Total votes 55,677 100.00%
Blank 12,711
2014 Massachusetts Senate 2nd Suffolk district Democratic primary[43]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Sonia Chang-Díaz (incumbent) 10,900 80.59% -2.59%
Democratic Roy A. Owens 2,584 19.10% +2.54%
Democratic Write-ins 42 0.31% +0.05%
Total votes 13,526 100.00%
Blank 2,432
2014 Massachusetts Senate 2nd Suffolk district election[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Sonia Chang-Díaz (incumbent) 33,742 89.77% -8.81%
Republican David James Wyatt 3,733 9.93% +9.93%
Independent Write-ins 114 0.30% -1.12%
Total votes 37,589 100.00%
Blank 4,648
2016 Massachusetts Senate 2nd Suffolk district Democratic primary[44]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Sonia Chang-Díaz (incumbent) 7,376 79.50% -1.09%
Democratic Roy A. Owens 1,859 20.04% +0.94%
Democratic Write-ins 43 0.46% +0.15%
Total votes 9,278 100.00%
Blank 909
2016 Massachusetts Senate 2nd Suffolk district election[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Sonia Chang-Díaz (incumbent) 58,705 98.80% +9.03%
Independent Write-ins 713 1.20% +0.90%
Total votes 59,418 100.00%
Blank 12,760
2018 Massachusetts Senate 2nd Suffolk district Democratic primary[45]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Sonia Chang-Díaz (incumbent) 22,783 98.70% +19.20%
Democratic Write-ins 300 1.30% +0.84%
Total votes 23,083 100.00%
Blank 5,413
2018 Massachusetts Senate 2nd Suffolk district election[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Sonia Chang-Díaz (incumbent) 50,742 98.87% +0.07%
Independent Write-ins 582 1.13% -0.07%
Total votes 51,324 100.00%
Blank 6,588
2020 Massachusetts Senate 2nd Suffolk district Democratic primary[46]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Sonia Chang-Díaz (incumbent) 33,053 99.16% +0.46%
Democratic Write-ins 279 0.84% -0.46%
Total votes 33,332 100.00%
Blank 5,337
2020 Massachusetts Senate 2nd Suffolk district election[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Sonia Chang-Díaz (incumbent) 64,557 98.79% -0.09%
Independent Write-ins 794 1.21% +0.09%
Total votes 65,351 100.00%
Blank 9,383

References
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  2. "1996 NASA Press Kit". NASA. February 1, 1996. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021.
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