Eric Lesser

Early life, family and education

Lesser grew up in Longmeadow, Massachusetts, and graduated from Longmeadow High School. Lesser was known as an advocate for public schools, working with students, parents, and teachers to increase school funding and improve education. He also worked for Congressman Richard Neal and Senator Ted Kennedy. Lesser was an active member of Sinai Temple, coordinating volunteer activities for high school students. He was also an active volunteer with the Longmeadow Democratic Town Committee.

Lesser’s father, Martin, is a family doctor in Holyoke, Massachusetts and a member of the Massachusetts National Guard. In 2010, he served a tour of duty in Iraq. Lesser’s mother, Joan, is a social worker in Holyoke.

After high school, Lesser received his bachelor's degree from Harvard College, where he majored in government. While in college, Lesser worked on the Deval Patrick gubernatorial campaign and led the Harvard College Democrats. Lesser also led a policy group on Congressional Redistricting Reform, and started a public policy research program at the Institute of Politics. Lesser was a student at Harvard Law School, where he was named of the “most impressive Harvard Law students” by Business Insider.

Obama presidential campaign

After college, Lesser joined Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign, helping stage events in New Hampshire. After the primary, Lesser was tapped to be the campaign’s “Ground Logistics Coordinator,” traveling with the candidate to 47 states, six countries, and over 200,000 miles. Commenting on his logistical prowess, President Obama said “Eric Lesser may be running a Fortune 500 company one day," adding "We are lucky to have such a smart and committed young man as part of our team." During the campaign, Lesser organized an impromptu Passover Seder during a campaign stop in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. At the Passover Seder, then-Senator Obama promised “Next year in the White House.”

White House aide

After the campaign, David Axelrod tapped Lesser to serve as his Special Assistant, working just steps from the Oval Office. Lesser was described as a “wunderkind” and a “West Wing mascot” during his time at the White House. Lesser also worked at the Council of Economic Advisers, the White House unit charged with offering the President objective economic advice.

White House Seder

Lesser is one of the chief organizers of an annual White House Passover Seder attended by President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, and their daughters – the first presidential Seder in American history. The seder is a reunion of the original group who met in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania during the 2008 campaign. Lesser brings handmade shmurah matzah from the Chabad-Lubavitch center in Springfield, MA. Over the years the Seder has grown in prominence. President Obama has discussed the Seder with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Sara Netanyahu gave the President a silver Seder plate to use in subsequent White House Seders. President Obama has spoken of the Seder in a speech before the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and in an address before the Israeli people.

State Senate

On February 3, 2014, The Republican newspaper reported that Lesser was considering a bid for the First Hampden & Hampshire seat in the Massachusetts State Senate, recently vacated by Sen. Gale Candaras. On February 18, 2014, Lesser announced his candidacy for Massachusetts State Senate. On September 9, Lesser won the Democratic primary in the race for state senate. On November 4, Lesser defeated Republican Debra Boronski and America First candidate Mike Franco to win the State Senate seat.

Introduction of high speed rail

Lesser is a leading advocate of a high-speed rail system to ease travel between Eastern and Western Massachusetts. He believes that a high speed rail line between Springfield and Boston would lead to an increase in employment and an overall boost to the economy in Western Massachusetts. In his first month in office, Senator Lesser filed a bill that would require a report of the costs and benefits of a high speed rail by August 1, 2015. The bill passed the Massachusetts State Senate unanimously in a 39-0 vote. It later passed the Massachusetts State House of Representatives, but was vetoed by Governor Charlie Baker. It was later revealed that Peter Picknelly, chief executive of Peter Pan Bus Lines (headquartered in Springfield, Massachusetts), personally lobbied the governor, sending him an email urging Baker to reject the proposal. Picknelly is a Baker supporter and campaign donor; he donated $1,000 to Baker's election campaign and hosted a campaign fundraiser for him during the campaign.

Plan to end opioid abuse

Lesser is also a leading advocate in Massachusetts for a proportional response to the heroin epidemic that resulted in 185 deaths in the first four months of 2014. He created and published a four-point plan in May 2014 including concrete steps to address the problem of addiction. The plan includes the addition of more drug courts specializing in sending drug users to treatment instead of jail to Western Massachusetts, work to end dependence on prescription drugs through partnerships with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other organizations, investment in new treatments that have shown promise in decreasing withdrawal symptoms, and an increase in the availability of the drug Narcan, which can save lives by reversing the effects of a heroin overdose.

In January 2015, Lesser filed two bills regarding opioid abuse. Lesser's bills served as the blueprint for the plan ultimately adopted by the Massachusetts State Senate in its 2015 budget, which allocated $100,000 in state funds to buy doses of the drug Naloxone, commonly known as Narcan, which can reverse opiate overdoses. Later in 2015, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey announced a settlement with Amphastar Pharmaceuticals, Inc., the manufacturer of naloxone, in which Amphastar paid $325,000 into the state's bulk purchasing program. The state's fund spent $377,000 to buy 11,050 doses of naloxone and 8,750 applicators; as of November 30, 2016, 8,500 doses have been distributed to cities and towns in Massachusetts, saving local communities an estimated $186,000.

In January 2017, Massachusetts Public Health Commissioner Dr. Monica Bharel told the Public Health Council that 50,000 people in Massachusetts were now trained to administer Narcan, and more than "1,500 overdose rescue reports — each a life saved — were received in the first six months of 2016."

Four point plan for seniors

In May 2014, Lesser published an opinion piece in the Springfield Republican detailing a plan to support the increasing population of adults over 65 in Western Massachusetts. Lesser believes that in-home healthcare should be more affordable in order to allow seniors to stay in their homes as long as possible. His plan also includes two points regarding the physical and financial security of the elderly. Lesser wrote that the state should provide increased oversight of in-home healthcare agencies in order to reduce instances of elder abuse, and he supports the increased availability of computer and financial literacy education opportunities to decrease the number of seniors who fall victim to online and phone scams.

Reelection

Lesser launched his reelection bid in September 2016 after an uncontested Democratic primary. On November 8, 2016, Lesser defeated James "Chip" Harrington, earning 56 percent of the vote to Harrington's 44 percent. During the campaign, Lesser attracted a series of high-profile endorsements, including President Barack Obama; both U.S. Senators from Massachusetts, Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey; U.S. Representatives Richard Neal, Joe Kennedy III, and Seth Moulton; former Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis; and Springfield, Massachusetts mayor Domenic Sarno.

Lesser was sworn in for a second term in the Massachusetts State Senate on January 4, 2017.

Call to end the Electoral College

After Hillary Clinton won the popular vote but lost the 2016 presidential election because Donald Trump won more votes in the Electoral College, Lesser filed a resolution in the Massachusetts State Senate calling on the U.S. Congress to propose an amendment to abolish of the Electoral College. "It has now been twice in 16 years, and five times total in American history, that a president and vice president have been elected by winning a majority of the Electoral College, despite the fact that they lost the national popular vote," Lesser said in a statement. "Given the importance of empowering voters to believe every vote counts in a presidential election, the repeal of the Electoral College merits a thorough discussion and examination."

Consulting

Lesser has consulted with HBO on the television show Veep since 2012.

Personal life

Lesser married attorney Alison Silber on December 31, 2011. They have two daughters.