Patricia D. Jehlen

Patricia D. Jehlen
Member of the Massachusetts Senate
from the 2nd Middlesex district
Incumbent
Assumed office
October 12, 2005
Preceded byCharles E. Shannon Jr.
Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
In office
1991–2003
Preceded byJoseph Mackey
Succeeded byDenise Provost
Constituency30th Middlesex (1991–2003)
27th Middlesex (2003–05)
Personal details
Born (1943-10-14) October 14, 1943
Austin, Texas
PartyDemocratic
EducationSwarthmore College
Harvard University
University of Massachusetts Boston

Patricia Deats Jehlen is an American former teacher and Democratic Party politician and former teacher who has represented the 2nd Middlesex district in the Massachusetts Senate since 2005. She announced in December 2025 she would not be running for re-election in 2026.[1] Her district includes the cities of Medford and Somerville, and parts of the city of Cambridge and the town of Winchester.[2] She previously served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1991 to 2003.[3]

Early life and education

She was born October 14, 1943, in Austin, Texas, the first child of Paul Deats, a Methodist minister, and Ruth, a community activist and Girl Scout leader. She has two younger sisters, Carolyn and Fran, and a younger brother, Randy. The family moved to Massachusetts in 1950, when Paul took a job at the Boston University School of Theology.[4]

Jehlen later attended Swarthmore College, receiving a B.A. in history, and Harvard University, completing a master's degree in teaching. She later received a second master's degree from the University of Massachusetts Boston, in history. She currently taught a course in Health Politics and Public Policy at the Boston University School of Public Health. Jehlen began her career as a secondary school history teacher.

Somerville School Committee

In 1976, Jehlen ran and was elected to the Somerville School Committee. She was on the school committee until 1991.

Massachusetts House of Representatives

Jehlen served from 1991 to 2005 in the Massachusetts House of Representatives.

Massachusetts Senate

The Massachusetts Senate seat for the 2nd Middlesex district became open on April 5, 2004, following the death of Senator Charlie Shannon. A special election was soon declared to fill his seat. Jehlen, whose state house district lay within the senate district vacated by Shannon, entered the race.[5][6] Jehlen staked out her position early as "the progressive", with the support of a plethora of unions and statewide and national progressive organizations, including MassEquality, SEIU, and Democracy for America. Although the race was considered wide open, with expectations that any of the four candidates could win, Jehlen won a substantial victory in the August 30th primary:[7][8]

  • 38% Pat Jehlen
  • 27% Joe Mackey
  • 22% Michael Callahan
  • 13% Paul Casey

She went on to defeat Republican candidate William White, Somerville alderman-at-large, in the general election on September 27, 2005, and was sworn in by Governor Mitt Romney on October 12.[9]

In the Massachusetts gubernatorial election, 2014, Jehlen endorsed Don Berwick for Governor of Massachusetts[10]

In the Democratic Party presidential primaries, 2016, Jehlen endorsed Bernie Sanders.

In the 2016 democratic primary, Jehlen won against Leland Cheung, 80% to 20%

In 2025, Jehlen opposed construction of a two-building dorm at 401 Boston Ave. to house nearly 700 Tufts upperclassmen.[11]

Jehlen announced her retirement in December 2025, stating "But I’ve been in the Senate for 20 years, and it’s time to move on. I won’t be running for re-election next year."[1]

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 Gross, Samantha (10 December 2025). "'It's time to move on': Longtime Somerville state senator says she won't run for reelection". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 28 August 2026.
  2. ↑ "Senator Patricia D. Jehlen". malegislature.gov. Retrieved 2024-02-27.
  3. ↑ "Patricia D. Jehlen". The General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
  4. ↑ "About | Pat Jehlen". Archived from the original on 2015-07-16. Retrieved 2015-07-15.
  5. ↑ "From victories to political turmoil, 2005 left its mark - Woburn, MA - Woburn Advocate". Archived from the original on 2012-11-08. Retrieved 2010-03-20.
  6. ↑ Ebbert, Stephanie (August 27, 2005). "Four Democrats vie for open Senate seat". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on July 24, 2008.
  7. ↑ "Blue Mass Group | Money talks part II". Retrieved 2025-01-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  8. ↑ "Jehlen tops Democratic state Senate primary". The Boston Globe. August 31, 2005.
  9. ↑ "A new senator Archived 2012-11-05 at the Wayback Machine." The Boston Globe. October 13, 2005.
  10. ↑ Shira Schoenberg (June 10, 2014). "Massachusetts House Majority Leader Ronald Mariano endorses Juliette Kayyem for governor". MassLive Politics. Retrieved August 18, 2014.
  11. ↑ "New Boston Avenue dorm faces growing opposition, final decision on site plan postponed". The Tufts Daily. Retrieved 2025-01-24.
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