Weekend roundup: I've been everywhere, man

It's awfully difficult for a challenger to dominate the media cycle against an well-financed, high-ranking incumbent, but Tom Wesley (R-Hopedale) managed to do just that Friday in his Second Congressional District race against Rep. Richard Neal (D-Springfield). We'll start with the Telegram, where Wesley was the feature of Friday's candidate profile:

Mr. Wesley explained that these are tough economic times and that people have to be careful with their finances. He quickly added, however, that this election is about more than raising money.

“I see it as my patriotic duty,” he said when asked why he was running. “I'm fighting for unborn generations.” termed a lynchpin election, which means in his opinion the American way of life is at stake and people are angry with what has been happening on Capitol Hill.

In addition, Wesley was all over the radio, appearing on Springfield's WAQY-FM and WHYN-AM. He has also continued videotaping while driving.
 
For his part, Neal has received praise from the unlikeliest of sources. The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, has endorsed Neal's bill to provide for automatic enrollment in IRAs for employees of small businesses:

The Automatic IRA is a conservative, market-oriented solution to help address our retirement savings crisis. It would increase the proportion of Americans who can save for retirement at work from 50 percent to 90 percent, make it simple for small business owners to offer IRAs to their employees, and create low-cost accounts that an employee can understand and use without having to be a financial expert.

Neal's proposal has also been endorsed by the more liberal Brookings Institution.

Elsewhere...

Third Congressional District
Rep. James McGovern (D-Worcester) continues to keep the pressure on Congress and the Obama administration over the cut in food stamp aid that was part of the $26 billion jobs bill:

"President Obama pledged to end childhood hunger by 2015," McGovern pointed out. "It's hard to see how you do that while you're cutting food stamps.''

Fifth Congressional District
In the Sentinel, columnist Peter Lucas calls Tom Weaver (R-Westford) "the most qualified candidate you never heard of."

Rep. Niki Tsongas (D-Lowell) was in Harvard to tout federal funding for a 220-kilowatt solar power facility at Carlson Orchards.

First Middlesex District
Tony Saboliauskas (D-Pepperell) is part of a group trying to get permission to erect a "Support our Troops" sign on town land in Pepperell.

Second Franklin House District
Earlier this week, David Roulston (D-Greenfield) became the latest candidate to criticize the proposed biomass plant in Greenfield.

Middlesex and Worcester Senate District
The communications director for Sen. Jamie Eldridge (D-Acton) is taking time off during the fall recess to work for the campaign of Ninth District Congressman Stephen Lynch (D-South Boston).

Worcester County Sheriff
Lew Evangelidis (R-Holden) recently visited the Hampden County Sheriff to get some tips on programs for inmates.

Cross posted at CMassPolitics.com.
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Tuesday roundup: Good day to spend in the hammock

Another sleepy August day came and went, with little election news to report around Central Mass. Here's what's new...

Worcester County Sheriff
Lew Evangelidis (R-Holden) spoke in support of James McKenna, a write-in candidate for Attorney General.

First Congressional District
Bill Gunn (R-Belchertown) appeared at a rally in Leominster. DaTechGuy has the video.

Ninth Worcester House District
Rep. George N. Peterson Jr. (R-Grafton) switched his vote on CORI reform from yes to no after a provision to allow for "dangerous hearings for defendants charged with felony firearm offenses" was added to the final bill.

Fifth Congressional District
Both Rep. Niki Tsongas (D-Lowell) and challenger Jon Golnik (R-Carlisle) were profiled at Yes We Will Lawrence.

37th Middlesex House District
Sponsores of the bill to allow local communities to more easily set up their own local electrical utilities--including Rep. Jen Benson (D-Lunenburg) are lamenting the legislature's inablity to pass the legislation before the end of the session.

State house Republicans bad for business

Last week, three Democratic state senators offered up a resolution that would have called for a boycott of Hyatt Hotels for firing nearly 100 custodial workers in Massachusetts and replacing them with low-wage replacements. In opposing the resolution, Minority Leader Richard Tisei digressed into the usual anti-Democrat anti-business tripe. In part:

With unemployment at 9.1 percent, and so many companies struggling to just keep their heads above water, we should be doing everything we can to help them weather the downturn in the economy, and not trying to stigmatize them and drive them out of business....

I was discouraged to read over the weekend that EMC – one of the state’s largest employers – is moving 400 jobs to North Carolina because of the high electrical rates here in Massachusetts. These are the kinds of problems we should be addressing and trying to fix.

Instead of attacking businesses, the Legislature should be meeting in session every day to discuss how we can improve the state’s business climate, encourage companies to locate and expand here, and get Massachusetts residents back to work.

The criticism that the Democratic legislature is not doing “everything we can to help [businesses] weather the downturn in the economy” and that it should be doing more to “encourage companies to locate and expand here” was particularly rich considering what was going on in the other chamber at nearly the same time.

A number of mayors from smaller urban centers like Fitchburg were petitioning the Legislature to pass a package of tax credits that would encourage “companies to locate and expand” in these decaying communities. The proposal would increase tax credits to refurbish former mill buildings and provide direct tax credits to companies who hire new workers.

This proposal to encourage businesses to locate in Massachusetts communities by cutting taxes was opposed by...house Republicans, including Rep. Lew Evangelidis:

Not everyone on the Revenue Committee was persuaded. Rep. Lewis Evangelidis, R-Holden, said he worried about the potential cannibalizing effect the tax credits could have on other communities.

"They might entice companies to move from one community to another," Evangelidis said. "Also, we're in a budget crisis, and tax incentives cut into revenues."

But Representative, “these are the kinds of problems we should be addressing and trying to fix.” “With unemployment at 9.1 percent, and so many companies struggling to just keep their heads above water, we should be doing everything we can to help them weather the downturn in the economy.” Why wouldn’t we want to provide tax credits to help match struggling companies wit struggling communities?

A ha! I think I’ve found the answer:

Their pitch came as lawmakers consider a bill of state Rep. Antonio F.D. Cabral, D-New Bedford, described as an economic recovery act for older cities that serve as regional economic hubs.

It’s because the bill was proposed by a Democrat. Period. A tea-party attending tax fighter like Evangelidis is opposed to a tax cut because it might "cut into revenues?" How disingenuous. Look, I'm as partisan as anyone, but if you're going to try to make a name as a tax-cutter, then support tax cuts. Unfortunately, the State House Republicans seem to care more about opposing Democrats then advancing a policy agenda.

Run Around Lew

A couple of events scheduled for tonight caught my eye. First, from The Landmark:

The Sterling Republican Town Committee will hold a dinner meeting on Monday, March 16, at Twin Oaks Restaurant, Leominster Road/Route 12, Sterling. Social "Hour" cash bar, 6 p.m.; Dinner Buffet, 6:30 p.m., $17/person; Speaker, Rep. Lew Evangelidis, 7 p.m.; Business meeting, 8 p.m.

And from the Telegram and Gazette:

State Republican leaders are planning a “Hardship Listening Tour” for the public to voice their opinions about the proposed gas tax increase and other proposed tax, toll and fee increases.

One of the first forums will be held tomorrow at Auburn Town Hall, from 7 to 9 p.m. It is sponsored by state Reps. George N. Peterson Jr., R-Grafton; Paul K. Frost, R-Auburn; Karyn E. Polito, R-Shrewsbury; and Lewis G. Evangelidis, R-Holden.

Either the Republicans in Sterling aren't going to be getting their $17 worth, or Rep. Evangelidis won't be hearing about much hardship in Auburn. For Lew's sake, I hope the Staties don't have their speed trap up on I-190 tonight.

Tags: Massachusetts Lew Evangelidis Sterling Republican

Have Republicans already "taken back Beacon Hill?"

Apparently they have. Two months ago, Rep. Lew Evangelidis announced that the seven Republican state reps who voted for him for House Minority Leader had teamed up to create a new Web site that was designed with Republican "activists" in mind:

I'm posting here to make you, as the grassroots activists of our party, the first ones to know about the first step in this initiative.

We are launching a new Web page that is dedicated to taking back Beacon Hill for the people of Massachusetts. We want to take things in a new direction and help to create a legislature we can be proud of, one that actually listens to people and represents them appropriately. And it is specifically designed with you in mind.

I guess it wasn't designed with me in mind, because when I visited www.takebackbeaconhill.com today all I got was this:

Then again, that does seem to accurately reflect the extent of the Republican agenda.

Tags: Massachusetts Lew Evangelidis Sterling Republican State House

Was Evangelidis robbed, or is he a sore Lew-ser?

Despite my generous support of State Rep. Lew Evangelidis, he failed earlier this week in his effort to become minority leader. After losing by a 9-7 vote, he released the following statement to PolitickerMA.com:

"The most disappointing aspect of today's caucus was the way the process was conducted attempting to shut down all debate," the Holden Republican said. "Our caucus always laments how the majority party abuses its power and authority to serve their own particular needs, not the voters of Massachusetts. Unfortunately, that was the tact that was taken by the leader of our caucus. There was a refusal to allow the clerk of the court to come down and rule on a procedural matter of whether or not we had to adhere to the existing house rules. There was a refusal to have this election conducted by secret ballot and our current leader offered no plan when given the opportunity."

A couple of things…first, I challenge you to understand what Evangelidis is talking about without going back and re-reading it once or twice. You can’t do it. It’s a bunch of procedural gobbledygook. For someone who wants to be the public face of the Republican Party in Massachusetts, it’s an awful statement. If he keeps talking like that, no one will listen.

Second, it’s not a “tact that was taken” it’s a “tack that was taken,” as in, a course of action or conduct. I realize Evangelidis was running for Minority Leader and not spelling bee champion…but again, if you want to be the public face of the Republican Party, you should know what you’re saying.

And third, complaining about not having a secret ballot may have its merits in many situations, but not when you lose by one vote. The whole idea of having a secret ballot in a caucus like this is so that the members don’t have to fear retribution if they vote against the eventual winner. But in this case, a change of one vote would have deadlocked the caucus at 8-8, so what would someone who might change a vote have to lose? If one of the nine who voted for Brad Jones was a secret Evangelidis supporter, casting a vote for Lew would have actually changed the outcome. In this case, there was no reason to vote secretly because there would be no repercussions against a member for their vote. Complaining about this just looks like sour grapes.

Given Evangelidis’s public response to the vote, I wonder if reelecting Minority Leader Jones wasn’t the best thing for Republicans after all.

Tags: Massachusetts Lew Evangelidis Sterling Republican State House

I support Lew Evangelidis

Well, OK, let's not get carried away. I wouldn't suggest that any of my fellow townspeople vote for the State Representative for Sterling's other precinct if a Democrat were to oppose him. But I hope Rep. Evangelidis can get eight other members of the moribund Republican House caucus to vote for him in his effort to become Minority Leader:

Saying he is tired of watching fewer and fewer Republicans be elected to the state Legislature, state Rep. Lewis G. Evangelidis, R-Holden, is challenging House minority leader Brad Jones, R-North Reading, for that post.

"Everywhere I go, Republican leaders and state committee members are pleading for a change in direction and new leadership for our Republican Party," Mr. Evangelidis said in a statement issued yesterday after he told House Republicans of his plans to try to take the seat from Mr. Jones.

Being the leader of the State House Republicans is about as relevant as being the best ski area in Georgia, but it would be nice if someone in leadership were to come from Central Mass. Heaven knows the Democratic leadership hardly knows we exist, unless they are trying to win votes for speaker

For his part, Rep. Jones gave Evangelidis a less-than-subtle smackdown in response

"I welcome Rep. Evangelidis' newfound enthusiasm and interest in participating," Jones, a North Reading Republican, told PolitickerMA.com.

Evangelidis expounded on the rationale for his candidacy in his statement to the Telegram and Gazette:

"Outside the building we need someone who is going to be more visible and outspoken on the issues and inside the building I think we need someone who is going to be a little bit more confrontational with the Democrats," he said.

It will be nice to see Evangelidis be the one mixing it up if he wins the race. This is one Democrat who will have no problem being "a little bit more confrontational" should the new Minority Leader be one of my town's representatives. I hope we get the chance.

Tags: Massachusetts Lew Evangelidis Sterling Republican State House