Haverhill Mayor James J. Fiorentini formally endorsed Dan Koh for Congress at an event downtown on July 18. (WHAV News photograph)
With less than two months to go until the primary election to choose Haverhill’s next congressional leader, Mayor James J. Fiorentini is making his ballot pick: Dan Koh.
On Wednesday morning, Fiorentini took part in a gathering at downtown’s Wicked Big Café to announce his endorsement of Koh, praising the freshman candidate’s willingness to keep urban developments and cities like Haverhill top of mind.
“Dan Koh, more than anyone else, understands the need to rebuild our infrastructure—to get America moving again: With better roads, highways, parking garages and airports. Dan understands the need to get America working and get better trade deals to bring jobs back to America,” Fiorentini enthused.
Koh and Fiorentini at downtown’s Wicked Big Cafe.
In a crowded Democratic field going into the fall primary, Koh is grateful Fiorentini handpicked him.
“When I first got involved in this race, I talked to people all across the district and said, ‘Who are the leaders in this district? Who are the people who are true public servants who have single-handedly transformed their community?’ One name came up over and over again and it was Mayor Jim Fiorentini,” Koh said. “Mayor Fiorentini has dedicated his life to making the city that he loves better. We need people in DC who know how important it is to have the relationships with the people doing the work every single day.”
One of the aspects of that work Koh’s anxious to dive into is the need for affordable housing in the 3rd District he hopes to represent.
To that end, the candidate has embarked on a tour to meet with local housing leaders and hear their concerns. In Haverhill, he planned to meet with members of the Merrimack Valley Project and Haverhill Housing Authority on Wednesday.
Koh told WHAV he’s sympathetic to the squeeze felt by residents struggling to make ends meet with rents on the rise.
“As Mayor Fiorentini says, you can’t govern from City Hall, so it’s important for us to be out there listening to people who are actually doing this, and what their concerns are,” Koh told WHAV. “I can only do that if I go to them.”
The congressional primary election takes place on Tuesday, Sept. 4.