Former Governor Dukakis Shares a Grassroots Story from Framingham

Massachusetts Democrats are working to grow the largest and most effective grassroots campaign the Commonwealth has ever known. Below, Gov. Mike Dukakis shares a story from his day knocking doors and talking to voters in Framingham to support Elizabeth Warren and State Rep. Tom Sannicandro.

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A few days ago,  I went out to Framingham to knock on some doors with Rep. Tom Sannicandro and other grassroots volunteers in Framingham.

I've been around a while and I've learned that Massachusetts Democrats win when we organize at every level. To reelect my friend Tom Sannicandro and send Elizabeth Warren to Washington, we need to organize every town, every neighborhood and every precinct.

In Framingham, we're well on our way to doing that.

About 40 enthusiastic grassroots volunteers packed in to the Coordinated Campaign office last week. They were kind enough to let me say a few words, but after that, it was all business as organizers paired folks up, handed them their turf assignments and scooted them out the door.

At one of the first doors Tom and I knocked on, we met a special education teacher who works in Newton. No one understands better than teachers that investing in our children's future helps us all in the long run. Whenever I listen to a teacher talk about her work, I'm struck by the fact that we just don't thank them enough. I  thanked her for the work she does and she thanked me for stopping by to talk about Elizabeth Warren. A few doors later, we spoke to a retiree who had worked his entire life and was concerned about what Republicans might do to his retirement.

The highlight of my day came a little later when I introduced myself to a gentleman at his door and told him that I was helping Elizabeth Warren and Tom Sannicandro in their election. He told me that he hadn't made up his mind in the election, but that I was the second grassroots volunteer to stop by for Democratic candidates. It is still July and we've knocked on this fellow's door twice. That's how we win!

At the end of the day, the folks we chatted with had different concerns or issues they cared about, but they all appreciated that we had stopped by to discuss the election - and I left Framingham feeling good about the campaign and the kind of impact you and I are making as we work the precincts for Elizabeth.

Mike Dukakis