Governor Deval L. Patrick is going to make a campaign stop on the Cape next month.
The governor will be at the “Hyannis Communities Connecting for Deval” event at the Zion Union Heritage Museum in Hyannis on Thursday, August 5. That event begins at 7:30 PM. For more information, shoot an e-mail to info@devalpatrick.com.
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Hey, kids! Guess what time it is!
That’s right: it’s time to see how few people will run for the Barnstable County Assembly of Delegates!
Nomination papers are available for the county’s most low-profile and, historically speaking, least active race; very rarely does any candidate have an opponent, and there have been a few years when no one returned papers at all and the seat wound up filled by a write-in candidate.
Papers are available at town clerk’s offices now and must be returned by the end of the business day Tuesday, July 20 with at least 20 certifiable voter signatures. Those signatures must be from registered voters in the candidate’s home town (that is to say, someone running for the Falmouth delegate’s seat must collect signatures from Falmouth voters).
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Daniel A. Wolf, Democratic candidate for State Senator of the Cape and Islands District, is using his candidacy to help draw attention to his participation in the Pan Mass Challenge. Mr. Wolf will be riding from Provincetown to Boston (hopefully not in this killer heat) to raise money for cancer research and treatment. Go to his campaign website at www.danwolfforsenate.com to learn more.
In other Wolfish news, the candidate will be holding a meet-and-greet at Starfish Restaurant in Mashpee Commons on Sunday from 4 to 6 PM. Stop by and say hi.
Also, Mr. Wolf has received a big endorsement from the Massachusetts Teachers Association. MTA President Anne Wass said Mr. Wolf “understands the importance of public education and will fight for our schools and our higher education system.”
This endorsement comes as Mr. Wolf and Democratic rival Sheila R. Lyons have begun a war of words in the media, over a challenge from Ms. Lyons to limit their primary campaign spending to $100,000. Mr. Wolf has rejected this challenge, stating that he doesn’t want to limit himself unnecessarily.
Wolf campaign officials have called this challenge a campaign stunt – which it is, one of the many such tactics politicians employ (along with my favorites, the “I won’t accept special interest donations” and “I won’t raise taxes” pledges). More often than not these challenges are “gotcha” bait; by rejecting self-imposed campaign spending limits, Ms. Lyons could try to portray Mr. Wolf as a high roller who’s out to spend his way to victory while touting her own sense of fiscal responsibility.
I will add that Stefanie Coxe, Mr. Wolf’s campaign head, might be going overboard by calling it an “orchestrated attack” (as she did in a recent letter to the Cape Cod Times). No, it’s just politics as usual…let’s not hyperbolize the matter. Be cool now.
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Former Republican state reps Shirley Gomes and Thomas George, who together covered the Mid- and Lower Cape, have officially thrown their support behind State Representative Jeffrey D. Perry (R – Sandwich) in his bid for Congress.
Rep. Perry will hold a campaign reception next month, August 3, at the Flying Bridge in Falmouth. Jennifer Bruce hosts the event, which will feature remarks by Michael D. O’Keefe, the Cape and Islands’ district attorney. Go to www.jeffperryforcongress.com for more details.
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James Sheets, unenrolled candidate for Congress, has launched his official website at www.votejimsheets.com, and for a Johnny-come-lately to the race (and a third-party entry at that) he has a pretty decent site.
Whether Mr. Sheets will actually be on the ballot is still in question; as a non-party candidate he has until August to turn in his nomination papers.
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James H. Crocker Jr.’s official campaign website is also up and running. Learn more about the Republican candidate for State Senator of the Cape and Islands District at http://crockerforsenate.com.
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A reminder (and more details) about an event for Mr. Crocker’s opponent in the primaries, Eric R. Steinhilber: Mr. Steinhilber is holding a fundraiser on Thursday at the Nauticus Marina in Osterville, which will run from 5 to 7 PM.
DA O’Keefe is hosting that event, which will feature special guests Charles D. Baker Jr., Republican candidate for governor, and the aforementioned Ms. Gomes and Mr. George, who recently endorsed Mr. Steinhilber’s candidacy.
E-mail events@electeric2010.com or call 508-957-2676 to RSVP.
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F. Randal Hunt, Republican candidate for State Representative of the Fifth Barnstable District, is holding a barbecue fundraiser at the end of the month – Saturday, July 31, to be precise, at the West Barnstable Deer Club from 3 to 7 PM. Go to www.electrandyhunt.com for further details.
While you’re there you can also participate in his online survey to let him know your thoughts on what the most pressing issues of the day are.
Here are a few other campaign events to mark on your calendar: Tuesday, August 17, 5 PM: a meet-and-greet at Lakewood Hills; Sunday, October 3, 8:20 AM: golf tournament fundraiser at Holly Ridge (registration required); Monday, October 11 (time TBA): “Pizza & Politics with Pizzazz” at Two Brothers Pizza in Sandwich.
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I’ve been remiss in listing this for some time now: Senate President Therese M. Murray’s (D – Plymouth) official campaign website: www.electterrymurray.com.
This site is not to be confused with her official legislative website, which is there to promote and discuss things directly pertaining to her job; Sen. Murray the Senate President is a different entity than Therese Murray, candidate for State Senate.
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Sen. Murray’s opponent, Republican Thomas F. Keyes, will be making a couple of appearances in Falmouth. He’ll be at the Falmouth Republican Town Committee meeting at the Gus Canty Community Center on Tuesday (7:30 PM start time), and will be holding a meet-and-greet in front of Shaw’s Market in Falmouth next Friday stating at 9:30 AM.
To show what a bipartisan kinda guy he is, he’ll be doing a second supermarket meet-and-greet that same day, starting at noon, at the Falmouth Super Stop & Shop.
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Mary Z. Connaughton, Republican candidate for state auditor, will be in Centerville next week for a reception at the home of Jennifer and John Williams. That’s scheduled for 7 to 8:30 PM on Friday, July 23. Contact Mary Sharkey at 781-492-1728 or marys@maryforauditor.com if you’d like to attend.
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Finally, a respectful “rest in peace” to John Henning, WBZ’s veteran political reporter, who died last week at the age of 73. He’d been covering state elections literally since before I was born, and you don’t often see that kind of die-hard dedication in any field, much less such a headache-inducing one as politics.
Political news and announcements may be sent to Michael Bailey, Region editor and senior political reporter, at bailey@capenews.net
