New PAC Aims to Support Candidates Before, During, and After Elections

A new Political Action Committee is coming to the North Shore and Middlesex North region to help support local candidates running for office.

Jamie Zahlaway Belsito, a former Massachusetts State Representative, established The North Shore/Middlesex North PAC, which is planned to support the campaigns of different Democratic-aligned candidates throughout the North Shore area, in August of this year. 

Alongside Belsito is her inaugural board, comprised of Chair Megan Sweeney from Marblehead, Vice Chair Keith Sonia from Beverly, Secretary Jill El-Ashkar from Salem, Treasurer Micheal Lis from North Andover, Officer Adam Campbell-Schwartz from Swampscott and Officer Rosalyn Minassian from Burlington.

The PAC’s goal, said chair Megan Sweeney – who also founded PowerUP, a coalition created to encourage community engagement within local government – is to provide support for community members and “promote inclusive representation.” She added, “Hopefully we strengthen local democracy through our strategic endorsements, candidate donations, and public education.”

Unique among PACs in the state, the North Shore/Middlesex North PAC isn’t affiliated with a state-level party or a specific demographic group. Sweeney said that the PAC aims to help support, mentor, and elect “real, authentic, community-minded leaders, and not necessarily politicians.”

Sweeney said that when working with first-time candidates, the PAC will provide guidance and strategies throughout the campaign trail to help reach the community effectively. Whether that is door-to-door knocking, a forum, or meet-and-greet events, Sweeney said the PAC will support candidates with their experience, support, and “a framework for how to be strategic when you start.” 

Following elections, the PAC will work with candidates to construct a “phase two” that offers candidates support while in office. “We don’t want to just leave you high and dry once you’re elected,” Sweeney said.

The North Shore PAC has already worked through some preliminaries, said Sweeney, and has started to endorse candidates for the upcoming November elections. Some candidates include Lydia King for Ward 5 City Council in Salem and Yamily Byas for the Salem School Committee. But their work is not limited to the North Shore. Said Sweeney, "If we are able to encourage, mentor, and support leaders from outside of [Essex County and Middlesex North], and our principles, values, and visions, align, then we are pen to those as well."

Now, said Sweeney, the focus is setting up candidates for their campaign trails, keeping community members informed and engaged, and “keeping momentum going, checking in with the voters, and making sure that they’ve got a plan to vote.”

As the North Shore/Middlesex North PAC gears up for a busy time of year, Sweeney said she hopes the organization will create conversation for teamwork and change while giving the community a space where they feel comfortable to get involved and speak up for what they believe in.  

“It’s really important to just keep inviting people into the conversation because the more they stay connected, even if it’s in the beginning, just sort of listening and staying in the background,” said Sweeney, “the more people see opportunities for their voices to be heard.”