Andrea James is an independent candidate for governor of Massachusetts in the November 2026 general election. Born and raised in Boston's Roxbury neighborhood, James earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Massachusetts Boston and a law degree from Northeastern University. She began her professional career as a criminal defense and real estate attorney before being convicted of federal wire fraud and serving a prison sentence. Following her release, James became involved in criminal justice reform, founding Families for Justice as Healing and the National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls. Her advocacy has focused on incarceration, community-based alternatives to imprisonment, and the rights of women and families affected by the criminal justice system. She received a Soros Justice Fellowship in 2015 and a Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award in 2016. Her gubernatorial campaign emphasizes affordable housing, universal healthcare, childcare access, equitable education funding, and criminal justice reform. The general election will take place on Tuesday, November 3.
