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Thomas Merolli
Thomas Merolli (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Massachusetts State Senate to represent Worcester and Norfolk District. He lost in the general election on November 6, 2018.
Merolli completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2018. Click here to read the survey answers.
Elections
2018
General election
General election for Massachusetts State Senate Worcester and Norfolk District (Historical)
Incumbent Ryan Fattman defeated Thomas Merolli in the general election for Massachusetts State Senate Worcester and Norfolk District (Historical) on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Ryan Fattman (R) | 57.9 | 37,513 |
 | Thomas Merolli (D)  | 42.0 | 27,195 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 71 | ||
| Total votes: 64,779 | |||
| = 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 Worcester and Norfolk District (Historical)
Thomas Merolli advanced from the Democratic primary for Massachusetts State Senate Worcester and Norfolk District (Historical) on September 4, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Thomas Merolli | 100.0 | 6,947 |
| Total votes: 6,947 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Massachusetts State Senate Worcester and Norfolk District (Historical)
Incumbent Ryan Fattman advanced from the Republican primary for Massachusetts State Senate Worcester and Norfolk District (Historical) on September 4, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Ryan Fattman | 100.0 | 8,085 |
| Total votes: 8,085 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Campaign themes
2018
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Thomas Merolli completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Merolli's responses.
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
Reforming education funding - Our state's system of funding education is outdated and leads to too many school districts remaining underfunded and a wide gap in educational outcomes. We need to reform the school funding formula to be more equitable to the entire state. Clean water- MA has some of the most outdated water infrastructure in the country according to the American Society of Civil Engineers. We need to update our water infrastructure to ensure people have access to clean drinking water. We also need to address loopholes in the law that allow dumping of contaminated materials on top of drinking water sources. Health Care- Massachusetts has some of the highest health care costs in the country, second only to Alaska. I believe health care is a right, and that we need to do what we can in this state to make it more affordable. This includes studying the feasibility of moving MA towards a single payer health care system. Opioids- We still have not turned the corner on the opiate epidemic. I believe we need to mandate health insurance companies to recognize this as a disease and provide longer term treatment options. 3 days of detox doesn't cut it.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I am particularly passionate about education. In 2015, I organized alumni to vote in favor of an override in my town. Through this process, I realized that the state has an unsustainable system of education funding, and I want to make this a top priority on Beacon Hill.
Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?
There are many legislators who were able to create pragmatic progressives solutions to issues in more conservative areas. These are the legislators whose examples I'd like to follow.
Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?
The Jungle, by Upton Sinclair
What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?
You need to be willing to put other people, the people you represent, above yourself. You aren't just representing your desires in the legislature. You are representing the needs of thousands of people. This needs to be in your head at all times.
What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?
You need to listen, first and foremost. You need to listen to constituents. You need to listen to other elected officials who might disagree with you. You have to rectify what you want with what other people want, in order to push your priorities forward in a way which passes the finish line.
What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?
You need to represent the needs of your constituents, be accessible to them, and work to improve the state of affairs for the communities you represent.
What legacy would you like to leave?
I would like to be someone who is remembered as being laser-focused on the needs of the Worcester-Norfolk district, who was accessible to people were trying to reach me, and who was in politics for the right reasons.
What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?
The first historical event of significance I remember was 9/11. I was 11 at the time. Another event from around the same time was the Supreme Court decision that handed George W. Bush the presidency. I was 10.
What was your very first job? How long did you have it?
I was a pizza delivery person for a small pizza place in Millville, MA. It was when I was in high school, and I only held it for about a year. My old beat up truck and I traveled a lot of miles around that small town, and I think about it all the time when I'm canvassing the same streets now.
What is your favorite holiday? Why?
I've always been partial to Thanksgiving. Its laid back, and you get to spend time with loved ones. It isn't as stressful as the holidays to follow.
What was the last song that got stuck in your head?
The last song that got stuck in my head was "Fell In Love With a Girl" by the White Stripes. In fact, its stuck in my head right now!
Every state besides Nebraska has two legislative chambers. What do you consider the most important differences between the legislative chambers in your state?
In the House of Representatives, you see regional coalitions build to push important issues forward, whereas in the state senate you see individual legislators having a more powerful voice.
Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?
I think its beneficial for them to have had experience working with some elected officials or in local government. I don't think its necessary by any means however. This is supposed to be a government by the people, representing people of every walk of life.
What do you perceive to be your state’s greatest challenges over the next decade?
Over the next decade, I think our state will really need to work to build a world class public transportation system.
What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and the state legislature?
The governor is supposed to create the roadmap for the future. The legislature makes it possible and workable.
Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.
Absolutely. In a 40 person legislative branch, it is necessary to work together to achieve common goals.
What process do you favor for redistricting?
An approach that takes the partisanship out of the process. A non-partisan independent organization would be the best option.
If you are not a current legislator, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?
I would like to part of the Committee on Education, Committee on Election Laws, and Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture.
Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?
Former State Senator Richard Moore was someone who fully analyzed the intricacies of every issue, worked hard to represent his district, and made an effort to get everyone's perspective. This is an approach I would like to emulate.
Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?
I'd like to focus on this district for now. It needs the help.
Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?
When I was canvassing in Webster, someone invited me in their house to show me their rust-stained laundry. Its something that sticks with me, as I'm making the need to update our state's water infrastructure a focus of my campaign.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
See also
- State legislative elections, 2018
- Massachusetts State Senate elections, 2018
- Massachusetts State Senate
External links
Footnotes
