And they’re off

And they’re off
the race for state representative is underway

By Andrea Gregory

As of Monday, three Somerville residents have pulled papers, vying for the vacant Somerville state representative seat.
Denise Provost, Elizabeth Moroney and John Roderick are the first to show interest in the in the state house position, but there is still time for others to pull papers. Candidates must turn in 150 signatures by Nov. 29 to officially enter the running On Jan.10 the primary election will take place. And on Feb.7, Somerville residents will elect their new state representative.
Here are your choices (at first glance):

  Denise Provost
Provost has been alderman for almost six years. She has served on the Massachusetts Municipal Association Executive Committee and is a member of the local government advisory committee.
“I am committed to serving Somerville,” she said. “I know the district well, and I feel the district knows me.”
But Provost said the best way for her to serve Somerville is by having more pull at the state level. She said one of her big issues has been lobbying for matters that have a direct effect on the community calls home. She said she will continue to advocate for state aid tackle other issues affecting her constituents.
As an alderman, she has successfully reinstated grant funding for school nurses. She is also responsible for the polls opening at 7 a.m., an hour earlier than they did before Provost entered office.
In last weeks alderman-at-large race, Provost won more votes than any other candidate. 
“I did wonderfully well in the last election,” she said. “But I never take an election for granted.”
Provost said she is not sure if she would keep her alderman post if she becomes the next state representative, and that she will cross that bridge when she comes to it.

Elizabeth Moroney
Moroney said she was trying to think of who would be the next ideal state representative. Pondering over what type of candidate she would endorse, it hit her.
“I said, ‘I could do this,’” said Moroney, who is already door-knocking and handing out blue ice scrapers with her name in hope of gaining voter support. “It’s going to be a challenging campaign.”
Moroney said she is committed to the campaign and to the position. She will be leaving her title as chief of staff to Sen. Pam Resor and resigning from vice chairwoman of the Planning Board. Moroney has held both jobs for many years and said she is now equiped with a great deal of knowledge, making her a prime candidate. She said she plans to put all of her efforts into her campaign.
Like Provost, Moroney has concerns about recent cuts to state aid. Having worked in the State House, she said she is familiar with the process and has much to bring to the table.
“I would advocate for the City of Somerville. I want to use my experience and know-how to benefit the City of Somerville,” she said. “I care so much about this city,”

John Roderick
The latest to pull candidacy papers is Roderick.  He hesitates to call himself a candidate just yet, but has the papers to run just in case. That’s not the only thing he has just in case. Roderick already has the signs ready to go for the last time he ran.
He first ran in 2002 against Pat Jehlen. Jehlen won the election, but recently gave up her post as state representative to be state senator.
Roderick said he is thinking about giving it another go. He said his main concern is that Somerville residents have options. He said he would like to see more than just Democratic candidates lining up for the position. Roderick said if he runs, it will be as an Independent. He said he opposes the death penalty, is pro choice and is a strong supporter of the 2nd Amendment.
He is a live-long resident of Somerville. He calls himelf a union man and has worked as a power engineer at a plant in Cambridge for the past 20 years.
“It’s nice to have choices in the general election,” he said. “I don’t know that we are really well served by having another progressive in there.”

Comments

[brickbottom]

John Roderick has got to stop sitting on the fence like he did during the past ward 3 aldermans race. "Should I...or shouldn't I" bull is getting old. Either your in or out....simple as that.

[Andy]

Do you think in this race unlike the just held city races we could actually have some sort of debate or town hall meeting between all of the candidates? It would be nice to get some education about the positions of the cadidates without just going to websites and the literature they hang on our doors.

[Ron Newman]

I'd like to see that too. Perhaps The Somerville News could sponsor it?

[Andy]

It would be fantastic if we could get a lot of people in the community to sponsor it, the event really should be a city wide endeavor. Maybe SCAT coverage?

[James Norton]

"I'd like to see that too. Perhaps The Somerville News could sponsor it?" - R Newman

Did I miss something? Was there an influx of money in the First Bank of Norton that I was unaware of? It takes money to put these things on Ron...but I am sure someone will kick it around at our weekly staff meeting on Thursday.

I think an open debate is a good idea for every elected office, but thats just me. I think you need to earn every bloody vote you get when you put yourself out there, no exceptions. If you're not qualified and you don't have the balls to not only ask for the vote but be willing to prove that you've earned it, then you should go back to the private sector where you probably won't make it anyways.

Hey that's just my opinion, I could be wrong.

JN

[Ron Newman]

I thought the News-sponsored debate for the Senate seat was pretty successful, except for the confusing rules.

[Andy]

Perhaps I am overly naive but why does it cost so much? Also, why can't the Somerville News put a little footwork in and get other businesses to support the debate then if it costs so much?

[Ron Newman]

I'd imagine that renting the Somerville Theatre is the major cost of such an event. But perhaps it could be held somewhere else, such as the VNA?

[James Norton]

Well, you have it wrong my friend...here's how it went:

We picked up the tab on everything for the last debate - everything included:

The Somerville Theatre - they don't allow free use of their place

SCAT outright refused to have any part in it or send someone who was qualified, so we hired our own person to tape it - he cost money for his time and effort

The sound/audio company we asked to help out with some equipment refused to help - that cost money to rent

The radio station that co-sponsored it with us didn't pay anything and didn't run the event live - they used the recording we had paid for

The surprising thing was SCAT wouldn't have anything to do with it - but hey what can you do. Nobody is complaining about money here, but everything has a cost.

So we will once again, approach SCAT and even the Farm Team and see if we can't get some kind of co-sponsorship thing going and put a debate for the State Rep seat together, because we are ALL about bringing things to the people of this city.

The only agenda at The Somerville News is to bring local news that matters to everyone in the city. We want to help re-foster community involvement and awareness. This is why we will keep plugging away - we might make a misstep here and there along the way - but that's alright, because our hearts are in the right place.

That sounded way too mushy for me.

JN

[Andy]

That's a great mission JN. I think it stinks that you guys footed the bill as much as you did and I think it is sad if the Somerville Theater didn't even offer a break in price for the civic good you guys were doing. SCAT is sad. I heard they refused to help out with a debate for the Aldermen races as well. What can we do about this? I mean what are they covering in Somerville?

[James Norton]

I'm not looking to alienate SCAT, but I was under the impression that SCAT stood for Somerville Community Access Television.

Doesn't seem like much Community to me, but then again, I watch BBC America and the History Channel more than anything else when I have free time.

Again, just my opinion.

As far as civic good, thanks for the compliment - we are trying very hard to build bridges and bring the community together through news and actually understanding the word in and of itself.

Later.

JN

[kungfu]

Why don't the Somerville News sponsor an ultimate fighting tournament between Moroney and Provost. It can be held in Lawrence "Mortadella" Paolella's backyard. I understand he already has a ring. Or, better yet, a hot dog eating contest. It can take place in Lawrence's underwear.

[Mrs. McCarthy]

Jamie,

BBC America? Holy Mary Mother of God!

I'll pray for you boy, everyday.

Fondlingly,

Mrs. McCarthy
Little Sister of the Poor
Highland Avenue
Somerville, Massachusetts

[unionsquareboy]

Provost has been alderman for almost six years.

i think denise was first elected at-large in 1997, meaning she has been an alderman for almost eight years. maybe I'm wrong.

however, denise is the one to go with. a born leader for our neighborhoods.

[Ron Newman]

Denise's web site (provost-citywide.org) says she was first elected in 1999.

Before that, she lost a couple of races for ward alderman; that may be what you are remembering.

[Chris]

I thought there were FCC regulations requiring a community access station to put this sort of thing on.

And can someone refresh my memory: Was it Roderick or someone else who ran last year against Jehlen for this same office?

[Andy]

Roderick ran in 2002 against Jehlen. Does anyone else know anything about this guy?

[JARfromWard3]

Dane Baird, a Republican, ran for the seat in the last election cycle. There were questions concerning his actual residency which came about afterward.

[Andy]

JAR are you going to run? What is the hang up? We can use as much debate from as many different candidates as we can.

[James Norton]

Kungfu - that's disturbing.

Mrs. McCarthy - I'm sorry, I neglected to mention I do watch The Shield and Rescue Me on FX and West Wing Marathon Monday on Bravo. I've been all messed up since they changed around the programming on IFC. Say another prayer for me, please.

Chris - you know, I would think there would be some kind of regulations or guidelines about SCAT and what they cover, but who knows, really.

JN

[Ron Newman]

I don't have much connection to SCAT, but I have a friend who was taping your Writers' Festival a couple of nights ago, presumably for SCAT. Presumably he could give you (or me) more information.

[Ron Newman]

OK, I just phoned the executive director of SCAT and suggested that she (a) post a reply here, and (b) get in touch with James Norton. I hope this leads to a co-sponsored debate and other good things!

[James Norton]

Ron -

I have to hand it to you - you move quickly when you want to. Either that or you have WAY too much time on your hands. The Executive Director of SCAT just called me and I directed her to post on here and she was agreeable to working with us on another debate. I told her the Editor of the newspaper would be in touch with her.

She was very nice and I am glad she called. Hopefully she can post something on here as to what SCAT does, what it covers, etc.

Enjoy.

JN

[Wendy Blom]

I am the Executive Director of SCAT and I am so glad that I heard about these comments flying so that I can clarify about SCAT. We did say no to the Somerville Theater event because we had just done exactly the same thing for the Senate candidates the week before at our studio and the program ran at least four times. Even so, we had several SCAT members who covered the News's forum and then played it on SCAT at least four times. As far as the City candidates election, we did not do a forum because there were so many races, but we did invite every candidate to come to SCAT to record a three minute statement which ran on SCAT at least eight times, four before the preliminary election and four before the final election. We are always open to helping get the word out to voters about the candidates and issues, and I expect that we will partner with the News on a forum for the Representative race soon.

[Ron Newman]

I'm looking forward to it.

One piece of unsolicited advice to the News or anyone else putting on a forum: do NOT use the rule that "any candidate can reply once to one (and only one) other candidate per question". At the last debate, this led to lots of confusion over whose turn it was to speak next.

[unionsquareboy]

Denise's web site (provost-citywide.org) says she was first elected in 1999.

Before that, she lost a couple of races for ward alderman; that may be what you are remembering.

you're correct ron. thanks. i was thinking about the other races - ward 5 against ward boss koty. i think there were two of those races and denise showed that there was an abundance of vote fraud - including 60 people registered to vote at one two family house of a friend of koty's and other shenanigans.

[your wrong]

Where do you idiots think you are in Chicago? or something. Where do you come up with this shit? Denise proved voter fraud of 60 voters suppose to be living in one two family? Man wake up and lay of the drugs, and stop the hate games. You and guys like you are one sick people. I am not a fan of Stan Koty but i can tell you if Denise proved that there was voter fraud who did she prove it to? Or do you really think we all take those little pills like you do? Get a life man and grow up. If your for Denise, do her good by saying good things about her not bad things about people who can't run for the seat? ..

[Ron Newman]

I just called City Hall, and learned that Sean O'Donovan took out papers this morning.