In the news
Recent articles:
https://www.thecricket.com/stories/gilbert-frieden,105116
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKQGVbih6-U&t=4s
Gloucester Daily Times Interview
In January 2026, Stephen Hagan asked me some questions. These are the answers I gave him:
Party affiliation?
Unenrolled. Massachusetts is a predominantly Democratic state, with Democratic leadership across state government. Voters should reasonably expect progress on the issues leaders campaign on. I agree with many Democratic priorities, but I believe action needs to match the rhetoric. As an unenrolled candidate, my vote can’t be taken for granted; it has to be earned.
What skills might you bring to the Massachusetts House seat?
I’m an accessible and effective communicator who listens first and shows up consistently. Too often, constituents feel shut out of the process, and I plan to change that. Representation includes fishermen, plow drivers, retirees, working parents, and small-business owners. I’m comfortable talking with people across the political spectrum and focused on practical solutions that actually help the district.
What would you like voters to know about you?
I bring a rare combination of financial expertise and hands-on community service. I understand the importance of long-term planning, and I’ve spent years working closely with seniors who are often overlooked but deeply impacted by policy decisions. In January,I was talking to an octogenarian about obtaining my Certified Financial Planner® certification in 2010, and we discussed that in finance, short-term thinking focuses on the next quarter’s results, but good government should plan for the next 50 years, not the next quarter. I bring that long-term mindset to issues like infrastructure, housing, and coastal resilience.
Do you live in Essex? How long?
Yes, like Ann Margaret Ferrante, I live with my mother. You'll have to meet her. She's awesome. Ask anyone. My grandfather (her dad) bought the house we currently live in back in 1943, and we gladly gave up property by eminent domain so the state could make your trip to Essex even better. I’ve lived in Plymouth, Worcester, and Los Angeles, so I know a good place: I’m staying in Essex!
Do you serve on any boards?
Yes. I serve on the board of CATA (Cape Ann Transit Authority). I voted to add a bus route to Essex: We get five FREE weekday trips back and forth to Gloucester now. I also voted for $0 fare on the bus in 2025 and then voted again for $0 fare in 2026. Last year, I completed my term as vice president of the charity Friends of the Essex Council on Aging, where I helped raise funds to support senior programs and services. Earlier, I was vice president on the municipal board for the Essex Senior Center. I run "Games with Gil" at the Essex Senior Center Wednesdays from 1 to 3. Come play!
Is there anything you’d like to add that I didn’t ask?
I believe Massachusetts must always stand firm on civil rights and the rule of law. What we’ve seen nationally, specifically in Minneapolis, Minnesota, cannot and should not happen anywhere. Our state must lead by example in stopping the unlawful ICE raids.
I've had a Bernie sticker on my car since before 2016. I stand for taxing the billionaires and making an aggressive trillionaires tax so we are ready when they file their first Massachusetts tax returns.
Let's put dollars in pockets by:
• cutting out families’ insurance premium bills and
• replacing them with Medicare for All and universal childcare
Issues I've discussed on the campaign trail that I want to share with you:
Be careful when you sign those petitions at the supermarket; For the most part, I say yes, do all of them often! Do not sign one to lower the Massachusetts state tax. It is designed to save the millionaires more than $30,000 a year and save you less than $500, with no more free CATA, no more best-schools-in-the-nation, and no more of anything that attracts people to Massachusetts. We don't even want to see it on the ballot. It's a waste of time. I will work toward a government where you are proud to pay your taxes again.
Massachusetts Bill 2619: It is too good to be true. Check it out. The protections in the bill for children on the internet are exactly what we wish social media companies would do, but they only aim for increasing shareholder value.
The Massachusetts Data Privacy Act (MDPA) is comprehensive privacy legislation that aims to create critical protections for Massachusetts consumers' personal data.