The Jamaica Plain Gazette reports that Phil Dunkelbarger of Westwood, who ran as an anti-war candidate against Stephen Lynch in the 2006 Democratic primary, is running against Lynch again this year.
Keith Lepor of Roslindale and Vernon Harrison of Braintree are running on the Republican side.
The perpetual candidate writes he's decided against running, although he doesn't say why. Two other Republicans, Keith Lepor and Vernon Harrison, are looking at taking on the incumbent.
Robinson says he commissioned a poll that found Lynch only had a 42% approval rating in the 9th District.
Lynch channelled his inner George Bailey and ripped into Old Man Potter the treasury secretary over the AIG bailout.
Robinson tells Red Mass. Group the Brown numbers in the 9th district have him considering a rematch against the South Boston congressman. Alas, the commercial he used last time is a bit out of date, but heck, there's gotta be a sequel in there somewhere:
Lynch was one of 64 Democrats in the House tonight to vote for the so-called Stupak amendment to bar even private insurers from paying for abortions if they take any money at all from the government.
Representatives Tsongas, Markey, Delahunt, Capuano, Tierney, Olver, Frank and McGovern all voted no. Rep. Neal voted along with Lynch.
UPDATE: Lynch then joined his Mass. colleagues to vote for the president's health-care package.
Channel 7 reports US Rep. Stephen Lynch finds running statewide in 90 days too big a challenge. Doesn't mention getting booed by union members over health care on Labor Day.
So raises the question of what happens if we do lose a congressional seat. Or maybe not: The Legislature is not as liberal as our statewide reputation and it decides where to draw the lines. Frank vs. Lynch?
Kennedyseat.com reports and wonders if that's a bad omen for Stephen Lynch, supposedly the union guy in the race.
Red Mass. Group explains why he'd be a liberal almost anywhere else in the U.S.
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[/float]Health Care For All, HFCA, organized a Labor Day rally and march in support of health care reform, which started with speeches at the gazebo on the Boston Common and ended after a march and more live music at Copley Square.
Liveblogged report from Milton, at least, until the blogger lost power. Amid calm questions:
7:01 pm
A person is shouting incoherently.
Stephen Lynch seems to think so. Of course, his ascension to the house of solons would require John Kerry to be appointed Secretary of State or something. But he's got $1-million+ burning a hole in his bank account and running in a special election would mean he gets to stay in the House when he loses, so why not?
On the Republican side, "party leaders and consultants" are actually chatting up Bill Weld. Bill Weld? When did they repeal the residency requirement for running for statewide office?
Matthew Mittelstadt writes Steve Lynch about the bill that lets telephone companies off the hook for spying on Americans:
... Please, Mr. Lynch, I beg of you to do everything you can to ensure that when this bill reaches the House chambers that it does not pass. It must not pass. The companies that engaged in this blatant, illegal, unconstitutional and frankly un-American surveillance should have their fates decided in the appropriate branch of government - Judicial - and not be the beneficiary of the Executive's wishes to sweep their transgressions under the rug to be forgotten about with the Legislature's help. ...
Below Boston lets us know that Rep. Stephen Lynch is holding a "telephone town meeting" on Monday, Oct. 22, starting at 5:30 p.m. Call 866-447-5149, then punch in a PIN of 13126 and tell the district-9 rep what's on your mind.
Everybody's favorite Democrat In Name Only congressman finally managed to get his campaign Web site up, a full three days before the election:
Now I will confess that while I am a friend of Al Gore, I did not help him invent the internet, so a little patience with me from time to time may be required. We are still working on pieces of the site and will add additional information as it develops.
Dear Rep. Lynch:
Devone asks:
Can anyone--anyone--come up with a coherent, logical reason as to why voters in Massachusetts' Ninth District should return Rep. Stephen Lynch to Congress on November 7?
It would be one thing if Lynch actually had some accomplishments to speak of, but can anyone point to anything he's done that has had tangible benefits for the residents of his district? ...
What you see when you go to Stevie Lynch's campaign Web site.
Compare to his Republican opponent's site.
Devone ponders:
It will be interesting to see how the Massachusetts press will spin a Jack Robinson victory if he defeats unpopular incumbent Stephen Lynch on November 7. ...
Ed. Ninth District Note: I don't particularly like Lynch - I have never voted for him - but, honestly, the chances of Robinson beating him next month are about equal to my odds of being elected Prince of Wales.
DedhamBlog ponders how Rep. Stephen Lynch keeps dodging debates with challenger Phil Dunkelbarger:
... Dunkelbarger may not succeed in his goal due to Stephen Lynch's 'no information voter' campaign, but Lynch will never get a vote from me and eventually he'll face a tougher race! ...
Ryan Adams, meanwhile, finds Lynch's declaration that a non-binding vote on "staying the course" in Iraq meant nothing, curious:
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