Post by Anja Nieser on Sept 17, 2006 23:18:09 GMT -5
Lt. Gov.'s Race "Up in the Air"
Worcester's native son Timothy P. Murray has come a long way toward
earning the right to carry the torch for the Democratic Party for
lieutenant governor this year.
The 38-year-old Worcester mayor won the party's convention endorsement in
Worcester in June, becoming the 1st candidate from the city to pull off
the feat since Worcester state senator Gerard D'Amico in 1986.
Now, political observers give him a decent chance to take the next step:
winning Tuesday's three-way primary against former Brookline selectman
Deborah B. Goldberg and Andrea C. Silbert of Harwich, co-founder of the
Center for Women and Enterprise.
Actually, all 3 still have a fairly low statewide profile, even after
spending nearly $5 million among them and running TV and radio ads since
the end of last month.
"It's entirely up in the air," said Paul Watanabe, a professor of
political science at the University of Massachusetts in Boston. "The fact
is most people don't know who these candidates are."
Murray emphasized yesterday that he has not aligned himself with any of
the 3 candidates for governor. In fact, none of the 3 lieutenant governor
candidates has made a gubernatorial endorsement.
Whoever wins will face on Nov. 7 another Central Massachusetts candidate,
GOP lieutenant governor nominee Reed V. Hillman of Sturbridge, as well as
independent John J. Sullivan of Winchester and Green-Rainbow nominee
Martina Robinson of Belchertown.
Mr. Murray and Ms. Silbert have been at a distinct financial disadvantage
to Ms. Goldberg, an heir to the Stop & Shop supermarket fortune. She has
raised about $2.7 million to Mr. Murray's $1 million and Ms. Silbert's
$965,700, which includes a recent $25,000 loan to herself. Ms. Goldberg
has pumped more than $2.1 million of her own money into her campaign.
Even so, they, along with Ms. Goldberg, have run well-orchestrated
statewide campaigns, collecting endorsements and crisscrossing the state
in search of votes and the backing of elected officials and party
activists.
They agree on most things, particularly such social issues as abortion and
gay marriage, which they all support, and on the death penalty, which they
all oppose. They are also all against a tax rollback.
Ms. Silbert has staked out some different positions on charter schools and
a proposed wind farm on Cape Cod, both of which she supports and the
others oppose.
Mr. Murray, a practicing lawyer, has by far the most support among local
elected officials, legislators and unions, although Ms. Goldberg, who also
has a law degree, has compiled an impressive list of these backers as
well.
He has touted his municipal experience of four years as mayor, a part-time
position under the city manager charter that entails chairing the City
Council and School Committee, saying it has prepared him well for a
lieutenant governor's job that he and others describe as a "bully pulpit"
because it has few official duties.
And if he becomes the 1st Worcester candidate elected statewide in half a
century, he promises to be an influential advocate for Central
Massachusetts and MetroWest, especially for commuter rail, public
education and economic development.
"Worcester is the fastest-growing municipality in the state and it will be
an asset for Worcester and MetroWest to have someone inside the cabinet to
make sure our issues are heard, listened to and attended to," Mr. Murray
said.
Ms. Silbert has raked in the endorsements of 3 popular newspaper
columnists as well as the endorsement of the Brookline Tab, in Ms.
Goldberg's backyard.
Mr. Murray, meanwhile, was endorsed by the Globe, the Springfield
Republican and the Newton Tab, with the Telegram & Gazette praising his
mayoral record. He also has in his corner 3 congressmen.
Ms. Goldberg, who has touted her term as chairman of selectman and
private-sector work, has the endorsements of the Herald, U.S. Rep. Barney
Frank, D-Newton, 37 legislators and several dozen city councilors and
selectmen.
Mr. Murray has taken more money from lobbyists and political action groups
than his two rivals: a total of about $29,000 over the last 2 years,
compared to a combined total of about $7,700 for his opponents.
The mayor shrugged off any suggestion that he is beholden to anyone,
pointing to his race-leading 5,000 individual donors, which he said
demonstrates a wider range of support than the other candidates.
"My record has always been to call them the way I see them," Mr. Murray
said.
Ms. Goldberg similarly dismisses the notion that as a wealthy, largely
self-funded candidate she is trying to "buy" the election.
"Deb has received contributions ranging from $5 to $500 from well over
2,000 people," her spokesman, Patrick McKiernan said.
In the final days of the campaign, "she's going to be traveling the state
getting out her message that she is the best candidate to get the state
back on track," Mr. McKiernan said.
Dorie Clark, a spokeswoman for Ms. Silbert, said that as a CEO of a
successful nonprofit group, Ms. Silbert has demonstrated executive
leadership ability that would serve her well as the state's
second-in-command.
"As a political outsider and as a lieutenant governor, she will be a
completely independent voice representing Massachusetts voters," Ms. Clark
said.
(source: Worcester News & Telegram)
Worcester's native son Timothy P. Murray has come a long way toward
earning the right to carry the torch for the Democratic Party for
lieutenant governor this year.
The 38-year-old Worcester mayor won the party's convention endorsement in
Worcester in June, becoming the 1st candidate from the city to pull off
the feat since Worcester state senator Gerard D'Amico in 1986.
Now, political observers give him a decent chance to take the next step:
winning Tuesday's three-way primary against former Brookline selectman
Deborah B. Goldberg and Andrea C. Silbert of Harwich, co-founder of the
Center for Women and Enterprise.
Actually, all 3 still have a fairly low statewide profile, even after
spending nearly $5 million among them and running TV and radio ads since
the end of last month.
"It's entirely up in the air," said Paul Watanabe, a professor of
political science at the University of Massachusetts in Boston. "The fact
is most people don't know who these candidates are."
Murray emphasized yesterday that he has not aligned himself with any of
the 3 candidates for governor. In fact, none of the 3 lieutenant governor
candidates has made a gubernatorial endorsement.
Whoever wins will face on Nov. 7 another Central Massachusetts candidate,
GOP lieutenant governor nominee Reed V. Hillman of Sturbridge, as well as
independent John J. Sullivan of Winchester and Green-Rainbow nominee
Martina Robinson of Belchertown.
Mr. Murray and Ms. Silbert have been at a distinct financial disadvantage
to Ms. Goldberg, an heir to the Stop & Shop supermarket fortune. She has
raised about $2.7 million to Mr. Murray's $1 million and Ms. Silbert's
$965,700, which includes a recent $25,000 loan to herself. Ms. Goldberg
has pumped more than $2.1 million of her own money into her campaign.
Even so, they, along with Ms. Goldberg, have run well-orchestrated
statewide campaigns, collecting endorsements and crisscrossing the state
in search of votes and the backing of elected officials and party
activists.
They agree on most things, particularly such social issues as abortion and
gay marriage, which they all support, and on the death penalty, which they
all oppose. They are also all against a tax rollback.
Ms. Silbert has staked out some different positions on charter schools and
a proposed wind farm on Cape Cod, both of which she supports and the
others oppose.
Mr. Murray, a practicing lawyer, has by far the most support among local
elected officials, legislators and unions, although Ms. Goldberg, who also
has a law degree, has compiled an impressive list of these backers as
well.
He has touted his municipal experience of four years as mayor, a part-time
position under the city manager charter that entails chairing the City
Council and School Committee, saying it has prepared him well for a
lieutenant governor's job that he and others describe as a "bully pulpit"
because it has few official duties.
And if he becomes the 1st Worcester candidate elected statewide in half a
century, he promises to be an influential advocate for Central
Massachusetts and MetroWest, especially for commuter rail, public
education and economic development.
"Worcester is the fastest-growing municipality in the state and it will be
an asset for Worcester and MetroWest to have someone inside the cabinet to
make sure our issues are heard, listened to and attended to," Mr. Murray
said.
Ms. Silbert has raked in the endorsements of 3 popular newspaper
columnists as well as the endorsement of the Brookline Tab, in Ms.
Goldberg's backyard.
Mr. Murray, meanwhile, was endorsed by the Globe, the Springfield
Republican and the Newton Tab, with the Telegram & Gazette praising his
mayoral record. He also has in his corner 3 congressmen.
Ms. Goldberg, who has touted her term as chairman of selectman and
private-sector work, has the endorsements of the Herald, U.S. Rep. Barney
Frank, D-Newton, 37 legislators and several dozen city councilors and
selectmen.
Mr. Murray has taken more money from lobbyists and political action groups
than his two rivals: a total of about $29,000 over the last 2 years,
compared to a combined total of about $7,700 for his opponents.
The mayor shrugged off any suggestion that he is beholden to anyone,
pointing to his race-leading 5,000 individual donors, which he said
demonstrates a wider range of support than the other candidates.
"My record has always been to call them the way I see them," Mr. Murray
said.
Ms. Goldberg similarly dismisses the notion that as a wealthy, largely
self-funded candidate she is trying to "buy" the election.
"Deb has received contributions ranging from $5 to $500 from well over
2,000 people," her spokesman, Patrick McKiernan said.
In the final days of the campaign, "she's going to be traveling the state
getting out her message that she is the best candidate to get the state
back on track," Mr. McKiernan said.
Dorie Clark, a spokeswoman for Ms. Silbert, said that as a CEO of a
successful nonprofit group, Ms. Silbert has demonstrated executive
leadership ability that would serve her well as the state's
second-in-command.
"As a political outsider and as a lieutenant governor, she will be a
completely independent voice representing Massachusetts voters," Ms. Clark
said.
(source: Worcester News & Telegram)