state senate

Why, hello there, Ms. Chang-Diaz

The proposed state House and Senate redistricting maps are out (Boston-area House districts / Senate). The thing that hit me immediately, since, of course, I looked at our place on the map, is that a piece of Roslindale (specifically, ours) would get shifted from Mike Rush to Sonia Chang-Diaz.

Campaign roundup: How do you ignore the biggest political story of the day?

You're an editor for a metropolitan daily. Which story do you put on the front page: Jeff Perry and the strip search or Barney Frank lending his campaign some money? If you're the Herald, you go with the latter (don't forget to throw in some stuff about how Frank is "panic stricken") and ignore the former (save for a Margery Egan column declaring Perry is a cretin).

Mike Rush lost the suburbs

Chris Lovett of BNN, Gin Dumcius of the Dorchester Reporter and Steve Poftak of the Pioneer Institute analyze yesterday's legislative results in Boston and what could happen in November:

A progressive voter guide for JP and surrounding neighborhoods

The Jamaica Plain Progressives posts answers to questionnaires sent to candidates in the 2nd Suffolk state senate race (Sonia Chang-Diaz and Hassan Williams), the 15th Suffolk state rep's race (Jeff Sanchez and Jeff Herman) and the 6th Suffolk state rep's race (Russell Holmes and Divo Rodrigues Monteiro; other candidates did not reply).

Mike Walsh lowers the boom on Mike Rush

You can't tell the players without a program so here is your program. The candidates for State Senate in the Suffolk and Norfolk District are;

  • Democrats Mike Rush, a state representative from West Roxbury,
  • Westwood lawyer Michael F. Walsh,
  • Wayne Wilson, a Roslindale Democratic activist.
  • Brad Williams, chairman of West Roxbury’s Ward 20 Republican Committee

Avoiding debates is nothing new for Mike Rush nor is blaming his opponent for not having a debate.

Besides shaking Mayor Menino's hand, and inadvertently violating campaign finance law, it's not clear what is keeping Rush from spending time on a debate. According to his campaign facebook page, he has held exactly five (5) events since April 13, and nothing between May 25 and August 19.

Chang-Diaz vs. Williams in the 2nd Suffolk

The South End News reports on a debate between one-term incumbent state Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz and Democratic challenger Hassan Williams.

Reporter discovers even progressives can be hypocrites

David Bernstein notes certain aspects of do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do-ness in Charles Rudnick's primary battle against state Sen. Cynthia Creem of Newton, such as saying he wouldn't take money from lobbyists, only to take money from lobbyists.

Mike Rush speaks, sorta, about the probation scandal involving his father

The West Roxbury state rep and would-be Marian Walsh replacement issues a statement to Wicked Local West Roxbury that basically says he's innocent, but can't say more because "I was questioned concerning a civil lawsuit against the state involving my dad and the trial court."

Brown's seat stays red

Wicked Local Needham reports Richard Ross is the new state senator in Brown's old district.

Pulling a mini-Bulger: Mike Rush shows us blood thicker than water in Massachusetts politics

Massachusetts Election 2010 reports how Rush, a West Roxbury state rep who wants to replace state Sen. Marian Walsh, used the budget process to get back at a judge he feels slighted his father, a retired probation officer.