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By Jessica Valeriani, Andover Townsman (Excerpt)
In 2017, Tram started to consider running for state representative.
She put together her committee in December 2017 and has taken a leave of absence from work, starting in April 2018, to campaign full-time.
“I stand polar opposite of my opponent,” she said of her opponent, Republican incumbent state Rep. Jim Lyons, also of Andover.
Through her work, Tram said she has pushed for bills that benefit her clients and the Commonwealth, two of those being paid family medical leave and earned income tax credit, which were signed into law in 2017 and the past session in 2018.
“The current state representative has been in office since 2018, for eight years now, and has not passed a single bill at the Statehouse,” she said.
Tram said her experience has allowed her to understand how to get things done at the state level.
Her inability as a constituent to meet with the current state representative also influenced her decision to run.
“As a representative you’re supposed to represent the people, but how can you do that if you’re not meeting with the people?” she asked.
Her position as a legal aid attorney has provided her a lot of leverage for the position.
“Frankly, I’m not a politician,” she said. “As an advocate, I have a lot of skill set coming into this position. The job of a representative is to meet with people, talk to them about their issues and find real solutions, and that is exactly what I’ve been doing.”