South Boston state rep looks set to retire

I know Billy McGonagle. Great Guy. Good Family Man. Hard Worker. I'm sure his son Mark is cut from the same Cloth.

Mike McGee and his band of misfits have made the calculated decision that this race is over for them and their far left wing agenda unless they tear down the two real contenders - Mark McGonagle and Nick Collins, both multi-generation South Bostonians, in the hope of dividing South Boston. The desperation is obvious and pathetic.

SB101, happy to see someone on this site spreading the truth rather than creating unnecessary drama. I have known the McGonagle family for a long time feel exactly the same.

SB101...and Politics had nothing to do with his meteoric rise to the top? Yeah, o.k.

Hey I would Take McGonagle over Mcgee anyday.. Mcgee is the most liberal out of all of them did you see his post on the gun that was brought into southie high. he stated kids need to protect themselves.... Mark is a nice guy and so is nick collins

I have known Mark for the majority of my life and he is a hard-working, intelligent, and selfless young man. There is no need for anyone to research, because there is nothing to find. I would love to know, also, who it is you are thinking he "runs around" with? He is a married man and expecting his first child, there are little to no trips to the bar with his buddies causing trouble going on. If you are associating the him with the choices that his generation in Southie have made, that is absurd. You should instead be commending him for not making such poor life changing choices as many around him did. I have many friends and family members that have fell victim to drugs, and would feel cheated if someone considered me irresponsible and incapable because of decisions they have made. I am sure you would, too. So there's no need to slander someone you clearly do not know at all.

What qualifications does your candidate have exactly? Not one of the candidates has held a position as an elected-official. Mark is the only candidate who has directly helped and influenced others' lives.

Kid? What experience does he have? Mark's the oldest candidate in the race, he's 30 years old, so if he's a kid, what are the other candidates? And as for experience, what other candidate's experience makes them more fit to run? And why? Instead of trying to bash a candidate, why not say why your prefered candidate is the best? What candidate has the experience you would expect in a state rep? One of his opponents has done nothing but work for politicians, then has been a marketing consulant(which is a clever expression for unemployed). Another is an out of town lawyer. Is that the "experience you want in a state rep?" Mark may be young, but the other candidates are even younger. Mark may not have a 20 year career to fall back on, but neither do the other candidates, and frankly, I don't think that's what the people of the 4th district are looking for. You say some of the candidates are a riot, then only talk about one, what is so funny about the others?

I understand people can change, but seriously and this is TRUE. McGonagle couldn't get on the BPD because of his past record. And now we are going to vote him in as our State Rep? Come on people.

This would be great news if it were true! South Boston would be in good hands. Where can I sign up? I think most people will agree that he's the front-runner if he decides to enter the race.

Not only does McGee know where/what the "Greenie" is...We were playing "Toss" with the Football there the other day. It's righ across the street from his House!

Hey Istvoter...I would like to know more about this so called Social Liberal. What's your Cell number? I'm having a hard time making up my mind who to vote for.

Tommy, you don't havet the brains to "hide" your identity in here. We know it's you behind that screen saying negative things about Mike McGee. Why don't you knock it off before you are "outed"? Take my advice...You are not serving your Candidate well by being such a Jerk in here. Don't go saying it's not you either. You're the ONLY Moron who lives on I steet. The "Oxy's are clouding your ability to reason. If you don't get it together soon you will be riding around in the City Issued (Drug) Van that Mark McGonagle drives for a living!

I heard Nick Collins "by-passed" all the rules today by jumping in front of all the other candidates in the St. Pat's Parade today. He also drove the Parade in a Car while the others Marched and greeted the people along the root. I'm not voting for a whimp like that.

Actually, Michael and his Campaign folowed the RULES of the Parade wich says that a Candidate could only have Ten People whith Him/Her Marching in the Parade. So, having said that...Nick Collins BROKE THE RULES! Not to mention that Collins and his Marchers didn't March in his ASSIGNED SPOT! They deliberately CUT in front of Michael McGee's People. A Representative that DOESN'T FOLLOW THE RULES isn't the kind of Candidate that I would vote for. So, what do you have to say about that?

What has Nick Collins done, other than work for a politician? His job was to make phone calls after hearing of a complaint and then have community based orginizations do the work. Not to make light of that but Mark's job is to take those issues himself and help people access housing, job opportunities and yes access to substance abuse services etc. And to whoever wrote that Mark's job is to drive drug addicts around not only does not know that his work entails much more than that, but is also out of touch with Southie. First of all Mark doesn't drive a city van, and second of all, making light of helping the young people in our community that are affected by drug addiction shows that Collins and his supporters are out of touch or maybe don't think that our youth deserve that help. I for one am disappointed in that. Everything so far from Collins' people show that all their about is slander and dirty tricks. And he and his supporters hid under umbrellas the whole time while Mark and his ppl weren't afraid of a little rain. Has Nick ever stepped foot in any of the housing developments in Southie or is he too afraid? Afraid of rain, afraid to talk to the young ppl in our community that need help. Will he also be afraid to fight the powers that be up on Beacon Hill?

Aren't the from Charlestown? I know his Dad is.

This implicates others as running smear not Collins. If I'm not mistaken there was an old time ice cream truck or something behind Collins and his supporters. Why doesn't McGee post about the ice cream truck....This is hilarious people will do anything to pull down those who outshine them...McGee is obviously the most schooled in Machine and Dirty Politics. What a riot. The blogosphere is filled with his whining. Do we really need a crybaby in the State House. Keep Southie in the hands of hard nosed leaders I dont care if its Nick or Mark but not a sniveling little wimp from the Burbs who got cut in the lunch line one too many times "He's got more friends" "He cut me" grow up and stick to the issues.

Just for the record "anon"...Michael McGee just started his Job at the Firm in South Boston. It was YEARS after he's been living here. Stop your lies! He's a good Person. If you don't have the confidence in your Candidate to the point where you have to post lies and smears then he can't be that great of a Candidate! Speaking of which...What exactly has Nick Collins done for the South Boston Community? Oh yeah, that's right, he had a "job" (No Politics involved I'm sure) at the Harry McDonough Sailing Program. lol ...Yeah, o.k. He's "qualified".

I was at the Rock the Vote Event yesterday. Honestly, I couldn't understand a word he was saying. Sounded like Mumbles Menino! LOL

All you people are CRAZY....maybe his signs were torn down. but you cant prove by whom? could have been anyone? mcgonagle, bombard, brennan, collins, who knows! it is hilarious that people just bash each other on this site. The one thing that does come to mind is this......mcgonagle helps people in trouble on the streets because once wasnt he a kid on the streets in trouble? do some research. Mcgee camp --sure you could have 10 people, but you had 4-5. what about the other 5? collins had 50 people...i dont know about parade rules, but if its written as 10 its clearly over the limit. the way i see it is thank god 50 people showed up, made the parade longer than it would have been because of all the people that backed out due to weather. you guys need something better to do than bash bash bash. every candidate is going to have flaws in someones eyes. everyone needs to just shut their mouths and let them campaign. its people like you guys who make this foolish.

also, i am a "born and raised" from southie who knows the 3 southie candidates well, and havnt made up my mind about who im voting for.....

You people are crazy..... I've lived in this town my whole life....I am a two time Iraq veteran, and I know Mark and Nick's families...they seem like nice guys....and their supporters seem normal....but McGee's people, whoever he is, is obsessed with blogging a smear campaign. Sounds desperate and pathetic.

I actually know a good amount of people who marched with Collins....I used to coach them all when they came up playing South Boston Youth Hockey......most of them went to excellent colleges including a handful of Ivy Leaguers. These kids are far from thugs. All very well dressed, on such a rainy day, they were an impressive bunch. Some of South Boston's finest if you ask me.

No one from Marks Campaign or Nicks Campaign started smearing anyone on this site. You went on and stated Mcgee is a gentleman to a fault and no other canidates are qualified to run but Mcgee, You went out and stated in the same blog that Marks dad is a hack whose father got hima job and that Nick is running from orders from hart and the Hart and Lynch are running out their minions to march. Then you stated if you match up the qaulifications of the other two canidates its laughable to Mcgee... As a lifelong south boston resident who knows Mark and Nick I just wanted to know who Mcgee is because frankly I havent heard of him and neither nad anybody else.. The wind we got is that he was a lawyer from Norwood who moved here 5 years ago while he was in school. I am sure he is a nice kid.. But he was unknown to everybody else and it was putrid of you to bash Nick and Mark. Furthermore you are the same anyonomous Mcgee supporter who said that Nicks Marchers where a bunch of thugs.. Obviously you are not from around here if you do not know those kids. Those kids are all from Southie and some of the nicest well rounded kids you would ever meet. So if you were from ere you probably would have known some of those kids who marched and would have said his supporters were a bunch of thugs.. This Anyonomous Mcgee supporter has started the smear and he should end it and apologize to Mark and Nicks campaign