WESTFORD CENTER — As the Nov. 3 election quickly approaches, voters in the Worcester and Middlesex Senate District will decide whether to reelect Democratic state Sen. John Cronin or elect independent challenger Ming Zhang, a Westford resident and business owner, to represent the district.
WestfordCAT recently interviewed both candidates ahead of Election Day, where they discussed why they are running for the seat and shared their different approaches to several issues affecting communities across the district, including the rising cost of living and government transparency.
Why they’re running
Cronin, who was first elected to the Massachusetts Senate in 2020, is seeking a fourth term. He said his work with state Rep. Jim Arciero and local officials has focused on supporting communities through investments in housing, health care, education and economic development.
“I really believe that it is a state legislator’s job to reinforce and support the great work that people on the ground in communities like Westford are doing every day,” Cronin said.
He pointed to more than $4 million in state grants secured in recent months for housing and community development projects in Westford, which he said would help grow the town’s tax base and increase housing supply.
Cronin also serves as vice chair of the Senate Committee on Health Care Financing and chairs the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security.
Zhang, who is running as an unenrolled candidate, said he entered the race because he believed voters deserved an alternative to the incumbent.
“I entered this race knowing that it was going to be a tough race. It was going to be a narrow path to victory, but I did it anyway, because I believed that voters deserve a choice,” Zhang said.
Zhang said he also wants to bring greater attention to the Middlesex County communities within the district, including Westford, Groton, Ashby and Townsend.
He said some residents have felt overlooked by state officials and argued that the district’s representation should better reflect the needs of both its Worcester and Middlesex County communities.
Affordability and economic development
Both candidates identified the cost of living as a significant concern, although they outlined different approaches to addressing it.
Cronin discussed efforts to make health care more affordable, pointing to legislation passed by the Senate that would increase investment in primary care.
He said Massachusetts families and businesses are facing unsustainable health insurance costs and argued that improving access to preventive care could reduce more expensive emergency department visits.
Cronin also expressed concern about federal Medicaid cuts, saying they could result in at least 175,000 Massachusetts residents losing health insurance.
He warned that the reductions could place additional financial pressure on hospitals and the state budget, potentially affecting funding for municipalities, schools and other services.
“Nothing is going to be unaffected,” Cronin said, referring to the potential effects of reduced federal funding.
Zhang outlined a three-pronged economic development approach he described as “invest and grow,” focusing on workforce development, infrastructure and business growth.
He said workforce training programs should be measured against the skills employers need rather than simply increasing enrollment in classrooms. He also pointed to Nashoba Valley Technical High School as an example of an institution that could help prepare workers for available jobs.
Another major part of Zhang’s platform is the development of data centers and artificial intelligence infrastructure.
While acknowledging concerns about the facilities’ electricity and water consumption, Zhang said he believes data centers could bring economic opportunities to Massachusetts if developers are held responsible for the associated costs.
“Should the taxpayers pay for the data centers?,” Zhang said. “The answer is ‘no’. It’s the developers.”
He said developers should cover expenses associated with installation and utility use, while state officials should provide local governments with the information and regulations needed to evaluate potential projects.
Zhang also said business development could help communities increase their commercial tax bases and reduce pressure on residential property taxpayers.
Public safety and health care staffing
Both candidates were asked about the challenges facing first responders and health care workers, including staffing shortages and limited funding.
Cronin pointed to state efforts to address the strain on emergency services following the closure of Nashoba Valley Medical Center.
He said a new satellite emergency facility in Groton is expected to open in early 2027, potentially reducing emergency medical travel times for surrounding communities.
Cronin also highlighted more than $4 million in supplemental state funding directed to fire departments in the Nashoba Valley region to help cover increased personnel and overtime costs.
He said increasing local aid and expanding housing development could also help municipalities maintain police, fire and emergency medical services.
Zhang said he would work more closely with local officials to identify funding shortages and determine how state and local resources could help address them.
He also pointed to housing affordability as an issue connected to workforce recruitment, saying more housing opportunities could help young families establish themselves in Massachusetts and allow seniors to remain in their communities.
Zhang said he would prioritize maintaining funding for essential services, including police, fire departments and schools.
Government transparency
Government transparency was another issue raised with both candidates, particularly following ongoing disagreements between the Massachusetts Legislature and state Auditor Diana DiZoglio over access to legislative records.
Cronin said the Senate has complied with the auditor’s requests for information, pointing to a resolution passed May 28, 2026, and documents provided in response to her written requests.
He also highlighted publicly accessible committee hearings, legislative debates and voting records, along with an online Senate records portal that details expenditures, payroll and spending.
Cronin said he supports Question 1, a statewide ballot question concerning the expansion of public records requirements to include the Legislature and governor’s office.
“I think it’s going to codify a lot of the things that are already happening,” Cronin said.
Zhang also said he supports Question 1, describing transparency as a central issue in his campaign. He said both the Democratic and Republican parties recommended voting yes on the question, which he viewed as evidence of bipartisan support for greater public access to government.
However, Zhang criticized a House bill passed in June addressing the legislative audit, describing it as watered down. He said the measure would allow legislators to provide receipts but would not give DiZoglio the independent authority to determine whether those records could be audited.
Zhang also expressed disappointment with a similar Senate resolution, saying he believed it did not provide the level of independent oversight needed. He said he contacted DiZoglio about the issue and spoke with her by phone the following day.
Zhang said he believes independent oversight by auditors and attorneys general is an important part of the separation of powers and can help identify and prevent corruption.
He also said his experience contacting elected officials during the campaign reinforced his concerns about accessibility in state government. Zhang estimated that about 90% of the local officials he contacted responded to him, compared with roughly 10% of state officials.
He described instances in which he said state officials were reluctant to engage with him because he was challenging an incumbent from their party. Zhang said he believes political disagreements should not prevent elected officials from communicating with candidates or residents.
“If I were elected, then that’s something that I would like to do to set up the office hours to talk to the residents,” Zhang said. He said he wants to make sure residents have opportunities to be heard, rather than limiting communication to local leaders and fellow lawmakers.
Zhang also proposed increasing compensation for elected officials as one possible way to reduce conflicts of interest and encourage more people to pursue public service. He pointed to Singapore as an example of a country where government officials receive comparatively high compensation, while acknowledging that higher salaries alone would not eliminate corruption.
He said he believes adequate compensation could allow elected officials to focus more fully on public service and could encourage greater competition for elected positions.
Immigration and federal-state relations
Zhang was also asked about immigration enforcement and the relationship between Massachusetts and the federal government.
He said immigration has been fundamental to the country’s history and that he would not support policies that alienate immigrant communities.
Zhang expressed concern about federal immigration enforcement practices and said he wants to ensure that Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers are properly trained and that enforcement focuses on serious criminal offenders.
At the same time, he said he supports securing the nation’s borders, arguing that border security and welcoming legal immigrants are not mutually exclusive.
He also described his position as one that would allow him to work across party lines as an unenrolled candidate.
Election Day
Voters in the Worcester and Middlesex Senate District will choose between Cronin and Zhang on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
The district includes Westford, Groton, Ashby, Townsend and Shirley in Middlesex County, as well as Fitchburg, Leominster, Clinton, Lancaster and Lunenburg in Worcester County.
More information about the candidates and their campaigns is available through their respective campaign websites.
Editor’s note: WestfordCAT interviewed both candidates separately. Some questions were shared, while others were tailored to address issues specific to each candidate’s campaign. Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
