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Sonia Chang-Diaz

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Sonia Chang-Diaz
Image of Sonia Chang-Diaz

Democratic Party

Prior offices
Massachusetts State Senate 2nd Suffolk District
Elections and appointments
Last election

September 6, 2022

Education

Bachelor's

University of Virginia, 2000

Personal
Religion
Christian: Catholic
Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

Campaign YouTube

Sonia Chang-Diaz (Democratic Party) was a member of the Massachusetts State Senate, representing the 2nd Suffolk District. She assumed office in 2009. She left office on January 4, 2023.

Chang-Diaz (Democratic Party) ran for election for Governor of Massachusetts. She lost in the Democratic primary on September 6, 2022. Chang-Diaz unofficially withdrew from the race but appeared on the primary election ballot on September 6, 2022.

Biography

Chang-Diaz earned her bachelor's degree in Political and Social Thought from the University of Virginia in 2000. Her professional experience includes working as a senior legislative aide for former senator Cheryl Jacques, outreach director for the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, teacher for the Lynn and Boston school districts, and political adviser for the Barbara Lee Family Office.[1]

Committee assignments

Note: This membership information was last updated in September 2023. Ballotpedia completes biannual updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at: editor@ballotpedia.org.

2021-2022

Chang-Diaz was assigned to the following committees:

2019-2020

Chang-Diaz was assigned to the following committees:

2017 legislative session

At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:

Massachusetts committee assignments, 2017
• Ways and Means
• Community Development and Small Businesses Joint
• Economic Development and Emerging Technologies Joint
• Education Joint, Chair
• Judiciary Joint, Vice chair
• Public Safety and Homeland Security Joint
• Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development Joint
• Ways and Means Joint

2015 legislative session

At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Chang-Diaz served on the following committees:

2013-2014

At the beginning of the 2013 legislative session, Chang-Diaz served on the following committees:

2011-2012

In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Chang-Diaz served on these committees:

2009-2010

In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Chang-Diaz served on these committees:

The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.

Elections

2022

Governor

See also: Massachusetts gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2022

General election

General election for Governor of Massachusetts

Maura Healey defeated Geoff Diehl and Kevin Reed in the general election for Governor of Massachusetts on November 8, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Maura Healey
Maura Healey (D)
 
63.7
 
1,584,403
Image of Geoff Diehl
Geoff Diehl (R)
 
34.6
 
859,343
Image of Kevin Reed
Kevin Reed (L)
 
1.6
 
39,244
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.1
 
2,806

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 2,485,796
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Governor of Massachusetts

Maura Healey defeated Sonia Chang-Diaz (Unofficially withdrew) in the Democratic primary for Governor of Massachusetts on September 6, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Maura Healey
Maura Healey
 
85.3
 
642,092
Image of Sonia Chang-Diaz
Sonia Chang-Diaz (Unofficially withdrew)
 
14.4
 
108,574
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.3
 
1,972

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 752,638
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Governor of Massachusetts

Geoff Diehl defeated Chris Doughty in the Republican primary for Governor of Massachusetts on September 6, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Geoff Diehl
Geoff Diehl
 
55.3
 
149,800
Image of Chris Doughty
Chris Doughty
 
44.4
 
120,418
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.3
 
769

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 270,987
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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State Senate

See also: Massachusetts State Senate elections, 2022

Sonia Chang-Diaz did not file to run for re-election.

2020

See also: Massachusetts State Senate elections, 2020

General election

General election for Massachusetts State Senate 2nd Suffolk District

Incumbent Sonia Chang-Diaz won election in the general election for Massachusetts State Senate 2nd Suffolk District on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Sonia Chang-Diaz
Sonia Chang-Diaz (D)
 
98.8
 
64,557
 Other/Write-in votes
 
1.2
 
794

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 65,351
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Massachusetts State Senate 2nd Suffolk District

Incumbent Sonia Chang-Diaz advanced from the Democratic primary for Massachusetts State Senate 2nd Suffolk District on September 1, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Sonia Chang-Diaz
Sonia Chang-Diaz
 
99.2
 
33,053
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.8
 
279

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 33,332
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2018

General election

General election for Massachusetts State Senate 2nd Suffolk District

Incumbent Sonia Chang-Diaz won election in the general election for Massachusetts State Senate 2nd Suffolk District on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Sonia Chang-Diaz
Sonia Chang-Diaz (D)
 
98.9
 
50,742
 Other/Write-in votes
 
1.1
 
582

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 51,324
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Massachusetts State Senate 2nd Suffolk District

Incumbent Sonia Chang-Diaz advanced from the Democratic primary for Massachusetts State Senate 2nd Suffolk District on September 4, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Sonia Chang-Diaz
Sonia Chang-Diaz
 
100.0
 
22,783

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 22,783
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2016

See also: Massachusetts State Senate elections, 2016

Elections for the Massachusetts State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election took place on September 8, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was June 7, 2016.

Incumbent Sonia Chang-Diaz ran unopposed in the Massachusetts State Senate Second Suffolk District general election.[2][3]

Massachusetts State Senate, Second Suffolk District General Election, 2016
Party Candidate
    Democratic Green check mark transparent.png Sonia Chang-Diaz Incumbent (unopposed)
Source: Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth


Incumbent Sonia Chang-Diaz defeated Roy Owens in the Massachusetts State Senate Second Suffolk District Democratic Primary.[4][5]

Massachusetts State Senate, Second Suffolk District Democratic Primary, 2016
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.png Sonia Chang-Diaz Incumbent 79.87% 7,376
     Democratic Roy Owens 20.13% 1,859
Total Votes 9,235


2012

See also: Massachusetts State Senate elections, 2012

Chang-Diaz won re-election in the 2012 election for Massachusetts State Senate Second Suffolk. Chang-Diaz defeated Roy Owens in the September 6 Democratic primary and was unopposed in the general election which took place on November 6.[6]

Massachusetts State Senate, Second Suffolk District Democratic Primary, 2012
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngSonia Rosa Chang-Diaz Incumbent 83.4% 8,904
Roy Owens 16.6% 1,773
Total Votes 10,677

2010

See also: Massachusetts State Senate elections, 2010

Chang-Diaz won re-election to the Second Suffolk District seat in 2010. Hassan Williams ran against him in the primary. The primary election took place on September 14, 2010. The general election took place on November 2, 2010.

Massachusetts State Senate - Second Suffolk District
Candidates Votes
Green check mark transparent.png Sonia Chang-Diaz (D) 38,997
All Others 650
Blanks 9,127

2008

On November 4, 2008, Chang-Diaz won the Senate election for the Second Suffolk district.[7] In this election she raised $218,713; of that total $195,087 (89.2%) was from in state contributions and $23,626 (10.8%) was from out of state contributions.[8]

Massachusetts State Senate - Second Suffolk district
Candidates Votes
Green check mark transparent.png Sonia Chang-Diaz (D) 55,865
William Leonard (Socialist Workers Party) 3,080
Dianne Wilkerson (Write-In) 988
All Others 597
Blanks 10,147

Campaign themes

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Sonia Chang-Diaz did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

2020

Sonia Chang-Diaz did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

2016

Chang-Diaz's campaign website highlighted the following issues:

“

Affordable Housing for All Families

  • Longer-term, we need to invest in “smart growth” and mass transit in the Commonwealth, in order to expand housing options across the state and distribute demand pressures more evenly between Boston and other areas. We also need to put in place safeguards to address the factors that caused the sub-prime mortgage meltdown, in order to prevent a similar crisis from coalescing in the future.

Choice

  • I strongly support a woman’s right to make her own reproductive health choices. I also believe that ensuring freedom of choice means ensuring all our residents have access to the important reproductive health services and education necessary to keep them healthy and safe.

Creating Jobs and Economic Opportunity

  • As your State Senator, I support economic development investments that are targeted to build stable and broadly-shared wealth within our communities, rather than subsidize large profits that will be owned outside our community.

Death Penalty

  • I oppose the death penalty and will oppose any effort to bring capital punishment into our state.

Improving Our Public Schools

  • As your State Senator, I have fought hard to defend education aid from budget cuts. I’ve also worked toward passing an achievement gap bill that aims to systematically improve student success, narrow the achievement gap facing low-income students and students of color, and increase accountability in school administration. I will continue to work ceaselessly to ensure that our schools have the resources and tools they need to complete this job: quality teachers, small class sizes, well-rounded curricula, excellent school leadership, and active community and parental involvement.[9]
 ”
—Sonia Chang-Diaz, [10]

Campaign finance summary

Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

Sonia Chang-Diaz campaign contribution history
YearOfficeStatusContributionsExpenditures
2022Governor of MassachusettsLost primary$1,583,318 $0
2020Massachusetts State Senate 2nd Suffolk DistrictWon general$88,444 N/A**
2016Massachusetts State Senate, District Second SuffolkWon $38,910 N/A**
2014Massachusetts State Senate, Second SuffolkWon $41,315 N/A**
2012Massachusetts State Senate, Second SuffolkWon $136,382 N/A**
2010Massachusetts State Senate, Second SuffolkWon $95,872 N/A**
2008Massachusetts State Senate, Second SuffolkWon $218,713 N/A**
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

Scorecards

See also: State legislative scorecards and State legislative scorecards in Massachusetts

A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.

Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.

Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Massachusetts scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.




2022

In 2022, the Massachusetts State Legislature was in session from January 5 to August 1.

Legislators are scored on bills of interest to an organization that pledges "to make government more transparent, make fiscally responsible choices, and to hold the line on taxes."
Legislators are scored on their sponsorship of legislation related to animal issues.
Legislators are scored by the organization on votes that "can show the distinction between a progressive legislator, and everyone else."
Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.


2021


2020


2019


2018


2017


2016


2015


2014


2013


2012


2011

Personal

Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Chang-Diaz was born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts. She has been involved with MassVOTE and the Parish Council of Saint Mary of the Angels Church.

See also

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External links

Candidate

Governor of Massachusetts
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    		•

    Footnotes

    1. ↑ Project Vote Smart - Senator Chang-Diaz
    2. ↑ Massachusetts Secretary of State, "2016 State election candidates," accessed October 3, 2016
    3. ↑ Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, "Election data lookup," accessed December 20, 2016
    4. ↑ Massachusetts Secretary of State, "2016 Primary Candidates (Democratic)," accessed June 20, 2016
    5. ↑ Secretary of the Commonweath of Massachusetts, "Massachusetts Election Statistics," accessed October 14, 2016
    6. ↑ AP "Massachusetts - Summary Vote Results," accessed September 6, 2012
    7. ↑ Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, "Return of Votes For Massachusetts State Election - November 4, 2008," accessed March 18, 2014
    8. ↑ Follow the Money, "2008 campaign contributions," accessed December 29, 2014
    9. ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
    10. ↑ Sonia Chang-Diaz, "Issues," accessed September 2, 2016

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