Michelle Badger is running for the open House of Representatives seat in the 1st Plymouth district, which includes all of Plymouth except downtown and North Plymouth.
Badger, a Democrat, is chair of the Plymouth School Committee.
Badger is positioning herself as a defender of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, which have been under attack across the country.
“Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are at the core of who I am,” she says on her campaign website.
If elected, Badger also promises to advocate for veterans. According to her website, she would support a bill proposed by Governor Maura Healey to expand veterans’ benefits. Among other things, the bill would increase the annuity paid to disabled veterans, spouses, and Gold Star parents from $2,000 a year to $2,500. The bill has sat in the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs since November.
Badger faces two opponents in the Sept. 3 Democratic primary: retired Citibank executive Arthur Desloges and local businessman Scott Hokanson.
So far, only one candidate is running on the Republican side: Dee Wallace Spencer, a principal lecturer at Northeastern University.
The seat is open because the incumbent, Republican Mathew Muratore, is running for the state Senate.
Badger is vice president of institutional advancement at Massasoit Community College.
Fred Thys can be reached at fred@plymouthindependent.org