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Friday, September 3rd, 2010
You kids get off my damn lawn!
By “lawn” I mean the hill near the Bourne rotary, and by “you kids” I mean off-Cape candidates for office sticking their campaign signs in among those for local candidates. Take a look sometime and you’ll see names for people running for office in and around the Norfolk County area…you know, races that Cape Cod residents know nothing about and can’t vote in. (more…)
Friday, August 20th, 2010
I lead off this week with a message to voters in the Second Barnstable District: Calm the hell down.
If you read the Beacon Hill Roll Call Report the last couple of weeks, you might have noticed that State Representative Demetrius J. Atsalis (D – Barnstable) was listed as “did not vote” on the many pieces of legislation that sped through the State House in the final week of its formal session.
The Enterprise received some reader letters expressing anger over this, assuming Rep. Atsalis just blew the votes off. Not so; he was in Sweden with his family for his father-in-law’s funeral. He didn’t get back stateside until August 3.
Bet you people feel sheepish now, huh?
***
Ah, the fun just never ends. With the whole “Flanagangate” starting to lose its steam (meaning it utterly failed to derail State Representative Jeffrey D. Perry’s (R – Sandwich) Congressional campaign, as his detractors had hoped), the blogosphere snipers are on the hunt for fresh muck to rake.
Last week Those Who Vent Their Impotent Rage From the Shadows pointed out that during his 2002 campaign, then-citizen Perry noted he had a degree from “Columbia State University,” a now-defunct “diploma mill” that awarded degrees of a suspect pedigree to its enrollees (the guy who ran the non-existent school, a former stage hypnotist, was later convicted in federal court for the scam).
In an e-mail statement to the media, a campaign mouthpiece said Rep. Perry was just one of many people duped by the faux educational institution and has long since removed the credential from his résumé.
Campaign staff for rival Joseph D. Malone, never one to squander an opportunity to score some cheap points, passed around a link to a Quincy Patriot Ledger story on the latest brouhaha. They’re calling for Rep. Perry to drop out, which is laughable, and to me indicates just how scared the Malone campaign is.
Credit where it’s due: Mr. Malone has been extremely active and visible, but he is nevertheless failing to collect campaign donations on the same level as his chief rival, he’s not topping the straw polls, and he’s not getting the big endorsements – all indicators that he has a lot of ground to cover before be can overcome Perry at the polls.
Nevertheless, this latest revelation is not doing Rep. Perry any favors. There is a little over three weeks until the primaries so it’s not at all too late for his momentum to crumble, especially if anything else embarrassing pops up.
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A quick note on the Democratic side of things, William R. Keating has picked up an endorsement from the Professional Firefighters of Massachusetts, a statewide union representing more than 12,000 firefighters from 200 fire departments throughout the Commonwealth.
***
Can you believe it? There’s yet another person running for US Representative of the 10th Congressional District.
Joseph van Nes of West Tisbury announced last week he planned to run as an unenrolled candidate on a primarily “bring the troops home” platform. That bring the current field of contenders to a total of eight – two Democrats, four Republicans, and one other unenrolled.
No, wait: make that nine. Marianne Lewis of Dedham is also in the race as an unenrolled candidate. Earlier in the season she’d been a rumored candidate but after months of dead silence and inactivity, it looks like she is indeed officially in. Her website is up at www.maryannelewiscongress.com.
Having a variety of candidates is great, having non-party choices is great, but come on, people…you can’t enter the race so late in the game and expect any kind of decent outcome. You’re barely even spoilers at this late date.
***
The Congressional race is not the only one enjoying a surge of johhny-come-latelys. Last week I reported that Republican James P. McKenna has entered the race for Massachusetts Attorney General as a write-in candidate. It seems that there’s a second Republican doing the same thing: Guy A. Carbone of Belmont.
Sigh…where were you guys earlier in the year? You know, when voters would have flocked to you to sign your nomination papers so you could more properly challenge Martha Coakley, who was widely regarded as very vulnerable after her loss in the US Senate special election?
***
Daniel A. Wolf, Democratic candidate for State Senator of the Cape and Islands District, last week received an endorsement from MassEquality for his longstanding support of same-sex couples. According to a press release, Mr. Wolf’s company Cape Air in 1996 became the first airline in the nation to offer same-sex health care benefits to its workers.
He’s also received an endorsement from the American Federation of Teachers – Massachusetts.
***
State Senator Robert A. O’Leary (D – Barnstable), candidate for Congress, last week received what you might call a composite endorsement from four former state environmental secretaries, based on Sen. O’Leary’s record on environmental issues: James Hoyte, John Devillars, Robert Durand, and John Bewick. He also got the nod from a former assistant secretary, Richard Delaney.
***
Steve Grossman, Democratic candidate for state treasurer, has a visit to Cape Cod planned for September as part of his “Ice Cream Tour.” Mr. Grossman has made a point to hit a local ice cream shop at each of his campaign stops, and on September 3 he’ll be at Four Seas in Centerville from 5 to 6 PM.
***
Mr. Grossman’s primary rival, Stephen J. Murphy, will be in Hyannis on Tuesday, August 31 from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM. Mr. Keating is also scheduled to be at that event at the Hyannis Anglers Club House on Ocean Street.
***
This week’s event reminders:
Mr. Wolf has a meet-and-greet in Mashpee this Sunday, August 22, from 4 to 6 PM at Starfish Restaurant at South Cape Village in Mashpee. He’ll also be at house party fundraisers in Marstons Mills on Thursday, August 26; in Osterville on Friday, August 27; and in Hyannis on Sunday, August 29. Check out his official website at www.danwolfforsenate.com for more information.
Rep. Perry’s will be held at the Aqua Grille in Sandwich on Sunday, August 22 from 4 to 6 PM, for a fundraiser hosted by Eileen DiBuono and Patricia Markoff. Sunday, August 29 is an end-of-summer lobster and clam bake at the Sandwich American Legion Hall that runs from 1 to 3 PM. Go to www.jeffperryforcongress.com for more info and to make any necessary reservations.
State Representative Susan D. William Gifford (R – Wareham) will hold her annual clambake fundraiser on Thursday, August 26 beginning at 6 PM. It’ll be held at Zecco Marine in Wareham. Go to www.susangifford.com for details.
Lance W. Lambros, Democratic candidate for State Representative of the Fifth Barnstable District, will hold a meet-and-greet on Saturday, August 28 from 4 to 7 PM at Merchants Square, at the Sandwich Democratic Headquarters annual barbecue; and on Monday, August 30 he’ll attend from 3 to 5 PM a senior citizens forum at the Barnstable Senior Center.
Sheila R. Lyons, Democratic candidate for State Senator of the Cape and Islands District, is holding a fundraiser at the Anchor Inn in Hyannis on Tuesday, August 31 starting at 7 PM. Go to http://sheilalyons2010.com for more info.
F. Randal Hunt, Republican candidate for State Representative of the Fifth Barnstable District, is holding a golf tourney fundraiser at Holly Ridge on Sunday, October 3 starting at 8:20 AM; a pasta supper fundraiser at the American Legion Hall in Sandwich on Saturday, September 25 starting at 6 PM; and “Pizza & Politics with Pizzazz” at Two Brothers Pizza & Mexican in Sandwich on Monday, October 11 at 5:30 PM.
***
Finally, from the Kick Him While He’s Down and Out (of the Race) File: Christy P. Mihos, whose second attempt at the corner office ended this year when he was shot down at the Massachusetts Republican State Convention, last week was hit with the largest fine ever handed down in Massachusetts history for campaign finance violations.
Smilin’ Christy M. agreed to pay a whopping $70,000 fine for using more than $112,000 in personal money – meaning out of his own pocket and his corporate coffers – for his ill-fated campaign, much of which was never properly reported. He’s paid half the fine already and will pay the second half in November.
Political news and announcements may be sent to Michael Bailey, Region editor and senior political reporter, at bailey@capenews.net
Friday, June 18th, 2010
Major debate announcement!
The Resort & Conference Center at Hyannis will host the upcoming AFL-CIO gubernatorial candidates’ forum next week, June 24, starting at 1 PM.
So far only unenrolled candidate Timothy P. Cahill has confirmed his participation, but the 2006 forum in Falmouth was attended by almost every gubernatorial candidate that year. The exceptions: Grace C. Ross, the 2006 Green-Rainbow Party candidate, who was inadvertently left off the guest list; and Republican candidate Kerry M. Healey, who declined to attend and got verbally pummeled in absentia and certainly did her campaign no good.
***
So it looks like the much-ballyhooed “anti-incumbent sentiment” trend has already come and gone.
Eleven states held primaries last week, and out of 84 gubernatorial and Congressional incumbent candidates, only two got bumped out of the running.
Two.
What does this mean for local races, if anything? Well, it’s still early in the cycle, but any candidates expecting to ride a wave of anti-incumbent dissatisfaction to any easy victory might want to go back to the drawing board. That tactic depends on voters being angry about something and A) voter anger has a shelf life of six to eight weeks max, and B) there’s no guarantee the incumbents will screw up so dynamically before November that it inspires a fresh surge of outrage.
Would-be upstarts may have to rely on tired old techniques like, I don’t know, talking about the issues.
***
Robert E. Hayden III, we hardly know ye.
I stumbled across Mr. Hayden’s name last week while checking out the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth’s – Elections Division website to review the list of formal candidates for the 2010 election cycle. He is listed as a Hanover resident and one of four Republicans running for US Representative of the 10th Congressional District.
Never heard of him? Me neither. Neither has Google. GOOGLE, people.
So Mr. Hayden is now the proud owner of the title “Most Invisible Candidate in the Congressional Race.” Unenrolled candidate Peter A. White previously held that title.
(Receiving angry e-mail from Peter in four…three…two…)
***
Rudy Giuliani, former NYC mayor, was in Massachusetts last week stumping for Joseph D. Malone at an event in Quincy. The parade of political has-beens continues (sorry, folks, but what has “America’s Mayor” done lately?).
Mr. Malone also announced last week he’d added communications specialist Alicia Preston of The Preston Group to his Congressional campaign team. The press release said the Group had worked on both US Senator Scott P. Brown’s campaign and, less impressively, Jim Ogonowski’s spectacular flameout campaign on 2008.
For those who don’t recall that second fellow: he was planning to run for US Senate against John F. Kerry, he got a huge build-up from the Massachusetts GOP as the guy who was going to take Sen. Kerry down, he got all the attention over fellow Republican candidate Jeffrey K. Beatty, then failed to get enough signatures to get his name of the ballot.
Now look sad and say “D’oh…”
***
Nathanael Fortune, who unsuccessfully ran for state auditor in 2006, is back for another go-round. The Green-Rainbow Party candidate’s official campaign website can be found at www.natfortune.org.
***
This week’s event reminders:
Today, June 18, 2 to 4 PM: Thomas F. Keyes, Republican candidate for State Senator of the Plymouth and Barnstable District, will hold a meet-and-greet at Beth’s Special Teas in Sandwich.
Sunday, June 20, 4 to 7 PM: Barbecue fundraiser in Barnstable for Sheila R. Lyons, Democratic candidate for State Senator of the Cape & Islands District. Go to http://sheilalyons2010.com/contact for further details.
Tuesday, June 22, 5 PM: Fundraiser at Tomatoes Italian Grille and Bar in Sandwich for State Representative Jeffrey D. Perry (R – Sandwich), candidate for Congress.
***
Finally, a minor correction from last week’s column. I said that there were five people running for governor’s councilor of the first district, all Democrats, but I missed Joseph A. Ureneck, the Republican who used to (and for all I know still does) run a Chinese mail-order bride operation and apparently does not actually live in the first district.
Yeah, I don’t know how I could have forgotten a character like that either…
Political news and announcements may be sent to Michael Bailey, Region editor and senior political reporter, at bailey@capenews.net
Friday, June 11th, 2010
Oh, Ray Kasperowicz, you partisan scamp.
Mr. Kasperowicz, along with fellow Republican Congressional candidates State Representative Jeffrey D. Perry (R – Sandwich) and Joseph D. Malone, last week participated in a student-run candidates’ forum at Harwich High School, and Ray K. emerged as my nominee…for “The Guy Who Doesn’t Get It Award.”
When asked about the lack of bipartisanship in Congress, Kasperowicz responded with this gem: “I for one will not work with the other side…I will not work with the other side when it violates what I feel are the basic principles that I espouse.”
In other words, in an age in which voters are fed up with elected officials on both sides ignoring the will of the public and kowtowing to their party, Kasperowicz is declaring that he would ignore the will of the public and kowtow to his party. Apparently, the lessons of US Senator Scott P. Brown’s victory have already been forgotten…
On a related note: the two Democratic candidates – State Senator Robert A. O’Leary (D – Barnstable) and William R. Keating – were invited to this event but declined to attend, citing “scheduling issues” (which may well be code for “High school kids can’t vote for me, so why bother?”). Unenrolled candidate Peter A. White got the big snuberoo and wasn’t invited.
***
However, all the Congressional candidates have been invited to attend “Voting Energy 2010,” a political forum focusing on jobs and the environment, at Cape Cod Community College on Tuesday evening.
The candidates for State Senator of the Cape and Islands District have also been invited to this event, scheduled to run from 6:30 to 9 PM in Science Lecture Hall A.
Mindy Todd, host of “The Point on WCAI,” will moderate the forums. WCAI is co-sponsoring the evening along with the Cape and Islands Renewable Energy Collaborative (CIRenew), Cape Cod Community College, Housing Assistance Corporation, and the Marine Renewable Energy Center at UMass – Dartmouth.
***
Republican Eric T. Steinhilber’s campaign for State Senator of the Cape and Islands District continues to pick up steam. Last week Mr. Steinhilber announced he had received the official thumb’s up from Michael D. O’Keefe, the Cape and Islands District Attorney.
“I support Eric because he understands that safe communities enhance our economic future,” DA O’Keefe wrote. “Eric knows that law enforcement resources are being spread very thin. I have confidence that he will work to adequately fund those resources.”
***
David A. Smith of Wareham has emerged from hiding! Sort of.
The Democratic challenger for State Representative Susan D. Williams Gifford’s (R – Wareham) State House seat has launched a simple campaign website at http://electdavidsmith.org/home.htm. It’s nothing special, but at least he’s finally starting to get his name out there.
***
The Falmouth Republican Town Committee will welcome David T. Vieira and Thomas F. Keyes, candidates for State Representative of the Third Barnstable District and State Senator of the Plymouth and Barnstable District respectively, to its next meeting on Tuesday. That will be held at the Gus Canty Community Center on Route 28 in Falmouth starting at 7:30 PM.
***
Suzanne M. Bump, Democratic candidate for state auditor, has received a major endorsement – from the gent she’s seeking to replace: A. Joseph DeNucci, who has held the office for nearly a quarter-century. He gave Ms. Bump the nod hours before last weekend’s Democratic State Convention.
There’s really not too much else to report from the convention as every Democrat running for a constitutional office receive enough delegate support to make it onto the ballot.
***
Yet another person has emerged as a candidate for governor’s councilor of the first district, bringing the total candidate count to five (all Democrats). The new entry is Thomas J. Hallahan of Oak Bluffs. His official campaign website is up at http://tomhallahan.com.
***
Finally, here are some event reminders:
Monday, June 14, 6 to 8 PM: James M. Cummings, Barnstable County sheriff, hosts a fundraiser for Rep. Perry at the Yarmouth House on Route 28 in Yarmouth.
Tuesday, June 15, 10 to 11:30 AM: Coffee chat in Cummaquid with Sheila R. Lyons, Democratic candidate for State Senator of the Cape and Islands District. Go to http://sheilalyons2010.com/contact for further details.
Thursday, June 17, 5:30 to 7:30 PM: Reception at The Island Merchant in Hyannis for Sen. O’Leary. Paul G. Kirk Jr., former interim US Senator, and Cynthia Cole co-host the event. To RSVP contact Jon Patsavos at 617-470-4122 or patsavos@olearyforcongress.com.
Thursday, June 17, 4:30 to 6 PM: Campaign office grand opening for Daniel A. Wolf, Democratic candidate for State Senator of the Cape and Islands District. The official ribbon cutting will be at 5 PM. The office is located at 599 Main Street in Hyannis.
Friday, June 18, 2 to 4 PM: Mr. Keyes will hold a meet-and-greet at Beth’s Special Teas in Sandwich.
Sunday, June 20, 4 to 7 PM: Barbecue fundraiser in Barnstable for Ms. Lyons. Go to http://sheilalyons2010.com/contact for further details.
Tuesday, June 22, 5 PM: Rep. Perry fundraiser at Tomatoes Italian Grille and Bar in Sandwich.
Political news and announcements may be sent to Michael Bailey, Region editor and senior political reporter, at bailey@capenews.net
Friday, May 28th, 2010
This week we lead off with a big non-surprise announcement that Grace C. Ross is officially out of the gubernatorial race.
Ms. Ross, who this year left the Green-Rainbow Party to challenge Governor Deval L. Patrick for the Democratic nomination, announced last week that she fell far short of collecting the 10,000 voter signatures she needed to get on the primary ballot: she only collected 5,700 signatures.
So, good news for Gov. Patrick, who can hold onto the money he would have spent in a primary race and use in the general election…not that he necessarily would have spent a lot, because Ms. Ross was not an exceptionally strong candidate, especially as a Democrat.
With Ms. Ross out, it’s safe to say the race for governor is now on full-blast as none of the four candidates – Gov. Patrick, Republican Charles D. Baker Jr., unenrolled candidate Timothy P. Cahill, and Green-Rainbow candidate Dr. Jill E. Stein – have a primary race.
***
Speaking of Mr. Baker, here’s a challenge to the candidate: grow a spine. Please.
Baker sat down last week with WHDH-TV’s Andy Hiller and responded to those Republican Governors’ Association ads now running on TV and the radio dragging Tim Cahill over hot coals spiked with broken glass and rusty nails (metaphorically speaking). And by “responded” I mean “wussed out.” Here’s the exchange…
Hiller: Do you want those ads off TV?
Baker: It doesn’t matter if I want those ads off TV…
Hiller: Because you’re powerless?
Baker: Because I don’t make decisions about what independent organizations choose to do in Massachusetts.
Hiller: If you called the Republican Governors’ Association and said “I am the Republican candidate. Please take those ads down,” what would they say? “You’re breaking the law by calling us?”
Baker: I don’t know what they would say, but I’m not going to call them and ask them that question and say that to them because I don’t want anything associated with my campaign to be associated with them.
Psst! Charlie! IT ALREADY IS.
Voters are hearing “Republican” attached to those ads and, rightfully or not, they’re drawing a direct line between the dots of the RGA and you. And why not? The RGA is running them to support your campaign. You don’t want the ads running? Call the RGA and ask them to knock it off, and if they don’t, publicly condemn the ads. Sitting back and shrugging and going “Eh, what can you do?” does indeed make you seem powerless.
***
And then there’s Gov. Patrick, who doesn’t seem to be learning from past mistakes.
You’ve probably heard by now Gov. Patrick just got a new official vehicle, a $53,000 SUV to replace the infamous Cadillac he purchased in 2007 for $46,000 to replace the traditional (and less expensive) Ford Crown Victoria.
The governor’s mouthpieces are throwing out lots of reasons why this is no big deal, mentioning everything from Gov. Patrick’s need for the roomier vehicle following last year’s hip surgery to its superior mileage (it’s a hybrid so it gets a whopping two miles to the gallon more than the Caddy), but it is a big deal in terms of public perception.
After the Cadillac purchase, Gov. Patrick was lambasted for his extravagant spending of taxpayer money, and now he’s paying more for a vehicular behemoth even as the Legislature is chopping $159 million from local and education aid. If that doesn’t feel like a slap in the face, I don’t know what does.
***
Two men running for State Senator of the Cape and Islands District have secured their spots on the ballot. Democrat Daniel A. Wolf and Republican Eric R. Steinhilber both recently announced that they had filed the signatures with the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth’s Office and are good to go.
***
Another candidate for that office, Democrat Sheila R. Lyons, has a couple of campaign events coming up. She’ll be in Cummaquid on Tuesday, June 15 from 10 to 11:30 AM for a “meet the candidate coffee,” and in Barnstable for a fundraising barbecue on Sunday, June 20 from 4 to 7 PM.
Want to know where these events are? So do I; the website doesn’t list the locations. You have to go to http://sheilalyons2010.com/events and contact the campaign directly for that info. I can only assume by this odd clandestine air that guests will also receive the password and secret handshake they’ll need to get in.
***
James M. Cummings, Barnstable County sheriff, is hosting a fundraiser for State Representative Jeffrey D. Perry (R – Sandwich) next month in support of Rep. Perry’s Congressional race.
That event will be held at the Cape’s favorite spot for Republican revelry, the Yarmouth House on Route 28 in (where else?) Yarmouth. It’s scheduled to run from 6 to 8 PM on Monday, June 14.
***
One of Rep. Perry’s rivals, Joseph D. Malone, made another visit to the Cape this week as part of his “Joe’s on the Job Tour” of local businesses, making a stop at Hyannis Country Garden last Friday.
Democrat William R. Keating also visited the region last weekend, making an appearance in Bourne to formally announce his candidacy for Congress. He made several other stops within the district that day and finished off in Quincy.
***
A Democratic candidate for Congress, State Senator Robert A. O’Leary (D – Barnstable), will be the guest of honor at a June 17 reception at The Island Merchant in Hyannis. Paul G. Kirk Jr., former interim US Senator, and Cynthia Cole are co-hosting the event.
The reception runs from 5:30 to 7:30 PM, and the suggested contribution is $125 to $500. TO RSVP contact Jon Patsavos at 617-470-4122 or patsavos@olearyforcongress.com.
***
While we’re talking about the Congressional race, Harwich High School will host on Tuesday afternoon a candidates’ forum. As of this writing two of the Republican candidates, Mr. Malone and Ray Kasperowicz, have confirmed. The forum is the work of the Advanced Placement United States Government class, and a student panel will ask the questions in the debate-style forum. The public is invited to attend the forum, which begins at 1 PM.
***
Here’s your final reminder that F. Randal Hunt, Republican candidate for State Representative of the Fifth Barnstable District, has a fundraiser next Friday at the Tao Water Art Gallery on Route 6A in Barnstable, from 6 to 8 PM.
Political news and announcements may be sent to Michael Bailey, Region editor and senior political reporter, at bailey@capenews.net
Friday, March 26th, 2010
Excuse me, people. I believe when I let for vacation I told you not to do anything interesting while I was gone. But did you listen? Noooooooooo!
Yep, there was a lot of movement last week, and let’s start with what is shaping up to be the big race on the Cape, the race for US Representative of the 10th Congressional District. On Sunday Republican Joseph D. Malone made his candidacy official with a special kick-off event at Plimoth Plantation. The former state treasurer has vowed to reach out to voters of all political persuasions in his campaign.
His official campaign website is up at http://joemalonecongress.com.
With Mr. Malone all in, we now have a slate of six candidates, and we’re waiting on a seventh in William Keating, the Norfolk County District Attorney who has been planning to formally end his bid for Massachusetts Attorney General and shift his attention to the seat currently held by Congressman (and former Norfolk County DA) William D. Delahunt (D).
***
One of the other Republican candidates for the Congressional seat, State Representative Jeffrey D. Perry (R – Sandwich), is beefing up his campaign in anticipation of a very active primary race.
Rep. Perry recently announced he was adding Swift Current Strategies — which worked on US Senator Scott P. Brown’s (R) campaign — to his team, and launched a new social networking website for supporters dubbed “Perry’s Patriots.” You can find that at www.perryspatriots.com (just look for the logo that is just similar enough to the New England Patriots logo to get him in dutch with Bob Kraft).
Perry's Patriot and Pat the Patriot - separated at birth?
***
Another candidate in this hectic race is State Senator Robert A. O’Leary (D – Barnstable), and his pending departure from the state Legislature has so far attracted three Democrats interested in succeeding him: Sheila R. Lyons, a member of the Barnstable County Board of County Commissioners; Mark D. Forest, longtime aide to Rep. Delahunt; and Daniel A. Wolf, CEO of Cape Air.
Mr. Wolf is well-known in the Cape business community so he’s not a non-entity, but his political experience is, to the best of my knowledge, virtually non-existent. Ms. Lyons has had relatively limited experience, all of it in county government, but she knows how to campaign and get her name out. Mr. Forest knows the game at the federal level and has connections throughout the district, so I have to call him the odds-on favorite.
Barnstable and Mashpee readers can learn more about the candidates in the front section.
So far only one Republican, Eric Steinhilber, is in the mix, but word is that Barnstable Town Councilor James Crocker Jr. has taken out nomination papers.
Since I’m talking about this race, now’s a good time to mention that Ms. Lyons, Mr. Forest, and Mr. Wolf are scheduled to appear at a candidates’ forum sponsored by the Harwich Democratic Town Committee. That’s happening on Tuesday, April 6 at 7:30 PM, and will be held at the Harwich Community Center.
***
The slate is almost full!
State Representative Susan D. Williams Gifford (R – Wareham) was this close to running unopposed for re-election, but Democrat David A. Smith of Wareham is preparing his run for the second Plymouth district seat.
I’ve found no info on the dude in my initial Google search, but as I learn more about the chap, I’ll pass it along.
As I wrap this week’s column up, the only member of the Cape delegation without an opponent for 2010 is State Representative Timothy R. Madden (D – Nantucket).
***
Last week I mentioned that Republican David T. Vieira of Falmouth was officially in as a candidate for state representative of the third Barnstable district. Well, first of all, his campaign website is now live, and that’s at www.votevieira.com. He’s also announced his kick-off fundraiser at the Falmouth Navigator (just off Sandwich Road in Hatchville) for Thursday, May 6 from 5 PM to 8 PM. Tickets are $25.
Meanwhile, incumbent state rep Matthew C. Patrick (D – Falmouth) is officially kicking off his re-election campaign tonight. Rep. Patrick, supporters, and special mystery guests will be at Oysters Too in East Falmouth tonight from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM. There is a suggested donation of $50, but all are welcome to attend.
***
Oliver P. Cipollini Jr., Democratic candidate for governor’s councilor of the first district, has his new campaign website up and hummin’. Beat feet over to www.olivercipollini.com and check it out.
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An unenrolled candidate has thrown his name into the ring for Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth. James Henderson of Stow filed his paperwork with the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance, and now joins incumbent William F. Galvin and Republican William Campbell of Woburn.
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Now this, I must say, is kind of cool.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Charles D. Baker Jr. marked St. Patrick’s Day in an unusual way: People who went to his website last week and made a donation of $20.10 (as in Campaign 2010) received as a thank-you a download of “(F)lanagan’s Ball” by the Dropkick Murphys.
The Dropkick Murphys? Really? How unexpectedly hip of Baker. What next, Christy P. Mihos trading donations for Foo Fighters MP3s?
On that note: those two gentlemen will square off tonight at the Cape Codder Resort. This head-to-head debate starts at 7 PM (doors open at 6:15 PM, presumably to sell beer, popcorn, and giant foam fingers). The Cape Cod Republican Club and the Women’s Republican Club of Cape Cod are co-sponsoring the event.
Political news and announcements may be sent to Michael Bailey, Region editor and senior political reporter, at bailey@capenews.net
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