Joe Tache, a Boston-based organizer with the Party for Socialism and Liberation, has entered the 2026 U.S. Senate race in Massachusetts. He is running for the seat currently held by Democrat Ed Markey as part of an effort to promote socialism in the state and establish a working-class movement.
Tache announced his candidacy on October 8 in an Instagram video later reshared by the national Party for Socialism and Liberation. In the video, he outlined concerns over inequality, housing, and the cost of living as some of his key motivations for running, while criticizing both the Trump administration and the Democratic Party for contributing to the challenges facing Massachusetts.
“Donald Trump is attacking our rights from every direction, but these problems started long before Trump,” Tache said. “In Massachusetts, we’ve been a ‘blue state’ for almost a century. What do we have to show for it?”
He pointed to police brutality, deteriorating infrastructure, economic frustrations, and “healthcare deserts” as evidence of systemic failure, though he argued such problems could still be addressed through major institutional change. “We don’t need more politicians who will make deals with the far right,” he said. “We need a new system. Capitalism is a national emergency. The solution is socialism.”
According to his campaign biography, Tache has organized in Massachusetts for more than a decade, first becoming active while attending Northeastern University. He attributes his political awakening to the 2014 police killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, which he said shaped his views on justice and inequality. His work has included organizing for labor rights and affordable housing access, as well as supporting international solidarity movements tied to Palestine.
Tache later joined the Party for Socialism and Liberation in 2018, organizing campaigns focused on police accountability, anti-war activism, and housing policy. His efforts also included expanding the party’s presence in major Massachusetts cities such as Amherst, Lowell, Springfield, and Worcester.
On his campaign site, Tache states that his platform was “written with Massachusetts in mind” and built around reorganizing the economy to meet human needs. It includes seizing the top 100 corporations and converting them to public property, implementing large-scale climate initiatives, nationalizing major industries, and expanding protections for women, Black, and LGBTQ+ communities.
To appear on the 2026 general election ballot as an unenrolled candidate, Tache’s campaign must collect at least 10,000 valid signatures from registered voters. He has not indicated what affiliation he will use on the ballot if he qualifies, as the Party for Socialism and Liberation is not currently a recognized political designation. The deadline for submitting nomination papers is not until early August 2026.
Better than Markey-mark, at least he is HONEST about his political beliefs… Absent other more palatable candidates, I’ll vote for him if only on the grounds of voting against any but really good incumbents…
ART