September 1, 2026, primary election day. With only Democrats running for Suffolk County District Attorney, the race will be over in September rather than in November. We have a choice to make this year, and unlike most seats that are up for reelection, District Attorney Kevin Hayden is being challenged seemingly from his left (Rachael Rollins) and his right (Linda Champion).
I have been an attorney in Massachusetts for 20 years this November. Today, I serve as the state senator for Boston, Revere and Winthrop (three of the four towns in Suffolk County). I am also Senate Chair of the Judiciary Committee and now as the legislative session has come to an end, I am serving as a bar advocate (criminal defense attorney) for people that cannot afford private attorneys. Finally, I am an adjunct law professor at Suffolk Law School and in my spare time I am a Judge Advocate General (military attorney) in the Massachusetts Army National Guard.
I want to first acknowledge that I have endorsed both Rollins (2018) and Hayden (2022) for District Attorney of Suffolk County. I have written op eds about both acknowledging their work and dedication to the people of Suffolk County. I have excitedly defended them both and enjoyed their endorsements and support. I even wrote a letter of support for Rollins’ appointment to be U.S. Attorney. I know them both personally and professionally. I have spoken to Ms. Champion less so but did meet with her while she was running for District Attorney in 2018.
I lead with all the above background experience and political decisions to state, unequivocally, that District Attorney Kevin Hayden should be resoundingly re-elected. It is not just politics for me, it is my profession and it is personal.
Let’s talk about his qualifications. Kevin has dedicated decades of his life to community representation. He worked his way up from a young Assistant District Attorney to his appointment as District Attorney. It’s true, he didn’t run initially for this office – Governor Baker had to find a qualified public servant to replace then District Attorney Rollins when Rollins left to become the U.S. Attorney. Since starting his position as DA, Kevin has proven publicly what so many people know of him personally: he just wants to do the work. He is not flashy. You won’t find him tweeting tirades, he doesn’t come with the quick comebacks and he doesn’t play politics.
That is why we need him. If there is anything we are growing tired of its prosecution and advocacy by clicks and social media. The real work doesn’t happen on screen most of the time – it’s in the moments of crisis, it’s holding the surviving loved ones, it’s praying for the safe return
of people who are missing, it’s house calls. Kevin does all of that. Kevin genuinely leads with his heart and most of that work is unseen.
It’s easy to judge a district attorney, or abandon one, when you don’t like the decisions they make. To bring charges against a police officer (who is innocent until proven guilty) was a difficult decision that only a district attorney can make with discernment. While some may like or may not like the decision, I don’t think there is one person that can say Kevin did it due to politics or to curry favor with the police. I would argue the same when it comes to his choice to prosecute crimes that Rollins chose to ignore. He isn’t making political decisions. He is making prosecutorial ones based on what is best for public trust and public safety.
That’s what I want in my district attorney – to just do the job – and we are getting more than that with Kevin. He has creatively approached public safety and continued programs that worked to keep people out of jail and communities safe. Fundamentally, Kevin is a man of deep faith and believes that people deserve a second chance. He supported eviction record sealing knowing that housing stability was fundamental to recovery and recovery was fundamental to staying out of jail. Kevin expanded the Services Over Sentencing program with $400,000 of seized drug money because “traditional court involvement is not the answer for many of the vulnerable individuals in the center or fringes of Mass and Cass. We need to present alternative solutions that identify and address the issues that brought them there in the first place…, and… money seized from drug-related convictions is a fitting method to fund it.”
Another example is Hayden’s new initiative for young adults. While Beacon Hill is deciding whether to raise the age for court involved youth to 18 years for Juvenile Court, Hayden already piloted a program. Hayden’s Emerging Adult Program follows science and creates “diversionary pathways to prosecution for emerging adults, (18-25 years old) connecting them with established non-profit organizations like ROCA to create individualized service plans in conjunction with an ongoing criminal case. The program is in 4 phases and can last 6 to 18 months during which participants meet with wrap-around services, are held accountable for their mistakes and hopefully graduate with a clean record. That is justice centered prosecution. It is also community focused accountability that allows the young person to earn a new beginning and the community to heal.
My final example (though there are many more) of Hayden’s justice centered prosecution is his recent support and contributions to the Protect Act. This new law protects court houses, schools, and hospitals from ICE (Immigration Enforcement). For District Attorney Hayden that means prosecutions of defendants won’t be interrupted by federal agents. It means victims and witnesses will come to court and testify without fear of being detained. It means people will report crimes to the police keeping us all safer. Hayden was also a leader in ensuring U and T visa (special visas for human trafficking and domestic violence survivors) certification reforms were practical and included in the Protect Act. The process will be faster, more consistent and the reforms have been lauded by non-profits dedicated to ending sexual exploitation and abuse.
Finally, I want to say Kevin, unlike his predecessor, has the immense respect of his fellow district attorneys. Kevin was elected by his peers to lead the Massachusetts Association of
District Attorneys. In that role Kevin leads monthly meetings about criminal justice reforms policies and trends. He is a statewide leader and voice for all justice-minded prosecutors.
There is a long list of why Kevin’s opponents are not the kind district attorneys we need. Both have continued distracting controversies. Rollins displays hers on a daily basis on social media. Champion, in a demonstration of thin-skinned vindictiveness, recently filed a lawsuit against the Globe for $50,000 because she was “defamed” by a Globe story discussing where she lived. And, yes, Hayden was fined for campaign missteps while running for district attorney. But the difference between Hayden and his opponents is that he paid the fine and it no longer serves as distraction. He also has not made the mistake again. Essentially, the “buck” and the controversy stopped with him.
In conclusion, I am asking you, the voters of Suffolk County, to vote for Kevin Hayden on September 1. If what I described above is new to you, it’s because Kevin was focused on the work and not on politics or marketing. Kevin is a public servant that has earned your trust and your vote.
Lydia Edwards is the State Senator to the Third Suffolk District of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.