After two decades living in Marblehead, and two years serving as the state Representative of the 8th Essex District, Jenny Armini sat on her back patio to reflect on her journey into public service. She described decades of “doing the work” to improve lives through public policy, and looking for opportunities to serve her community in new ways.
Growing up in Brooklyn, Armini was always interested in current events. Although she never saw herself as a politician, she had ambitions to be a journalist from a very young age. As young as 6 or 7, she would often spend three or more hours watching the evening news every night — even taking notes.
“I was a very precocious child,” recalled Armini. “I would just sit there with my notebook taking notes for hours.”
After she attended the University of Virginia, Armini decided to go to Washington at age 22 with hopes of getting a job in politics.
“I packed a suitcase and a little bit of money, and I took a train down to Washington,” she recalled. “I had a stack of resumes and I went from office to office in the House and Senate and met people, gave out my resume and wrote thank you notes. After two weeks I landed my first job.”
Armini started working on Capitol Hill as a staffer for a congressman from her home state of New Jersey, and immediately developed a passion for public policy.
“When I worked on Capitol Hill, I really learned the impact you can have on people through public policy,” she said. “From that moment forward, I focused on legislation.”
Armini kept working with legislators on Capitol Hill. She eventually met her husband, Michael, while working for then Rep. Peter Torkildson. He introduced them to the town of Marblehead.
After moving to Massachusetts in 1997, Armini started working at Beacon Hill as a legislative analyst. Then she attended the Harvard Kennedy School, winning a Public Service Fellowship and working as an academic advisor while living in Harvard Square.
In the wake of the September 11 attacks, Armini worked as the chief speech writer for Gov. Jane Swift, trying to guide the state through a period of great turbulence and mourning. She showed a picture she had framed in her office of the governor reading her speech at the National Day of Prayer a few days after 9/11.
CURRENT PHOTOS / GREY COLLINS
”We all had to focus on making sure the Commonwealth survived the traumas and the challenges of the attack,” said Armini.
Soon after, Armini and Michael moved to Marblehead to raise their two children, buying a house in the historic district near Redd’s Pond. They were drawn by our town’s beauty, close knit community and rich history.
“Marblehead is an incredible place to raise a family,” said Armini. “It’s so community oriented, it’s so full of history and beautiful places, activity and spirit. It has such a positive and uplifting spirit.”
Armini continued to write speeches from her home office while raising her kids and spending more time in the community. But she became more involved in local Marblehead politics when she was inspired by the town’s progressive community, and wanted to bring their enthusiasm to the national stage. In 2018, she co-founded ElectBlue, a local organization for Marbleheaders to support the campaigns of Democrats running for the U.S. House and Senate. It was a huge success.
“We thought it was just going to be 10 people in my living room, and it actually turned out to be around 75 people,” said Armini. “We had to move to St. Michael’s parish hall. We would get together every month to talk about different races, write checks, pool our money and send it off.”
In 2022, Armini decided to throw her hat in the ring and run in the Democratic primary for the 8th Essex District representative seat.
After years of working on campaigns for other candidates, it was surreal for Armini to actually be the candidate running for elected office. But she believed that she could have a real impact on the community through state legislation, so she worked hard to get elected.
“It was very strange,” said Armini. “But I saw an opportunity to serve in a different way. And when you believe in something, when you have a mission, you have a goal, you do the work. And I’m all about the work.”
It was a crowded Democratic primary, with six candidates competing to represent Marblehead, Swampscott and Lynn in the most competitive race in the state.
“My mindset was to leave it all on the field,” said Armini “Meaning talk to as many people as I could with a positive message grounded in deep community engagement. My goal was to have no regrets, regardless of the outcome.”
After a long campaign, her friends and family crowded into Armini’s living room and anxiously awaited the outcome of the race. They counted votes all evening, waiting for a decision.
“When the numbers added up, my husband popped Champagne. My daughter burst into tears,” recalled Armini. “The next day, I was back in the community, but with a new mission of going deeper into the needs and issues that were raised during the campaign.”
She added: “Everytime I go into the State House I feel this wonderful connection because Marblehead has played such an important role in the Commonwealth’s history. It’s such a special place, and you can’t lose sight of that, but you also can’t be confined by it. You want to be forward thinking.”
Last session, Armini helped pass a bill giving universal free school meals to all public school students in the Commonwealth. Armini regards it as one of the proudest moments of her career so far.
“Kids can’t learn on an empty stomach,” said Armini. “Even in a place like Marblehead, school meals are the only meals that some kids get in the course of a day. Massachusetts is one of just a few states that made free lunches permanent, and I think that speaks to who we are as a state.”
During these times of political division, tension and uncertainty, Armini remains hopeful and confident in the will and strength of Americans and Marbleheaders.
“This country has been through many challenges,” she said. “This is the latest challenge, and I think if we stay focused on our values and our strengths then we will come out on the other side stronger and wiser.”
