Archive for the ‘Politics’ Category

Jan 31, 2013 By Cole Chapman, The MetroWest Daily News，The State House Program

Although some area lawmakers were surprised by Gov. Deval Patrick’s pick of William “Mo” Cowan as Massachusetts’ interim U.S. senator, the general consensus is he could aid the state as a knowledgeable advocate in Washington.

“I think [Cowan’s] very well prepared from the point of view of knowing what we need and will hopefully be able to translate that knowledge for advocacy for the state on a federal level,” said state Rep. Alice Peisch, D-Wellesley, Wednesday after Patrick appointed his former chief of staff to fill the vacancy left by the appointment of U.S. Sen. John Kerry to secretary of state. Kerry held the Ssenate seat for 29 years.

Cowan’s name had not been mentioned prominently in the run up to Patrick’s announcement. Former congressman Barney Frank had openly sought the interim appointment and former Gov. William Weld had been mentioned as a possible appointee.
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By Edward Donga, Patriot Ledger

MILTON – Everyone in Milton knows Sen. Brian A. Joyce, or it at least seems that way.

Sitting outside the Plate, a local restaurant where he is a Friday-morning regular, Joyce wore a navy jacket over a light blue shirt to keep out the chill. Between bites of what he claimed is “the best egg sandwich in Massachusetts,” seven or eight passers-by stopped to say hello. A few others in cars beeped and waved as they passed.

Joyce wasn’t always as well-known. His first experience in politics was as a relative newcomer in the town that he now calls home, where he and his wife, Mary, are raising five children.
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Outgoing senator has plenty of options on the table

By Jim Morrison, The Sun Chronicle

BOSTON – The most popular game of political speculation at the Statehouse these days is whether U.S. Sen. John Kerry lands a position in President Barack Obama’s administration.

The second most popular speculation is what U.S. Sen. Scott Brown should do if that happens.

“I believe Sen. Brown should and would seek election to the U.S. Senate,” said state Rep. Dan Winslow, R-Norfolk. “He proved an effective and courageous senator, willing to cross the partisan divide that is hurting our country. And if you don’t believe me, just watch the fiscal cliff debates.”
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By Katie Doyle, The Lowell Sun

As a federal grand jury continues to investigate the state Probation Department’s hiring and promotion practices, local lawmakers claim to know little about the investigation, saying they have not been asked to testify before the panel.

“The only thing I know is what I read in the papers,” said Rep. Cory Atkins, D-Concord, echoing the same answer given by a number of lawmakers, including Rep. Richard Bastien, R-Gardner, Sen. Jamie Eldridge, D-Acton and Rep. Jim Arciero, D-Westford.

All said they have not been asked to testify.
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By Monique Scott, Milford Daily News

Two area state legislators — a freshman from Franklin and an Uxbridge Republican entering his sophomore season — are looking forward to a new legislative session with goals of job creation, election law changes and increased financial support to local towns.

The Milford area will also see a new voice in Congress, U.S. Rep. Joseph Kennedy III, whose agenda of economic revival and bipartisanship echo the themes of his state colleagues.

“I want to get the economy moving,” Kennedy said in a recent interview.
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By Lexi Salazar, Cape Cod Times

By Katie Doyle, The Lowell Sun

BOSTON – U.S. Senator-elect Elizabeth Warren was subdued during her first press conference since the election, giving short answers to reporters’ questions on Sen. John Kerry’s future, the so-called “fiscal cliff,” tax cuts and the national debt.

Less than 48 hours after her bruising campaign against Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown came to an end, Warren visited the Statehouse for a private, one-hour meeting with Gov. Deval Patrick.

After the meeting, Warren took questions from the media for 10 minutes. Those 10 minutes provided few details on her thinking about issues facing Congress, as she answered most questions with just a sentence or two.
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By Edward Donga, Patriot Ledger

BROCKTON — Plymouth County Register of Deeds John Buckley Jr. rode a landside to victory on Tuesday over GOP opponent Anthony O’Brien Sr., a Plymouth County Commissioner.

Buckley, 55, of Brockton, a former Plymouth County commissioner, received big support in his home city, where he crushed O’Brien, 52, of Pembroke, by almost 20,000 votes. The trouncing in Brockton gave Buckley an 82 percent to 18 percent margin of victory in the city to secure his third six-year term as register.

The race was closer in Plymouth, where the registry’s main office is located, with Buckley winning by just under 3,000 votes against O’Brien, the county’s commissioner for the last four years.
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By Katie Doyle, The Lowell Sun

LOWELL – Incumbent state Rep. Cory Atkins, D-Concord, cruised to victory in 14th Middlesex district, which
includes Concord, Acton, Carlisle and Chelmsford, defeating Republican Michael Benn with 66 percent of the vote.
Atkins said she received 12, 685 votes, while Benn, also of Concord, received 6,583 votes, or 34.2 percent.

In a phone interview, Benn congratulated Atkins on her victory.

“It was a nice campaign,” he said. “My supporters were terrific, the volunteers were great. I wish I delivered for
them. I mostly feel bad about that, but otherwise, life will go on.”
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By Katie Doyle, The Lowell Sun

LOWELL – Bedford Democrat Ken Gordon defeated Republican Walter Zenkin of Burlington in the 21st
Middlesex District state representative race, which includes Bedford and Burlington, winning with 55 percent of the
vote.

The seat was vacated when Rep. Charlie Murphy, D-Burlington, resigned mid-summer.

Gordon, who was endorsed by Murphy in late October, received a total of 11,743 votes. He said he attributed his
success to a “substantive” campaign, in which he said he laid out all of the issues to the voters.
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