Here's why Taunton state Sen. Marc Pacheco said he's not running. What's next for him?

TAUNTON — Marc Pacheco may not be running for re-election to the 3^rd Bristol and Plymouth District, but the longest-serving member of the state Senate wants to make it clear he has no intention of retiring from politics and public service.

“I’ve had a longstanding career in public service. I truly love and enjoy it, and I want to continue it in some way,” the Taunton Democrat told the Taunton Daily Gazette in a telephone interview.

He said several factors went into his decision not to seek another term after more than 30 years in the state Senate.

The future of his seat

First, he said, he's concerned about securing the future of his seat for a Democrat.

“I know that, no matter what, I can’t do this forever,” he said, referring to holding onto the state Senate seat he has held since 1993.

Pacheco said a national election year is the best time for this change to happen as more people, historically, pay attention to politics in a presidential year.

“If you care about democracy in the nation, then you will want to participate in the upcoming election,” he said.

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He said he plans on working with the Democratic Party “beside whomever the nominee is to ensure we hold onto this seat in the Massachusetts Senate.”

In addition to Taunton, the district is made up of Berkley, Carver, Dighton, Marion, Middleboro, Raynham, Rehoboth, Seekonk and Wareham.

“It’s always been a challenging seat,” Pacheco said as it represents “a very diverse district” with “complex types of issues,” something his successor will need to understand.

Pacheco said he was able to maintain his seat for coming up on 32 years at the end of 2024 by keeping a focus on ensuring he was helping people with their “everyday” and “kitchen table issues.” An example he gave is always voting as a mainstream moderate when it came to fiscal issues, like tax policies and balancing budgets.

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Founding Transatlantic Climate Alliance

Environmental issues, such as dealing with climate change and further incorporation of clean, renewable energy into society, has been a priority focus for Pacheco for decades, whether, local, national or on a global scale.

"Such an important issue not only for the future of our Commonwealth but for our standing internationally,” he said in his Feb. 13 letter announcing his last term as state senator.

In his letter, he touted his involvement as a founding chair for the Senate Committee on Global Warming and Climate Change, his involvement in the passing of the Global Warming Solutions Act in 2008, as well as being a major proponent for wind energy for the Commonwealth, co-sponsoring legislation securing offshore wind projects, like Vineyard Wind and Mayflower Wind, as just a few examples.

Pacheco said he will be increasing his involvement with climate change and clean energy issues by being a founder of a new international group, the Transatlantic Climate Alliance, which he is currently working on getting designated as a nonprofit.

Through this new organization, he said one of the goals is to work with organizations like the European Union, United Nations and World Bank, “to educate legislators and leaders, public and private sectors, about best practices going on all over the world” on how to further incorporate sustainable energy sources and methods and further decrease dependence on fossil fuels.

Pacheco said he intends on having a special kickoff launch event for the Transatlantic Climate Alliance in May during a visit to the Azores.

Working to elect Biden

Pacheco also conveyed that for much of 2024 he wants to help more with the Democratic Party on a national level, particularly when it comes to the presidential election.

He said he is “very concerned about the preservation of democracy” and will be helping in any way he can with President Joseph Biden’s re-election campaign.

This is far from his first time to lend a hand in national campaigns.

He helped get Hillary Clinton's Taunton office off the ground during her unsuccessful bid for president in 2016. A longtime loyal ally of Clinton's, Pacheco was at the Democratic National Convention for the second time in eight years as a delegate for her presidential campaign.

Previously was in the running for BSU job and ambassador to Portugal

In his letter, Pacheco stated his decision to make this his last term as state senator “does not mean I'm closing the door on other existing or future electoral or appointed positions in public service.”

Pacheco told the Gazette he is “open to consider options at the state, federal, and local levels, under the right set of circumstances.”

While he didn’t want to express if there were any specific positions of interest to him, in the past, he has previously been in the running for a high-level post at Bridgewater State University.

There was also an unsuccessful push years ago to have him named ambassador to Portugal under President Barack Obama.

Said Pacheco: “We’ll see what happens.”

This article originally appeared on The Taunton Daily Gazette: Why Taunton state Sen. Marc Pacheco is not running for re-election