From the B400s to Beacon Hill, LS’s very own Ravi Simon (class of 2015) has officially announced his run for state representative of the 13th Middlesex District of Massachusetts (which includes parts of Sudbury, Concord, Marlborough, Wayland, and Lincoln). Simon graduated from Brandeis University and has spent the past 3 years on the Lincoln-Sudbury School Committee, hoping to provide a fresh perspective as a recent alumnus. He has attempted to do that through his work to negotiate a fair contract for teachers, ban phones in school, and increase transparency of the school board. I was honored to get the opportunity to speak with Mr. Simon last week and share what he would provide to the people of the 13th Middlesex district if elected.
How would Ravi Simon impact our lives here in the 13th Middlesex District?
Simon’s main focus areas span multiple issues, including affordability, climate, and education. An example of environmental causes that Simon cited was stopping the current project at the Hanscom Air Force base that would add seventeen new hangars for private jets, which would erase 80% of all the solar power ever generated in Massachusetts. Additionally, Simon hopes to lead Massachusetts to hit its reductions and get to net zero by 2050. A big issue that Simon provides a unique perspective on is affordability, as well as education, as a younger candidate who has gone through public schools and lives in this current housing crisis. Specifically, Simon aims to create tuition-free public higher education, wanting to make sure no person is experiencing crushing debt. Still, Simon’s number one priority as state representative – no matter the issue area – would be to “always be responsive, present in the community, and [to] help those who reach out.”
What is Simon’s view on national politics?
In a time of such fierce polarization and conflict involving the federal government, Mr. Simon referenced the counteraction to Trump’s policies, saying “the Trump administration, in my opinion, is pushing the country in a direction that is totally at odds with our values in Massachusetts and our way of life here.” The safeguards to the Trump administration include crucial protection of abortion and vaccine clinics, as well as stopping a National Guard deployment for non-emergency reasons, especially regarding immigration. While he wants to protect Massachusetts residents, he also acknowledged the lack of control that district politics have over national ones, saying, “There is often very little we can do to impact national politics.”
How is Simon’s perspective different from that of other representatives or candidates?
Simon is not like every representative on Beacon Hill. If elected, Simon would be the first representative of South Asian descent in the MA legislature, as well as significantly younger than most of the representatives who tend to skew towards older ages. He says, “When you are creating policy that is going to affect primarily young people, it is really important to have that perspective in the room…When we are talking about student debt, the housing crisis, climate change or protections for LGBTQ+ people, or any number of things, they affect everyone but disproportionately impact our generation.” With the housing crises specifically, Simon is 28 years old and, unlike many MA representatives, has not owned a house for 30 years. Simon says, “if I am elected as state representative, my rent in Sudbury would be over ⅓ of my income for what is probably the cheapest market rate one-bedroom apartment in Sudbury.”
Has Simon had experience in this governmental work prior to his campaign?
Serving as the sole staffer for current 13th District Representative Carmine Gentille, Simon has observed the ins and outs of the Massachusetts Legislature for the past five years. Now that Gentile has announced he is not seeking re-election, Simon is running to take his place for the election that is due to take place on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2026. When asked about the fast-paced environment of that role that he has held for years, he says, “The thing that is both challenging about the job and exciting about it to me is that dynamism.”
What is Simon’s piece of advice for current L-S students and those interested in government?
To any L-S student, regardless of their desired career path, Simon urged this generation to “understand government on the local, state, and federal levels, which shape so much about your lives. You don’t really understand how it works unless you kind of directly participate.” As a past member of the School Committee, even a handful of people reaching out has swayed how that body has thought about issues from Simon’s experience, and he encourages all students to try to have that impact. For any students reading this with aspirations to be in politics or government one day, Simon says: “Get involved on the local level, think about important issues, and really get involved.” “LS is such a special place,” Simon says, “and the world really does need LS graduates to go and fix it, so I am taking my own advice here and trying to do that.” In a spirited L-S fashion, Simon ended the interview with a classic “Go Warriors.”
