FRAMINGHAM - Some voters in parts of Framingham and Ashland will have a decision to make during the Massachusetts Democratic primary on Tuesday, September 3, as Jack Patrick Lewis and Carlton Phelps are both vying for the 7th Middlesex District State Representative seat.

No candidate from any other political party appears on the ballot in the race, so the upcoming primary vote essentially dictates who will represent the district on Beacon Hill for the next two years.

Rep. Lewis, the incumbent Democrat, was initially voted to the post back in 2016. This year marks the first contested primary he’s taken part in since then. In recent years, he has expressed pride in backing a wide range of legislation. Lewis has listed efforts such as increasing gun safety, expanding veterans benefits, along with boosting maternal and youth health as some of the initiatives he’s taken up at the State House.

During his time as a state representative, Lewis said the major lesson he has learned is the importance of developing relationships with both local residents as well as fellow politicians.

“Those relationships have helped me to craft legislation, to know where to put my political energy, how to spend my political capital, and try to be everywhere in the community so that most people hopefully know who their state rep is or how to get a hold of them,” Lewis explained in an interview with The Frame.

“For me, it doesn’t seem like anyone is shy about grabbing me at the farmers market, or at the senior center, or sending me the thousands of emails I get every year from my constituents.”

After moving to the MetroWest region seven years ago to work as a bank auditor for the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston and later becoming a trustee on the Ashland Affordable Housing Trust Fund, Phelps enters his first race for statewide office touting his experience in working within the financial and housing sectors. Making down payments more attainable, incentivizing strategic housing developments, retaining MCAS testing within schools, and adding increased transparency for state officials are some of the hallmarks of the campaign that Phelps laid out in a conversation with The Frame.

“I want, from now on, the state reps on that level to be able to share how they vote…We the people need to know how our state rep votes for everything: from public safety, to housing, everything,” Phelps said.

Phelps has criticized Lewis’ rejection in 2021 of a provision in House operating rules that would have revealed exactly how state representatives vote on proposed legislation at the committee level. The rules package eventually only required that those who vote “no” at the committee level be referenced by name, compared to any other vote. The rules package eventually passed in the House that July by a 129-29 vote.

In response to critiques about transparency, Lewis mentioned that anyone living or working within the 7th Middlesex District, regardless of how they feel about his policies, can reach out to him and expect a response.

“What I’ve found is: the great, great, great majority of my constituents only want me to deliver results,” Lewis continued.

“They don’t want me to spend political capital fighting behind the scenes about why things are done this way or that way. I want to deliver, and I’m going to keep doing that, and if anyone has any issues with what I’ve done or questions about how I voted in an internal committee poll, they can email me. The reality is: in eight years, not a single constituent has ever reached out to me asking how I voted in a committee poll.”

Phelps has also referenced his time spent speaking with constituents in Framingham and Ashland in order to get an understanding of what matters to voters; he mentioned that the biggest lesson he’s learned on the campaign trail is to listen to each unique concern that residents have.

“This vote isn’t going to be about the people you know, all the politicians that endorse you; this is really bringing it back to the people so that the people can make a decision—an informed decision—on what solutions you’re going to bring to Beacon Hill...The people care about everyday solutions for our economy, how (they) put food on the table, clothes on (their) back, and a roof over (their) head,” Phelps said.

Despite the fact that they’re political opponents during this election cycle, Lewis and Phelps concur on a number of topics. Both candidates have advocated for progressive values and stances, both have expressed a desire to move towards more sustainable energy models for the sake of the environment, both have identified improvements to education, housing, and public transportation infrastructure as important steps to take in Massachusetts, and both have advocated for the continued protection of civil rights.

Still, each of the candidates made it clear what they believe is the difference between each other in this primary.

For Lewis, it’s the efforts he’s made during his tenure as a state representative in passing bills and crafting relations.

“What I have done—in a relatively short period of time, eight years—is pass more legislation that I’m the lead sponsor of and pass more legislation that I’m the co-sponsor of than the vast majority of my colleagues,” Lewis told The Frame.

“If I’m reelected, I’m just going to continue doing that.”

For Phelps, it’s the sense of transparency that he wants to offer to the stakeholders of the region.

“We will be able to have an open dialogue, whether you agree with me or if you don’t agree with me…about what your needs are in Ashland and Framingham,” Phelps continued.

More details on Lewis’ campaign can be found here.

To learn more about Phelps’ campaign, click here.

Polls on Tuesday will be open in Framingham from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. More information can be found on the City Clerk’s webpage.