Yesterdays T&G story about State Rep Bob Spellane by Shaun Sutner, which was ripe with details but not a single factual accusation of wrongdoing, has opened up the predictable floodgates of potential write-in challengers to what is perceived as a vulnerable seat.
So far I’ve been told the following people are definitely probably pretty sure they’re running a two week sticker campaign for the Thirteenth Worcester seat:
- • Everyone who has played baseball at Jesse Burkett Little League since 1970
• Everyone who has ever held a sign, for any political candidate, in Newton Sq
• 50% of City of Worcester employees living in Paxton
• Anyone under 35 with a Facebook page
• Everyone who has threatened to run against Spellane in the past but bailed
• Bill Coleman
What’s interesting is if you count all the people planning sticker campaigns and divide up their bases, they still loose in a 52 way race against Spellane since nobody has to remember how to spell his name. This is why we have primary elections. The other interesting component is timing, not much in that story should be news to anyone who would be in the position to size up a candidate. So what makes these folks think they are any more qualified to act in the legislature today, than they were 6 months ago, other than the smell of blood?
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A primary election presupposes that they are all going to run as Democrats. What if they aren’t? If they’re independents, or Greens, or Libertarians? If no two of the 52 belong to the same party, you’d still have a race in November.
What perhaps has changed is the suitability of the person holding the office (or public knowledge thereof) rather than the suitability of the challenger(s).
We don’t have 52 parties, but we do have half a dozen Democrats launching write in campaigns as we speak. That would be a primary.
You would have to be more specific in terms of what you consider suitable.
He’s running unopposed because it’s virtually impossible to unseat a Democrat from within the Dem. Party. And we all know that anyone who isn’t a Democrat is unworthy of press coverage, local endorsements, neighborhood support, etc. As clunky, outdated and irretrievably broken as the local “machine” is, it is still the machine that runs the show.
Spellane (full disclosure: I know him AND I know the younger brother of his scorned wife/mother of his children) was largely given a free pass when he cooked the books for his campaign, but sometimes “small” things point to larger character issues. That seems to be the case with Bobby. Maybe he got drunk on his own image of himself as a rising-star, maybe he was jealous of Tim’s rapid ascension, maybe he was just always a shit-heel. It doesn’t matter now. The man failed in his job and the only thing that will keep him in office is the electoral inertia that got him there in the first place.
Oh, and sticker campaigns are specifically designed to avoid mis-identification/spelling issues. Where you’d write in the name, you adhere the sticker.
I’m running too.
I am not qualified for the position for a variety of reasons, but maybe this post will get me in the newspaper where I can promise to ban all knives and things that may cause harm (like sidewalks, bicycles, and chalk dust).
That should secure me at least 20% of the vote.
and more’s the pity they are all Dem’s. If that’s true, then, yeah, they should have all thrown their hats in earlier.
You never run against a Dem. incumbent, it’s the way the system works. You prop up the guy in Office and he helps shuffle you up through the ranks until he gets a new position/gets indicted. Is this your first day in Massachusetts?
Per the T&G, Mahoney (of Mahoney’s Pub) and Trotta are running a sticker campaign. They should’ve gotten together and combined resources. Let Trotta hold the seat, and he could get Mahoney some sort of do-nothing “advisory” job or have him appointed to some equally do-nothing hack slot on some board/commission, etc.
Split sticker votes may wind up keeping Spellane in office.
Hey Lincoln can you run my campaign?
Bob S.
PS email me when you have a chance.
Sadly, “Bob S”., I’m a Republican which means I’m legally banned from participating in local politics. Maybe the old Levy machine can be dusted off and cranked up again.
This story is overblown driven by the local media, it’s a family story that is being used to sell news papers and give mindless talk radio shows something to gossip about! Rep. Bob Spellane will retain his seat and get re-elected he’s a good legislator who loves Worcester and Central Mass and does right by them. There are some vultures out there, but there are a Lot more people that are praying for Bob and his family and will be voting for him on Nov.4th!
Apart from his cheating on his wife, the real crux of the story is the sweetheart deal with the industry he’s supposed to be regulating. It’s like a mini-Fannie Mae kickback scheme and everyone who isn’t blinded by partisanship sees that.
Go ahead, Gordo, vote for the status quo and then bitch like a little girl when nothing improves.
It’s funny how all the people who are constantly carping about conflicts of interest, fat cats getting better deals than the little guy and influence peddling among pols/banks/”big business”, etc. circle the wagons when one of their own gets caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
Wow, the posts on the T&G are already ridiculous. (Presumably) Trotta supporters bashing Mahoney and vice-versa. Even a few Spellanites trying to shut them up.
Oh well, for 48 hours there I thought the race might turn into something new or interesting. Doesn’t look like that’s gonna happen.
I cribbed this from a T&G post. It’s from Spellane’s web-site…
“I believe we must approach our fiscal duties as elected officials in the same way that we approach our household or business finances. My commitment to you is that I will do just that. If the state were my household, we would need to tighten our belt and cut back on unnecessary expenses while the fiscal health continues to stabilize, all while keeping an eye on the revenue streams to forecast trends.’ -Bob Spellane”
Gee whiz, if you don’t want your family/finances discussed by your constituents, then you shouldn’t be the one bringing them up while you’re shagging the newsgal and defaulting on your mortgage. Hubris is your new “word-of-the-day”, Bob. Memorize it.
It strikes me as odd that the T&G did not mention that John Andreoli, whom I believe is Spellane’s soon to be ex brother in law, is on the Board of Trustees at Unibank.
How do you think Bobby got his “in”? It’s all a big circle, don’t waste your time trying to find the beginning of it.
Bobby got his “in” by WINNING elections the “old fashion way” he earned it! Trotta, Mahoney and the rest of the write-in Queens will go down to defeat and will pay a price, there is a down side to political gimmickry the T+G and CRN are already paying a price! A news paper in decline with sales plummeting and a washed up congressman(Blute) looking for revenge against D’s and Massachusettes for his involuntary dislocation to small time am radio, a hasbeen!
So everyone who gets the lockstep Libs to vote for them in the hackerama of Worcester politics automatically gets to skip paying their mortgage for a year? That’s swell.
MA voters constantly fail to do the right thing, so it’s very possible that Spellane will keep his cushy do-nothing job for another two years, but I get the feeling that an indictment will interrupt his final term. I’ve seen/heard enough about his character to think that this story is only the tip of the iceberg.
Howie Carr wrote about him today. Nothing we didn’t already know, but there are a couple “unfortunate” word choices regarding the side-action’s new “position” with the lobbying firm.
http://news.bostonherald.com/news/columnists/view.bg?articleid=1127012
I know high school kids that write better than carr!
Do any of them capitalize last names?
http://www.unibank.com/about/au_pr_andreoli.asp
It’s good to see that John hasn’t been dragged down by his association with Bobby. Let’s hope the rest of the 13th can say the same thing in a couple weeks.
http://people-press.org/report/462/obamas-lead-widens
Gordo..you are a text book study in everything that is wrong with politics today…we used to have GIANTS representing us and theire backers people to respect..today we are stuck with losers like you pushing politics..it is a sad shame:>)
Oct. 28 be watchin necn!
I’ll most likely be workin’ Gordo..like I have stated repeatedly..you are a loser Gordo but I am happy for you:>) Aftah years of searching for an identity and soul you have finally found a group of equally disenfranchized that will have you within their circle:>)
I’m glad you are so happy..enough unhappy folks walking around the city as it is:>) I hope you are not one of those walking around in yer pajamas all the time..if so why don’t you stop on by my office on Chandler Urban and I’ll get you a pair of pants at the Family Dollar across the street for you to wear like a man:>) I might as well start antying up into the kitty early:>)
Here’s my two cents for Gordon… get a freakin job you bum!
If he got a job, he wouldn’t need Obama. That ain’t gonna happen. Some people were just born to be sponges.
Billy Weld, Susan Eisenhower, Colin Powell, Barry Goldwater’s whole family and even Scott McClellan these are the Republicans who are switchin to Obama this week along with many others George Will, David Brooks, Charles Krauthammer, Peggy Noonan all GOP pundits for Obama! The finger pointing is already started to happen in the McHover campaign!
And look at these last 3 posts NAME CALLIN and insults no insight no meaningful information nothing to add to the debate or topic a symptom of Obama derangement syndrome. Anyway Question 1 goes down Question 2 passes Question 3 loses and Representative Robert Spellane retains his seat and last but not least Senator Barack Obama and Senator Joe Biden in a landslide! See ya YS!
You may be right, Gordon. It took Jimmy Carter to slap some sense into the electorate, it might take Barry to do the same thing.
As for the rats abandoning a sinking ship, that’s so typical of our mealy-mouthed politicians. Everyone wants to be on the side of a winner, particularly if that winner is going to control every aspect of their lives after the election.
http://www.telegram.com/article/20081025/NEWS/810250337/1101
Smart move.