Dylan Fernandes
Member of the
Massachusetts House of Representatives
from the Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket district
Assumed office
January 4, 2017
Preceded byTimothy Madden
Personal details
Political partyDemocratic
Alma materCollege of Charleston, American University, Harvard Kennedy School
CommitteesVice Chair, Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts, and Cultural Development
Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy
House Committee on Ways and Means
Joint Committee on Global Warming and Climate Change

Dylan A. Fernandes is a State Representative[1] currently serving in the Massachusetts House representing Martha's Vineyard, the Elizabeth Islands, four precincts of Falmouth, and Nantucket. He has been serving since 2017 and is a member of the Democratic Party.

Born in Falmouth, Massachusetts Fernandes graduated from College of Charleston in 2013. He then served as Maura Healey's political director on her campaign for Attorney General in Massachusetts in 2014.[2] After the election, he worked in the Massachusetts Attorney General's office in civil rights where he worked on cases combatting discrimination.[3][4] He ran for office in 2016 in a five-way primary and won by 13 percentage points and then faced a three-way general election which he also won by 13 percentage points.[5]

Early life

Fernandes is a fourth-generation resident of Falmouth, Massachusetts, and grew up in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. He is the son of Tessa Lineaweaver of Woods Hole who owns Flying Pig Pottery and of Mario Fernandes of Falmouth who owns a small landscaping company. Fernandes's paternal great grandparents came to Massachusetts from the Azores and Puerto Rico.[6] He is of Portuguese and Puerto Rican descent.

Other

Fernandes was accused of making sexist and homophobic statements as a teenager. He later apologized to a newspaper.[7][8]

Education

Fernandes first attended school at American University in Washington, D.C. He transferred to the College of Charleston and graduated there, earning a Bachelor of Science degree and majors in economics and political science. In 2022, he graduated with a Masters in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School.[9]

Career

In 2012, Fernandes worked on Senator Elizabeths Warren's campaign in his native Cape Cod region. Fernandes served as political director for Maura Healey, Attorney General of Massachusetts in 2014. He then went on to work as digital director in the Attorneys' General office. His work there included founding pro-LGBT rights events and women's rights. He also founded the 'Everyone Welcome' campaign to support the bill for transgender rights.

In 2017, Fernandes made his maiden speech on combatting climate change and compelled the House of Representatives to vote for his bill signing Massachusetts onto the Paris Climate Agreement. The bill passed 146-10.[10]

2016 State Representative election

In 2016, Fernandes ran for the Massachusetts House representing precincts 1, 2, 5 and 6, of Falmouth, in Barnstable County; Chilmark, Edgartown, Aquinnah, Gosnold, Oak Bluffs, Tisbury and West Tisbury, all in Dukes County; Nantucket, Nantucket County. Fernandes was endorsed by democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren.[11] He was elected on November 8, 2016, running only against independents.

Electoral history

Source[12]

2016 Democratic Primary
Party Candidate Vote Percent Votes
Democrat Dylan Fernandes (won) 48.40% 3,385
Democrat T. Ewell Hopkins, Jr. 35.09% 2,454
Democrat Micheal G. Heylin 7.15% 500
Democrat Timothy M. Soverino 5.13% 359
Democrat Jessica G. Lambert 4.23% 296
2016 State Representative Seat
Party Candidate Vote Percent Votes
Democrat Dylan Fernandes (won) 51.71% 13,030
Independent Tobias Glidden 38.10% 9,601
Independent Jacob Ferry 10.18% 2,566

See also

References

  1. "Rep. Dylan Fernandes Highlights Recovery Legislation - CapeCodToday.com". www.capecodtoday.com. Retrieved 2018-03-15.
  2. "Meet Dylan". Dylan Fernandes. Retrieved 2018-03-16.
  3. "Worcester-Based Convenience Store Chain Agrees to Pay Up to $25,000". Attorney General of Massachusetts. 2016-01-04. Retrieved 2018-03-16.
  4. "Meet Dylan". Dylan Fernandes. Retrieved 2018-03-17.
  5. "Dylan A. Fernandes - Ballotpedia". Retrieved 2018-03-17.
  6. "New Kid in the House". Mvmagazine.com. 1 December 2017. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  7. Spillane, Geoff. "Fernandes apologizes for past Facebook posts". Capecodtimes.com. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  8. Spillane, Geoff. "Fernandes apologizes for past Facebook posts". Capecodtimes.com. Retrieved 2018-03-15.
  9. "Dylan Fernandes – Rappaport". Phyllis & Jerome Lyle Rappaport Foundation. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
  10. Spillane, Geoff. "Big week for Fernandes at Statehouse". capecodtimes.com. Retrieved 2018-03-17.
  11. "Meet Dylan". Dylan Fernandes. Retrieved 2017-04-13.
  12. "Dylan A. Fernandes - Ballotpedia". Retrieved 2017-04-13.
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