Hard to believe, but Republican Bill Hudak has actually raised more money than the incumbent congressman in the 2010 election cycle.
According to figures compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics, as of Sept. 30 Congressman John Tierney’s campaign had reported raising $153,470 towards his re-election; while Hudak, a Boxford lawyer who’s working the hustings harder than any Republican since Peter Torikildsen, reported contributions of $153,881.
The difference is only slightly more than $400, but still significant considering Hudak’s not even the GOP nominee yet (as Tierney pointed out in refusing to debate him on the health-care issue recently).
Of course, Tierney has more than $1.3 million in the bank compared to Hudak’s $106,433.
Forty percent of the money Tierney raised in the current cycle came from political action committees (PACs). Seventy percent of Hudak’s money ($108,354) came out of his own pocket.
Still, Hudak shows every indication of being a tenacious opponent, and sources say the Republican Congressional Campaign Committee may be taking a second look at the race which was once considered unwinnable.
Tierney, meanwhile, made news over the weekend endorsing colleague Michael Capuano of Somerville in the special election for the late Ted Kennedy’s Senate seat and backing Sen. John Kerry in his effort to force a presidential runoff in Afghanistan before there’s a commitment of more U.S. troops to the region.
This just in:
“FORT COLLINS, Colo. — A 6-year-old boy was found hiding in a cardboard box in his family’s garage attic Thursday after being feared aboard a homemade helium balloon that hurtled 50 miles through the sky on live television.”
Quite a day for the Heene family. Next stop Oprah, then a reality TV series of their own.
It’s the American way, after all
The rhetoric is growing more shrill in Beverly where Mayor William Scanlon is being challenged by long-time nemesis John Burke, the city councilor who represents Ward 3.
There was a lively exchange at the Cove Community Center last Thursday, and letters to the editor have been dispatched from both camps raising questions about the opposition (See today and Thursday’s Salem News).
Whether it’s on the basis of an internal poll or simply a gut feeling, Scanlon seems concerned there’s an anti-incumbent mood within the community and doesn’t want to suffer another upset loss.
Considering the fact that in his last term Burke was slapped with censure by his City Council colleagues over an anonymous letter he penned raising questions about Scanlon’s nominee for police chief (for whom Burke voted and says now has done a good job), a citywide victory by the Ward 3 councilor would be an upset of historic proportions.
But stranger things have happened in this game.
Republican congressional candidate Bill Hudak of Boxford has proven to be no shrinking violet.
He arrived early at Wednesday morning’s North Shore Chamber of Commerce meeting in Danvers, introducing himself to those in attendance before sitting down to hear incumbent Congressman John Tierney and a couple of hospital CEOs talk about health-care reform.
Much to his frustration, we’re sure, Hudak had to sit quietly through the presentation as Tierney, live via video from his Washington office, made the case for the Democratic reform agenda. But he did make his presence felt bidding (unsuccessfully) for a pair of Red Sox playoff tickets offered by state Sen. Fred Berry.
Tierney’s participation in the panel discussion via video was a first for the chamber. If he’s going to do more of these, however, his office needs to work on its production techniques since most of the screen was taken up by the blank wall behind his desk (decorated, Marbleheaders will be proud to note, with a reproduction of “The Spirit of ‘76“).
Downtown Salem was abuzz this morning as Gov. Deval Patrick, in town to address the Massachusetts Workforce Board Association, made an impromptu stop at the Salem train depot to make official the funding package that had been put together for a new parking facility.
Mayor Kim Driscoll, Congressman John Tierney and Rep. John Keenan all emphasized that the effort to build a new garage has been a priority not only for them, but for organizations like The Salem Partnership and the Salem Chamber of Commerce, both of which were well represented at the event.
From left, Patrick, Driscoll, Keenan and Tierney at Salem train station.
The governor spent several minutes on the platform leading down to the station from Washington Street where Driscoll pointed out the overcrowded lot and the need for a waiting area for commuters. She noted that the current, inhospitable platform has been described as the coldest spot in America.
One question from the governor: What’s that junk yard doing across the river?
Glad you asked, Driscoll replied. The city has long sought to do something with the eyesore that is among the most prominent features looking across the North River from downtown Salem.
Apparently President Obama doesn’t hold the same sway over the International Olympic Committee as he does with the Massachusetts Legislature.
Supporter of Chicago bid gets the bad news
Despite a personal plea from the chief executive, the IOC this morning chose Rio De Janeiro, Brazil over Chicago (as well as Tokyo and Madrid) as the site of the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Interestingly, a release from the Immigration Policy Center suggested it’s the United States’ “anti-visitor” policies that may have made the difference.
“While the I.O.C. questioned Brazil on combating crime, and Japan was chided for a lackluster proposal that led it to claim the country’s plan was environmentally friendly, it’s notable that the U.S. was pushed hardest on its immigration policies making it clear that our broken immigration system has officially become our Achilles’ heel in the eyes of the world,” the Washington-based policy group noted.
Meanwhile, kudos to former governor Mitt Romney for breaking with the Republican pack and endorsing Obama’s decision to fly to Copenhagen and make a personal plea for the U.S. entry.
It didn’t work but it was worth a try.
Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll and state Reps. Mary Grant of Beverly, Lori Ehrlich of Marblehead and Joyce Spiliotis of Peabody made it official today: They’re backing Attorney General Martha Coakley for the state’s vacant U.S. Senate seat.
AG Martha Coakley
Their endorsements were made public today as part of an annoucement by EMILY’s List and the Massachusetts Women’s Political Caucus. The nod from EMILY’s list is particularly noteworthy as the organization has been a major source of funding for female candidates around the country.
According to the release from the Coakley committee, “Since its founding in 1985, EMILY’s List has worked to elect 80 pro-choice Democratic women to the U.S. House, 15 to the U.S. Senate, nine governors, and hundreds of women to the state legislatures, state constitutional offices, and other key local offices.”
Coakley would be the first woman to represent Massachusetts in the
U.S. Senate. Her most formidable opponent on the Democratic side is likely to be Congressman Michael Capuano of Somerville who reportedly has the backing of the Kennedy family.
Gov. Deval Patrick is scheduled to be in downtown Haverhill this afternoon to make an announcement regarding a new commuter rail parking facility.
The MBTA continues to build these structures in places where they’re not really needed (Lynn, Lawrence), while the busiest station in the commuter rail system, Salem’s, remains without adequate parking.
Maybe that’s the secret: Empty your downtown and you’ll get a new parking garage.
There’s word today that President Obama is in favor of a longer school day. Wonder whether he checked first with the Peabody School Committee which seems curiously proud of the fact its schools have one of the shortest days in the commonwealth.
Look for some positive news soon regarding construction of a new library at Salem State College and funding for a new regional vocational school.
The Patrick administration has reportedly given its endorsement to both projects in the new capital spending plan to be unveiled soon.
Building a replacement for the library shuttered recently due to structural problems, is essential to SSC’s achieving university status.
Meanwhile, with the state committing close to $100 million for a new vocational school on the Essex Aggie campus in Danvers, this is a project cities and towns on the North Shore truly can’t afford to pass up even in tough times like these. Indeed, given the changing job market and the retraining programs it can offer adults after regular school hours, the megavoke is needed now more than ever.
Nelson Benton is editorial page editor of The Salem News. Over the past four decades he has covered all the cities and towns of the North Shore, as well as the Statehouse. His political column appears every Friday on the Opinion page.
