Jamaica Plain’s Patrick Roath Challenging Congressman Lynch

Roath answered questions from Jamaica Plain News about why he is running and what he wants to accomplish, and why feels the Democratic Party needs to be the party that makes democracy work, not just the “Trump is bad” party.

Congressional elections will take place next year, as Roath looks to represent the Democratic Party in the 8th Congressional district.

Why are you running for Congress?

Roath: I’m running for Congress because I think the foundations of this country are under threat like never before.

We need new leaders to step up, rise to the occasion, and help renew the promise of the country by proving it can still work for people. That starts with aggressively and urgently standing up to the current administration. But it also has a lot to do with building for the future, and making our communities more affordable to live in.

I’m running because I think I can contribute to that project. I’ve been in the Boston area for 20 years now, in Jamaica Plain for five, and have a background working in voting rights, democracy reform, and law.

Politically, I am a Democrat but it is hard to look at the Democratic Party right now and feel a lot of pride. I think we’ve become way too comfortable with the status quo and accepting incremental change when people need bold action. That’s a particularly acute problem in our Congressional district, where we have had the same member of Congress for almost 25 years: Congressman Stephen Lynch.

What about the incumbent? You don’t think he’s doing a good job?

Roath: I respect Congressman Lynch’s long career in politics. But he is not offering the kind of leadership we need right now.

The approach Congressman Lynch represents might have made sense decades ago, when he first ran. But over time, he has failed to listen to the district and keep up with the changes in our communities. I don’t think he’s adequately representing the values and priorities of this district in 2025.

He has also made some decisions that I strongly disagree with. He is the last House Democrat still in office who voted against the Affordable Care Act. That was a catastrophic failure of judgment, and the opposite of what we need in office right now.

He is the only member of the Massachusetts delegation who has spent this year voting with Republicans on “immigration” messaging bills like the Laken Riley Act, that fuel and provide cover for what the Trump Administration is doing right now to our communities.

And he was a longtime anti-choice politician, proclaiming for years that he was “pro-life and proud of it.” I think it’s critically important we have a Congressman who is prepared to fight back against Republican attempts to strip away the Constitutional right to privacy and autonomy.

Have you met him?

Roath: No.

Rep. Lynch is regarded as more conservative, and you’re more liberal. Do you think the Congressional district is more liberal than it used to be?

Roath: I think that’s an old school way of thinking that doesn’t map onto politics very well anymore.

The more important divide right now, particularly on the Democratic side, is whether you are open to change or committed to status quo politics. I think that what matters is whether you’re fighting for working families or protecting special interests.

In my experience, most people are surprised when they learn about how our Congressman has been voting, particularly when it comes to his votes to support the Trump Administration’s immigration policies, weaken access to health care, and undermine reproductive rights.

That is not the kind of leadership we need right now. It’s actually the opposite. I don’t hear a lot of people getting excited about his record, and I don’t really hear him doing much to defend it.

What inroads have you been making in the Congressional district to introduce yourself to different areas? Are you doing things like going to town or city meetings, meeting with elected officials, sponsoring road races, etc?

Roath: Yes! I’ve been a full time candidate since May, so I’ve been just about everywhere across the district, which stretches from JP all the way down to communities like Hingham and Brockton. It’s an amazing swath of Massachusetts and the world.

The absolute highlight of the campaign so far has been just getting out there and talking to people about my vision for this office and hopes for the country.

I’ve been in lots of Democratic town committee meetings, taking questions and chatting with committed Democratic activists across the district (most recently, Hingham, Braintree, and Canton). I also have a packed calendar of civic and community events. In the past weeks or so, I was at Dedham Town Meeting, a Veteran’s Day celebration in Braintree, a house party for the campaign in Westwood, JP Open Streets, and a group coffee get-together in Milton, among other events.

What legislation would you propose if elected?

Roath: Democrats should lead with a comprehensive package targeting the unsustainable increases in the basic costs of living.

A huge piece of this needs to be housing. I would champion comprehensive housing legislation to unlock federal funding for affordable housing construction, particularly transit-oriented development. We need to build millions of new homes and provide direct down payment assistance to first time home buyers.

I also want to work on making childcare universally accessible and guaranteed for working families. The extreme cost of finding adequate care is driving people away from Boston and out of Massachusetts entirely.

I also think we need to fix our corrupt system to get any of that done. I’d push for legislation banning Congressional stock trading, implementing public financing of elections, and establishing term limits. We need to show that Congress can reform itself and earn back public trust.

What Congressional committees would you want to be on and why?

Roath: Any committee assignment that helps advance the priorities referenced above.

I am not particularly interested in the committee work that involves asking performative questions on television and holding hyperpartisan hearings. That’s not what I want to do. I am a policy nerd and a legislator, and I want to work on tangible and durable policy changes.

You’ve said there’s an assault on democracy. How would you stop the assault on democracy?

Roath: It’s true: there is an assault on our democratic institutions from Trump and MAGA extremists who are actively working to undermine voting rights, corrupt our judicial system, and concentrate power in an authoritarian executive.

There are some things that a Democratic Congress can and should push for that directly limits the President’s authority on subjects like tariffs, national security, immigration. We should do that, and we should have a coherent unified plan for pushing back against the President.

But defense isn’t enough. The most important thing we can do to protect democracy is prove it can still deliver for people. When families can’t afford housing or childcare, when Congress is paralyzed by corporate influence and partisan gridlock, people lose faith in democratic governance. That’s when authoritarians thrive.

We need to pass bold legislation that tangibly improves lives – universal childcare, affordable housing, healthcare that doesn’t bankrupt families. We need to clean up corruption with real reforms. We cannot just be the party of “Trump is bad” – we must be the party that makes democracy work.

Why do you think your background would make you a good Congressman?

Roath: Several things, some personal, some professional.

Professionally, I’ve had a rich set of experiences in and out of government, in DC, here at the state level, and internationally. As a democracy advocate and attorney, I’ve spent years fighting for the values I’ll champion in Congress. I am particularly proud of my voting rights work as the board chair of Common Cause Massachusetts, which contributed to the passage of automatic voter registration and universal mail-in voting in Massachusetts. I’ve worked for Gov. Patrick in the State House, worked in the Obama White House, served the United States abroad through the Fulbright program teaching English in Malaysia, and spent a decade at a major Boston law firm handling complex litigation.

Personally, I have a stake in our community. My mom was born in Brockton and grew up in Braintree, being raised by a single mom. I’ve lived in and around Boston for over 20 years, and my wife and I have lived in JP for about five years. We are about to welcome our first child and we could not be more excited to raise her in this amazing community.

How have you been involved in the community?

Roath: For many years, I chaired Common Cause Massachusetts, leading statewide campaigns for voting rights that resulted in automatic voter registration and universal mail-in voting. I’ve done extensive pro bono legal work defending asylum seekers and protecting civil rights.

I am a member of the Ward 19 Democratic Committee and am actively involved in Jamaica Plain community organizations.

We have temporary office space on Centre Street right now, so I am frequenting my regular local haunts like City Feed, Monumental Market, and Jadu.

What politicians and candidates have you worked with and in what capacity?

Roath: I proudly worked for former Governor Deval Patrick in various capacities over the years, on his reelection campaign, in the State House, and during his Presidential run. I worked for former President Barack Obama, serving as the first White House Press Office intern in the Obama administration.

I’ve volunteered as an election protection attorney for countless candidates, and for each of the Democratic Presidential candidates in swing states since 2012.

Locally, I’ve volunteered for and supported many candidates. Here in JP, Mayor Michelle Wu, Councilor Ben Weber, State Representative Sam Montaño are all leaders I deeply admire.

There is a lack of bipartisanship in Congress — is there room in Congress for bipartisanship? And how would you get the two major parties to reach across the aisle?

Roath: Yes. I actually think that in the areas I’m most passionate about–childcare, housing, campaign finance reform–there is broad bipartisan consensus that action is required. It will take a while for that consensus to catch up to elected Republicans because they are all in thrall to Trump and MAGA extremists. But you can see some glimmers of hope – for example Senator Elizabeth Warren’s success in shepherding the ROAD to Housing bill through the Senate with Republican support comes to mind. The key is focusing on concrete problems that affect people regardless of party.

But let’s be clear: bipartisanship cannot mean capitulation. I won’t vote with Republicans to strip immigrant rights or undermine healthcare like Congressman Lynch has. True bipartisanship means finding genuine common ground while standing firm on core principles.