Paul Ruseau, wearing a blue hoodie, sitting at a restaurant table with folded arms, in a cozy indoor setting with wall art and lighting fixtures in the background.

Meet paul

Medford is home. This community is why I'm running.

I've lived in the Medford-Somerville area for more than two decades — first in Somerville, and for the past 21 years in Medford, where I live with my husband Bob and our two kids, Nev and Matthew.

By day I'm a software engineer at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, where my work supports the technology behind life-saving cancer research. For the past 9 years I've also served on the Medford School Committee — five terms fighting for students, educators, and families in this community.

But where I come from shapes everything about why I'm running.

I grew up experiencing homelessness and food insecurity — without access to medical, dental, or mental healthcare. Those experiences taught me what government should be: a force that protects the most vulnerable and makes sure everyone has a stable home, enough to eat, and a real shot at a good life.

That's what I'm fighting for at the State House.

Group of five people smiling outdoors in front of a yellow fire hydrant, with a school building and parked cars in the background.

Why I'm running

There are a lot of people who care about housing, healthcare, and education. There aren't many who have lived without all three who are writing our laws.

In 9 years on the Medford School Committee, I helped transform our schools — from teacher compensation to how we show up for the most vulnerable kids. I know how to get things done in government, and I know what it costs when government fails.

The 34th Middlesex deserves a representative who doesn't need to imagine what these issues feel like — someone who has been there, who has delivered real results, and who will fight at the State House with that urgency every single day.

That's why I'm running.

A family of five stands on a football field during sunset, smiling at the camera. The group includes a woman in a black dress with a slit, a man in a blue shirt and jeans, an older man in a light shirt with rolled-up sleeves holding a cap and clipboard, and two young men with glasses, one in a blazer and the other in a dress shirt.

What I believe

Government should be a floor, not a lottery. That means:

Housing stability. Everyone deserves a safe, stable place to call home. Housing policy should reflect that — not protect the interests of speculators at the expense of working families.

Healthcare access. Medical, dental, and mental healthcare aren't luxuries. They're the foundation everything else is built on. I'll fight to make sure every resident can access them.

Education funding. Schools should be the great equalizer — fully funded, fully staffed, and ready to meet every kid where they are.

Economic fairness. Working families in Medford and Somerville are being squeezed. I'll push for policies that put money back in their pockets and opportunity within reach.