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Two major Cambridge super PACs released their endorsements on Thursday, leaving incumbent Patricia M. “Patty” Nolan ’80 vulnerable in the upcoming November election.
The Cambridge Citizens Coalition, founded in response to the city’s rapid development, and Cambridge Bicycle Safety endorse a slate of candidates for Cambridge City Council and School Committee — a significant boost for both incumbents and challengers.
The two super PACs spent over $110,000 in the last election cycle — using the funds to help candidates advertise via yard signs, canvassing, and digital campaigns. Eight of the nine current councilors were endorsed by one of the two super PACs.
Last year, the CCC endorsed Nolan, Paul F. Toner Ayesha M. Wilson, and Catherine “Cathie” Zusy. But this year, the CCC only endorsed Zusy and Wilson, depriving Nolan of resources and the institutional backing of a powerful political player.
Nolan said that she was “disappointed” and “surprised” that she was not offered an interview by the CCC.
“I am very much at risk,” Nolan said, referring to her reelection chances without the CCC’s endorsement.
Suzanne P. Blier, president of the CCC and a Harvard professor, said the super PAC decided to not endorse Nolan because of her February 10 vote to allow multifamily zoning citywide.
The CCC does support multifamily zoning, but was concerned about details of the legislation relating to design and the environment, according to an email they wrote to The Crimson.
“We had made it very clear to councilors that we had endorsed that the upzoning was an absolutely critical one for us,” Blier said. “That played an important role in our decision, which was an incredibly difficult one.”
But the CCC did endorse incumbent Ayesha M. Wilson, who also voted yes on the same proposal.
“She’s always been incredibly responsive,” Blier said of Wilson. “She’s always been very thoughtful and taken some of these issues into account.”
Robert Winters, a civic blogger with more than three decades of experience in Cambridge leadership, was also not endorsed by the CCC — despite being endorsed last election cycle. He faced criticism for reposting and liking Islamophobic and transphobic tweets during his 2023 run. Winters said he was not interested in the CCC’s endorsement and prioritized his “independence” over the credential.
“Being associated with any of these endorsing organizations ties my hands and restricts my ability to comment on the pros and cons of these organizations,” he wrote in an email to The Crimson.
The CCC also endorsed Elizabeth Bisio, John Hanratty, Peter Hsu, Zion Sherin, Louise Venden, and incumbent Catherine “Cathie” Zusy for the Council.
The CCC also specified their School Committee endorsements, incumbents Richard Harding Jr. and Elizabeth C.P. Hudson — along with challengers Jane S. Hirschi and Jia-Jing Lee.
They stated their endorsements will ensure “scholarly excellence, accountability, and transparency, as well as ongoing support for our students teachers.”
“I can absolutely sign on to that, and I’m happy to sign on to that. I’m not signed on to any other part of their platform,” Hirschi said.
Cambridge Bicycle Safety split their endorsements into two tiers, based on surveys completed by the candidates. Five candidates, including Nolan, Zusy, Hsu, LaQueen A. Battle, and Stanislav Rivkin, were categorized as “Bike Supporters.”
Bike supporters include candidates who support the completion of the bike network, the Cycling Safety Ordinance Network, by November 2026.
For the first time, CBS endorsed Zusy for her commitment to completing the CSO network on schedule, even though they “don’t see eye to eye with every single action that Cathie Zusy has taken.”
CBS went on to do a qualitative review of the candidates answers and endorsed seven candidates — Burhan Azeem, Marc C. McGovern, Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler, Sumbul Siddiqui, Ayah Al-Zubi ’23, Dana R. Bullister, and Ned S. Melanson — as “Bike Champions.”
Bike Champions also pledged to complete the CSO network by November 2026 but also “responses to other transportation-related topics in CBS’s questionnaire.” CBS specified incumbents endorsed as Bike Champions “had a perfect voting record on bike safety.”
Despite completing the survey, Cambridge Bike Safety did not endorse Tim Flaherty or Zion Sherin.
Bullister said failing to fix the lack of bike safety “would be an abject failure on the part of our city.”
“This endorsement signifies that I do stand with Cambridge bike safety to ensure that we never have to hear about another very preventable death in our community,” she added.
Cambridge Bike Safety also released the candidate’s survey response, shedding more light on their stances on developing pedestrian infrastructure and environmental protections.
“I just really encourage people to go and read those responses if they have a few minutes, because they really give you good insight into what people are thinking and where they stand on some really specific issues,” Melanson said.
—Staff writer Dionise Guerra-Carrillo can be reached at dionise.guerracarrillo@thecrimson.com.
—Staff writer Ann E. Gombiner can be reached at annie.gombiner@thecrimson.com.
