Cambridge Attorney Enters State Rep Race

Another person has entered the Democrat race to fill Will Brownsberger's former house seat on Beacon Hill. 

But this candidate is not someone voters have heard from before because this will be his first race for elected office.

And he's not from Arlington.

North Cambridge Attorney Dave Rogers has thrown his hat into the ring to replace Brownsberger, the current state senator, who held the house seat until winning a special election in January.

"As I undertake this effort, I am mindful of the remarkable standard of public service set by ... Brownsberger," said Rogers in a press release sent to media outlets Thursday, April 19.

"The candidate who ultimately fills this seat will have very large shoes to fill. Should I be that successful candidate, I will work tirelessly to serve with distinction and continue the fine traditions set by Will, with a high level of accessibility to constituents and a clear articulation of our district’s independent voice," said Rogers, who was an active Brownsberger support in the special election.

While many residents were expecting another Belmont candidate to announce their intentions – another attorney, who ran for Belmont Town Clerk in 2010, pulled nomination papers last month – Roger now joins Bentley University senior to commit to a run for the 24th Middlesex district seat.

The 24th district includes Belmont, parts of Arlington and North Cambridge.

Arlington Republican has also taken out nomination papers with the Secretary of State's office.

A Pennsylvania native, Rogers attended school in the Nation's Capital where he received his law degree with honors from Washington College of Law at American University. There he volunteered with Hiliary Clinton's Task Force on Health Care and clerked for a federal court judge. 

Most of Rogers' law experience has been as in-house counsel for biotech and manufacturing companies. He uses his legal training on a pro bono basis as a mediator in the Middlesex District Court, helping litigants resolve their disputes without burdening the court system.

"With your help, I want to transform old ways of governing and wring greater efficiency out of the limited resources available in this era of budgetary constraints. Every dollar we save through improved operating efficiency is another dollar we can use to invest in schools, improve health care affordability, alleviate the debt load of the MBTA and address other critical needs of the community," he noted.

Rogers said his primary areas of concern if elected would be to further improve
the quality of education in each town withing the district; stimulate job creation while eliminating ineffective tax incentives; address the faltering transportation system; protect the environment and advocate for policies that create green jobs; and controlling spiraling health care costs.

"I have good ideas in all of these areas and I would like the opportunity to share them with you," he said.