Samuel Pierce (Massachusetts)

Samuel Pierce (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Massachusetts House of Representatives to represent the 6th Suffolk District. He lost in the Democratic primary on September 3, 2024.

Biography

Samuel Pierce was born in Boston, Massachusetts. He earned an associate degree from Roxbury Community College in 2016. Pierce's career experience includes working as an entrepreneur, as a founder with Schools Instead of Prisons Inc., as a songwriter, as a literary agent, as an author, and with Ihssane Leckey. He has been affiliated with the NAACP, with the Boy Scouts of America, with Dorchester People For Peace, with Dorchester Not For Sale, with City Life, with the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts, with the Black Economic Council of Massachusetts.

Elections

2024

See also: Massachusetts House of Representatives elections, 2024

General election

General election for Massachusetts House of Representatives 6th Suffolk District

Incumbent Russell Holmes won election in the general election for Massachusetts House of Representatives 6th Suffolk District on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Russell Holmes (D)	97.6	12,435
		Other/Write-in votes	2.4	307

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 12,742
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Massachusetts House of Representatives 6th Suffolk District

Incumbent Russell Holmes defeated Haris Hardaway and Samuel Pierce in the Democratic primary for Massachusetts House of Representatives 6th Suffolk District on September 3, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Russell Holmes	72.5	2,254
	Submit photo	Haris Hardaway	20.9	650
		Samuel Pierce	6.2	193
		Other/Write-in votes	0.4	13

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 3,110
= 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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Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Pierce in this election.

2020

See also: Massachusetts State Senate elections, 2020

General election

General election for Massachusetts State Senate 1st Suffolk District

Incumbent Nick Collins won election in the general election for Massachusetts State Senate 1st Suffolk District on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Nick Collins (D)	98.3	67,362
		Other/Write-in votes	1.7	1,188

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 68,550
= 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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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Massachusetts State Senate 1st Suffolk District

Incumbent Nick Collins defeated Samuel Pierce in the Democratic primary for Massachusetts State Senate 1st Suffolk District on September 1, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Nick Collins	74.2	23,615
		Samuel Pierce	25.8	8,219

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 31,834 (100.00% precincts reporting)
= 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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Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Samuel Pierce did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.

2020

Samuel Pierce completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Pierce's responses.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Hired by Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley in 2018, Samuel Pierce helped make history in again after he was hired by Julia Mejia 2019, and she won by one VOTE. He now works for Ihassane Leckey2020 #MA04.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Low Income Housing (e+) Buildings dovetailed with a Rent to OWN Housing Program
• Early Education + Vocational Education + Raise the minimum wage to $20 per hour + Restore Time and a Half on Sundays + Holidays
• Mass Health for ALL Post COVID-19 + State Job Fairs + State Internship Program + Provide a Nurse in EVERY public school in MA

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

HOUSING = HEALTHCARE. We must raise the minimum wage to $20 dollars an hour, and restore time and a half on Sundays and holidays, in accordance with the Massachusetts Blue Laws. I am running for the MA 1st Suffolk State Senate Seat because I am a Human Rights Advocate, and want to make positive change. I am not a lifelong politician whose parent was also a politician. Unlike my opponent who said he would have voted against healthcare back in 2010, I am the only candidate who will fight to ensure we finally have Mass Health for ALL Post COVID-19. I think we need change.

The New Jim Crow is not only The Cradle to Prison Pipeline, built upon the inability to read in the 4th and 5th grade, but it also has to do with health disparities, low voter turn out, and the absence of economic resources. We need to look at why the United States at only 5% of the world's population, has over 25% of the world's incarcerated population. Massachusetts is one of the (10) states originally named in default of Section 4 of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Massachusetts is also where the practice of Gerrymandering as a form of Black + Brown voter suppression originally began. We must therefore restore a prisoner's right to vote in 2020, in accordance with the Massachusetts Constitution.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up to US Senator Elizabeth Warren, US Senator John Kerry, US Senator Mo Cowan, Governor Deval Patrick, US Vice President Joe Biden, and US Senator Kamala Harris. The person's example who I would like to follow would probably be Governor Deval Patrick, because had he not hired me as a college intern back in February 2020 on his US Presidential Campaign, and had I not graduated college or successfully completed the DigiUL Graphic Design Program, I would not have had the courage to run for office myself for the Massachusetts 1st Suffolk State Senate District to ensure we provide Mass Health for ALL Post COVID-19.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

I would read the book "The Boston Hustler" written by Daniel Swindell, as well as the Autobiography of Malcolm X. Then I would read Governor Deval Patrick's autobiography, as well as the autobiography of US Senator Kamala Harris.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Punctuality, integrity, and character. I think that before you can represent others in the community, one must have their own sense of self worth, and be prepared to carry themselves with distinction in the local community.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I am very organized, and punctual when it comes to attending important community meetings in the MA 1st Suffolk State Senate District.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The core responsibilities that I plan to bring to the MA 1st Suffolk State Senate Seat if I am elected TODAY, September 1, 2020 are constituent services, and a district office out in the community. Many of the voters in the MA 1st Suffolk State Senate District often feel disconnected from the people who work at 24 Beacon Street due to the geographic realities of Boston, MA as well as the problem with high density automobile traffic during business hours.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I would like to raise the life expectancy in Boston from 57 to 87 within my 1st term in elected office.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

After seeing President Barack Obama in 2013 at the Reggie Lewis Center rally at my school, I graduated from Roxbury Community College. However, not before I met US Vice President Joe Biden while working for US Congressman Seth Moulton back in 2014. I then went on to work for US Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley in 2018, helping her become the 1st Woman of Color ever elected into US Congress from MA. In 2019 I was hired by Boston City Councilor Julia Mejia to help her become the 1st Latina Woman to ever get elected to the Boston City Council. In 2020 I was hired by US Congressional Candidate Ihassane Leckey to help her become the 1st Woman of Color ever elected to the Massachusetts 4th US Congressional District. In 2020 I also was able to secure enough signatures to get myself on the Democratic Primary Ballot for the Massachusetts 1st Suffolk State Senate District. I was (38) thirty eight years old at the time of the September 1, 2020 Primary Election.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My very first job was a summer job that I got working at Northeastern University. My job was to file papers, give people directions around the campus, and answer the phone for the then Dean of Students, Keith Motley. The job lasted only three months. However, in February 2020 Dr. Keith Motley, now the CEO of the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts, presented me with my official DigiUL Graphic Design Certification that allowed me to design the logo for my campaign.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Building up enough courage to become a VOICE for those who are often left behind, marginalized, and forgotten.

Every state besides Nebraska has two legislative chambers. What do you consider the most important differences between the legislative chambers in your state?

The "Great Cod" and the Herring. Massachusetts is unique in the fact that both of our legislative houses tend to be dominated by The Democratic Party. However, the voters of Massachusetts tend to vote Republican for the Gubernatorial Seat historically.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

Not necessarily, because I think having new voices, and different experiences creates the diverse Massachusetts State Legislature that makes our Commonwealth unlike any other state in America. Massachusetts is one of the only, if not the only state where any US Citizen can write their own legislation into law. There is a process of course, but once I am elected I plan to include civics classes back into ALL Massachusetts Public High Schools Post COVID-19.

What do you perceive to be your state’s greatest challenges over the next decade?

Our state's greatest challenges over the next decade, are fixing our education system, and dismantling The Cradle to Prison Pipeline. By teaching our 4th and 5th grade nine and ten year olds how to read and write, we can rebuild The American Dream in this country Post COVID-19. We must provide a foundation, so that our youth can eventually join the emerging technology labor force, allowing Boston, MA to become the East Coast version of the hub of innovation happening in California, just like when Boston, MA changed the world with the invention of the telephone, and the conference call.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and the state legislature?

The ideal relationship would be a symbiotic relationship between the Governor and the State Legislature, that allowed the citizens of the Commonwealth to be heard. A transparent relationship, that allowed the citizens of the Commonwealth equal access to their government officials no matter their economic background, or skin completion. A gender neutral camaraderie where we treated male and female state employees with equal pay for equal work.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Yes, I think networking is very important both in business, and in life. After graduating from Roxbury Community College, Samuel Pierce was hired first, as a college intern for The Committee to Elect Maura Healey in 2014, and then hired as a Field Organizer for US Congressman Seth Moulton's campaign, in coordination with the Massachusetts Democratic Party in 2014. After being behind the scenes as a community activist, Samuel Pierce became an entrepreneur and paid community advocate after being hired by US Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley in 2018, to help run her Special Operations. Most recently, Samuel Pierce helped make history again after he was hired by Boston City Councilor Julia Mejia to successfully close out her GOTV Strategy in 2019, winning by one VOTE.

What process do you favor for redistricting?

I believe that we should develop a more equitable process to allocate registered voters by ward and precinct instead of preconceived, maps that lead to voter suppression. Instead of Gerrymandered puzzle pieces, the entire City of Boston should be redrawn after the US Census by Ward and by Precinct. Then, and only then, could there be a baseline to redraw the map for the state representative, state senate, and hopefully add a (10th) tenth US Congressional Seat to Massachusetts after the 2020 US Census.

If you are not a current legislator, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

As the Founder of The Boston Green Project in 2018, prior to the introduction of the Democratic Green New Deal in 2019, I would want to be on the Emerging Technologies + The Environment + Energy Committee. As the Founder of SIP = Schools Instead of Prisons Inc., I would also like to be on the Judicial + Government Operations + Criminal Justice Committee. As the Founder of The Boston Saving Lives Project I would last like to be on the Healthcare Committee.

If you are a current legislator, what appealed to you about your current committees?

N/A

If you are not currently a member of your party’s leadership in the legislature, would you be interested in joining the leadership? If so, in what role?

Yes, I think we must lead by example, so I would like to be a Committee Chairman in the Massachusetts State Senate.

Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

Yes, I would like to model myself after a blend of (3) three state senators, Bill Owens, Barack Obama, and William Brownsberger.

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

Not a this time. I am laser focused on helping the people of the Massachusetts 1st Suffolk State Senate District get the resources that they deserve.

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?

Yes, I spoke to a mother who owns her own business. However, due to COVID-19 it is hard to find childcare for her 4 year old daughter, find a tutor for her 12 year old son due to the fact BPS schools are now reopening remotely, and still talk to customers while she is running her own business. As an entrepreneur myself, I know we can build a partnership via our local religious institutions to help tutor some of our local youth who are not yet accustomed to learning remotely via BPS.

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.

Campaign finance summary

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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.

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Samuel Pierce campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024	Massachusetts House of Representatives 6th Suffolk District	Lost primary	$2,833	$0
Grand total			$2,833	$0
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

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Candidate

Massachusetts House of Representatives 6th Suffolk District

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Footnotes

[show]

Current members of the Massachusetts House of Representatives

Leadership

Speaker of the House:Ronald Mariano

Majority Leader:Michael Moran

Representatives

Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket District

Thomas Moakley (D)

1st Barnstable District

Chris Flanagan (D)

1st Berkshire District

John Barrett (D)

1st Bristol District

Michael Chaisson (R)

1st Essex District

Dawne Shand (D)

1st Franklin District

Vacant

1st Hampden District

Todd Smola (R)

1st Hampshire District

Lindsay Sabadosa (D)

1st Middlesex District

Margaret Scarsdale (D)

1st Norfolk District

Bruce Ayers (D)

1st Plymouth District

Michelle Badger (D)

1st Suffolk District

Adrian Madaro (D)

1st Worcester District

Kimberly Ferguson (R)

2nd Barnstable District

Kip Diggs (D)

2nd Berkshire District

Tricia Farley-Bouvier (D)

2nd Bristol District

James Hawkins (D)

2nd Essex District

Kristin Kassner (D)

2nd Franklin District

Susannah Whipps (U)

2nd Hampden District

Brian Ashe (D)

2nd Hampshire District

Homar Gomez (D)

2nd Middlesex District

James Arciero (D)

2nd Norfolk District

Tackey Chan (D)

2nd Plymouth District

John Gaskey (R)

2nd Suffolk District

Daniel Ryan (D)

2nd Worcester District

Jonathan Zlotnik (D)

3rd Barnstable District

David Vieira (R)

3rd Berkshire District

Leigh Davis (D)

3rd Bristol District

Lisa Field (D)

3rd Essex District

Andy Vargas (D)

3rd Hampden District

Nicholas Boldyga (R)

3rd Hampshire District

Mindy Domb (D)

3rd Middlesex District

Kate Hogan (D)

3rd Norfolk District

Ronald Mariano (D)

3rd Plymouth District

Joan Meschino (D)

3rd Suffolk District

Aaron Michlewitz (D)

3rd Worcester District

Michael Kushmerek (D)

4th Barnstable District

Hadley Luddy (D)

4th Bristol District

Steven Howitt (R)

4th Essex District

Estela Reyes (D)

4th Hampden District

Kelly Pease (R)

4th Middlesex District

Danielle Gregoire (D)

4th Norfolk District

James Murphy (D)

4th Plymouth District

Patrick Joseph Kearney (D)

4th Suffolk District

David Biele (D)

4th Worcester District

Natalie Higgins (D)

5th Barnstable District

Steven Xiarhos (R)

5th Bristol District

Justin Thurber (R)

5th Essex District

Vacant

5th Hampden District

Patricia Duffy (D)

5th Middlesex District

David Linsky (D)

5th Norfolk District

Mark Cusack (D)

5th Plymouth District

David DeCoste (R)

5th Suffolk District

Christopher Worrell (D)

5th Worcester District

Donald Berthiaume (R)

6th Bristol District

Carole Fiola (D)

6th Essex District

Hannah Bowen (D)

6th Hampden District

Michael Finn (D)

6th Middlesex District

Priscila Sousa (D)

6th Norfolk District

William Galvin (D)

6th Plymouth District

Kenneth Sweezey (R)

6th Suffolk District

Russell Holmes (D)

6th Worcester District

John Marsi (R)

7th Bristol District

Alan Silvia (D)

7th Essex District

Manny Cruz (D)

7th Hampden District

Aaron Saunders (D)

7th Middlesex District

Jack Lewis (D)

7th Norfolk District

Richard Wells (D)

7th Plymouth District

Alyson Sullivan (R)

7th Suffolk District

Chynah Tyler (D)

7th Worcester District

Paul Frost (R)

8th Bristol District

Steven Ouellette (D)

8th Essex District

Jenny Armini (D)

8th Hampden District

Shirley Arriaga (D)

8th Middlesex District

James Arena-DeRosa (D)

8th Norfolk District

Edward Philips (D)

8th Plymouth District

Dennis Gallagher (D)

8th Suffolk District

Jay Livingstone (D)

8th Worcester District

Michael Soter (R)

9th Bristol District

Christopher Markey (D)

9th Essex District

Donald Wong (R)

9th Hampden District

Orlando Ramos (D)

9th Middlesex District

Thomas Stanley (D)

9th Norfolk District

Marcus Vaughn (R)

9th Plymouth District

Bridget Plouffe (D)

9th Suffolk District

John Moran (D)

9th Worcester District

David Muradian (R)

10th Bristol District

Mark Sylvia (D)

10th Essex District

Dan Cahill (D)

10th Hampden District

Carlos Gonzalez (D)

10th Middlesex District

John Lawn (D)

10th Norfolk District

Jeffrey Roy (D)

10th Plymouth District

Michelle DuBois (D)

10th Suffolk District

Bill MacGregor (D)

10th Worcester District

Brian Murray (D)

11th Bristol District

Christopher Hendricks (D)

11th Essex District

Sean Reid (D)

11th Hampden District

Bud Williams (D)

11th Middlesex District

Amy Sangiolo (D)

11th Norfolk District

Paul McMurtry (D)

11th Plymouth District

Rita Mendes (D)

11th Suffolk District

Judith García (D)

11th Worcester District

Hannah Kane (R)

12th Bristol District

Norman Orrall (R)

12th Essex District

Thomas Walsh (D)

12th Hampden District

Angelo Puppolo (D)

12th Middlesex District

Greg Schwartz (D)

12th Norfolk District

John Rogers (D)

12th Plymouth District

Kathleen LaNatra (D)

12th Suffolk District

Brandy Oakley (D)

12th Worcester District

Meghan Kilcoyne (D)

13th Bristol District

Antonio Cabral (D)

13th Essex District

Sally Kerans (D)

13th Middlesex District

Carmine Gentile (D)

13th Norfolk District

Joshua Tarsky (D)

13th Suffolk District

Daniel Hunt (D)

13th Worcester District

John Mahoney (D)

14th Bristol District

Adam Scanlon (D)

14th Essex District

Adrianne Ramos (D)

14th Middlesex District

Simon Cataldo (D)

14th Norfolk District

Alice Peisch (D)

14th Suffolk District

Rob Consalvo (D)

14th Worcester District

James O'Day (D)

15th Essex District

Ryan Hamilton (D)

15th Middlesex District

Michelle Ciccolo (D)

15th Norfolk District

Tommy Vitolo (D)

15th Suffolk District

Sam Montaño (D)

15th Worcester District

Mary Keefe (D)

16th Essex District

Francisco Paulino (D)

16th Middlesex District

Rodney Elliott (D)

16th Suffolk District

Jessica Giannino (D)

16th Worcester District

Daniel Donahue (D)

17th Essex District

Frank Moran (D)

17th Middlesex District

Vanna Howard (D)

17th Suffolk District

Kevin Honan (D)

17th Worcester District

David LeBoeuf (D)

18th Essex District

Tram Nguyen (D)

18th Middlesex District

Tara Hong (D)

18th Suffolk District

Michael Moran (D)

18th Worcester District

Joseph McKenna (R)

19th Middlesex District

David Allen Robertson (D)

19th Suffolk District

Jeffrey Turco (D)

19th Worcester District

Kate Donaghue (D)

20th Middlesex District

Bradley Jones (R)

21st Middlesex District

Kenneth Gordon (D)

22nd Middlesex District

Marc Lombardo (R)

23rd Middlesex District

Sean Garballey (D)

24th Middlesex District

David Rogers (D)

25th Middlesex District

Marjorie Decker (D)

26th Middlesex District

Mike Connolly (D)

27th Middlesex District

Erika Uyterhoeven (D)

28th Middlesex District

Joseph McGonagle (D)

29th Middlesex District

Steven Owens (D)

30th Middlesex District

Richard Haggerty (D)

31st Middlesex District

Michael Day (D)

32nd Middlesex District

Kate Lipper-Garabedian (D)

33rd Middlesex District

Steven Ultrino (D)

34th Middlesex District

Christine Barber (D)

35th Middlesex District

Paul Donato (D)

36th Middlesex District

Colleen Garry (D)

37th Middlesex District

Danillo Sena (D)

Democratic Party (132)

Republican Party (25)

Unenrolled (1)

Vacancies (2)