Jan 22 (updated Feb 14 and Mar 1) – The contest to determine who will fill the State Senate seat formerly occupied by Anthony Galluccio is getting interesting. It exhibits all the worst aspects of a plurality election without runoffs and with vote-splitting, strategic voting, and ulterior motives. Here’s the latest roster of possible declared candidates:
| OCPF ID | Name | Address | Office Sought | Party |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15031 | DiDomenico, Sal | 125 Clarence Street, Everett | Senate, Middlesex, Suffolk & Essex | Democratic |
| 15001 | Hill, Daniel C. | 60 Sullivan Street, Charlestown | Senate, Middlesex, Suffolk & Essex | Democratic |
| 13783 | Simmons, E. Denise | 188 Harvard Street #4B, Cambridge | Senate, Middlesex, Suffolk & Essex | Democratic |
| 13736 | Decker, Marjorie C. (withdrew) | 61 Walden Street, Cambridge | Senate, Middlesex, Suffolk & Essex | Democratic |
| 13239 | Flaherty, Timothy | 5 Concord Avenue, Cambridge | Senate, Middlesex, Suffolk & Essex | Democratic |
| 15023 | Albano, Michael J. | 32 Crest Avenue, Chelsea | Senate, Middlesex, Suffolk & Essex | Democratic |
| 13055 | Benzan, Dennis | 48 Townsend Road, Belmont MA 02478 | Senate, Middlesex, Suffolk & Essex | Democratic |
| 14594 | Cesan, John | 24 Tina Lane Feeding Hills, MA 01030 (Agawam) | Senate, Middlesex, Suffolk & Essex | Unenrolled |
Related – The Committee to Election Anthony Galluccio has filed a Dissolution Report (Feb 16, 2010).
We’ll likely learn on Monday soon whether or not Denise Simmons’ bid is a real one or just a poker move for leverage in the still unsettled mayoral sweepstakes in Cambridge. Marjorie Decker is seen by many as a long-shot candidate whose hope rests in being the only woman candidate in a field where they may be significant vote-splitting. She’ll also have to share the union and real estate money with some of the other candidates, but they all have the advantage of a new calendar year with a blank ledger for campaign finance donation limits. Denise Simmons’s chances are between slim and none for this Senate district, but she would likely harm Decker’s chances among Cambridge voters. Though Decker has not yet officially filed as a candidate for the seat, she made it clear at a Jan 14 meeting of the Cambridge Democratic City Committee that she was running for the seat and had her campaign manager Jeni Wheeler in tow. [She subsequently officially threw her hat in the ring.]
Mar 1 – Marjorie Decker today officially withdrew from the race.
It’s worth noting that about 30% of the district is in Everett and only 20% is in Cambridge with the remainder spread across portions of Allston-Brighton, Somerville, Chelsea, Saugus, and Revere. Anthony Galluccio was able to build substantial support in Everett which was pivotal in his winning the seat in the 2007 Special Election to replace former rival Jarrett Barrios. Much of that Galluccio support will likely transfer to Everett City Council member Sal DiDomenico who also has deep roots in Cambridge. Tim Flaherty also ran for this seat in 2007 and should be able to quickly reassemble some of his campaign apparatus for this relatively short election cycle. He also retains some name recognition as a result of his previous run and his family’s history in Massachusetts politics. The other Cambridge candidates are basically unknown outside the Peoples Republic.
There’s no word yet on any challengers from any other political party, so (as usual) the contest should be decided at a low-turnout party primary on April 13. Then again, maybe Scott Brown has a cousin in Revere who drives a pickup truck.
300 valid nominating signatures due with local city and town officials – March 2, 2010
Primary Election – April 13, 2010
Special Election – May 11, 2010
Saugus board fires back over rat remarks
By Chris Stevens / The Daily Item
Comment by Robert Winters — February 16, 2010 @ 9:28 am