Mike Rush Fails to Show at Forum

Aug

2026

PRESS RELEASE

Mike Rush Fails to Show at Forum

State Senate Candidate Persis Yu and Congressional Candidate Patrick Roath Speak with Voters at Dedham and Westwood Democratic Town Committees Forum

August 27, 2026 | Hyde Park, MA — Tonight, State Senate candidate Persis Yu participated in a forum hosted by the Dedham and Westwood Democratic Town Committees at Dedham Middle School. Long-time Senator Mike Rush, who was scheduled to take part in the forum and had selected the date, bowed out at the last minute. Rush has not held a town hall meeting in the district in years, and has not faced a challenger in more than a decade.

“I am disappointed that Senator Rush decided not to join tonight’s forum to share his ideas with voters. You deserve to know where your elected officials stand on the issues that affect your everyday lives,” said State Senate candidate Persis Yu.

“I am running because this is a moment for change. As your state senator, I will show up for you in the state house and in our community, and be a champion for affordability, transparency, and democracy.”

On June 1, 2026, Persis challenged Rush to a series of debates, noting that candidates have an obligation to educate and inform the people of the district about their positions on the issues that affect their everyday lives. Persis believes that robust and informed engagement is critical to a vibrant and healthy democracy so that voters can learn the candidates’ positions on critical issues like affordability, transparency, reproductive rights, and other issues that affect their everyday lives. On August 13, Persis held a town hall on affordability in West Roxbury. Rush was invited to attend but did not appear.

Background:

Persis launched her campaign for the Massachusetts State Senate seat representing Norfolk and Suffolk in October 2025. As a State Senator, Persis pledges to fight for the families in Boston, Dedham, Norwood, Walpole, and Westwood to build a fair economy where families—not billionaires—come first.

Across her decades-long career as a social worker and attorney standing up for the most vulnerable people in Massachusetts and across the country, Persis has sued big banks, tech companies, debt collectors, airlines, and the Trump Administration on behalf of families, workers, and labor unions. Her advocacy on behalf of people with student debt led President Biden to deliver more than $200 billion in debt relief to 5 million people across the country—including nearly $3 billion dollars in debt relief to nearly 70,000 people in Massachusetts.

Persis has been endorsed by the Massachusetts Teachers Association, United Auto Workers, Planned Parenthood Advocacy Fund of Massachusetts, Reproductive Equity Now, Sierra Club, Mass Alliance, Progressive Massachusetts, Mass Equality, Progressive West Roxbury/Roslindale, JP Progressives, the Neponset Valley Progressives, Our Revolution Massachusetts, Norwood for All, and the New England Chinese American Alliance, along with a slate of local elected officials from the towns in the district.

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