REVERE — Revere resident Juan Jaramillo has announced his run for state representative to succeed former House Speaker Robert DeLeo in the 19th Suffolk District.
According to representatives for Jaramillo’s campaign, the former budget director for state Sen. Joseph Boncore has already raised $20,000 toward campaign efforts.
“I will come to the House of Representatives with years of experience,” Jaramillo said in a statement. “As a statehouse budget director, I helped secure millions of dollars for housing, public transportation, and health care for the residents of Revere and Winthrop. I am rolling up my sleeves and running for state representative to put that experience to work for the residents of this district.”
Jaramillo, an immigrant, came to the United States with his parents in 2000 to escape violence in his family’s home country of Colombia.
As a child, his parents worked 80-hour weeks as janitors to provide for the family, and Jaramillo eventually joined them, cleaning intensive care unit (ICU) beds at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston to help pay his way through college.
“When we came to America, Revere welcomed my family with open arms,” the University of Massachusetts Boston graduate said. “My parents worked countless hours, but despite that, they instilled in me the value of public service.
“Because of their sacrifices, I was able to go from cleaning ICU beds to interning with Speaker DeLeo to serving as budget director for Senator Joe Boncore.”
Jaramillo is already receiving support from residents of Revere and Winthrop.
Paula Restrepo, an ICU nurse and Winthrop resident who once worked alongside the candidate at Mass General, said she is supporting the candidate because she feels Jaramillo will work hard to deliver for her as a state representative.
“During the Boston Marathon bombing, Juan was an integral part of our healthcare team,” Restrepo said. “No one worked harder to ensure that frontline workers like me had all the resources and cleanliness necessary to provide quality care for victims.”
Acquaintance and fellow Revere resident Ed Deveau added, “Juan has always been grounded in his pursuit to do what he can to make Revere a better place for all its residents.
“His experience at the Statehouse … and his ability to connect with and understand the needs of all people within his district are why he is the candidate I’m supporting in the upcoming primary.”
Since high school, Jaramillo has served as a youth mentor through the “Big Brother Big Sister” program. He has also worked as a director for “Revere Youth in Action,” a program formed to protect and promote educational, cultural, and socio-political rights of Revere’s young adults.
“I’ve always been successful in what I do because my community always has my back,” Jaramillo told The Item. “My community has invested so much in me and given me the skills to deliver for Winthrop and Revere. It’s time for me to give back.
“We need a proven leader that knows how to deliver for the constituency to step up to the plate.”
Currently, Jaramillo mentors youth as a Pop Warner football coach, while also working as a political coordinator at Service Employees International Union, which represents frontline union workers fighting COVID-19.
“I know that together, we can recover from COVID-19 and ensure that we continue to have the strong leadership that Winthrop and Revere deserve,” Jaramillo said.
DeLeo, the longest-serving speaker in state history, resigned late last month after a nearly 12-year tenure. A special election to fill his vacated seat will be held on March 30. Primaries will be held on March 2.
Elyse Carmosino can be reached at [email protected].
