2012 elections

Pluto defender considers bid for Barney Frank's seat

adamg — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:29:17 +0000

Michael Burstein, a Brookline library trustee, science fiction writer and ardent supporter of Pluto's role as the ninth planet in our solar system, is setting up an exploratory committee to consider becoming an obstacle to the Kennedy Inevitability in the Fourth District, Brookline Patch reports.

Meanwhile, His Inevitableness, who knocked Boston City Councilor and Newton native Mike Ross out of the race, has moved to Brookline as he contemplates his own run.

Flo's boss backs medical-marijuana effort in Massachusetts

adamg — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:00:16 +0000

The Patriot Ledger reports the chairman of Progressive Insurance has contributed $525,000 to a group pushing a ballot question to legalize the medical use of marijuana here. The group has raised $1,167 from other sources.

LaMattina thinking of running for register of probate

adamg — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:23:24 +0000

The Dorchester Reporter breaks the news on City Councilor Sal LaMattina's ruminations. Like the city clerk's job, the register job has traditionally been a haven for city councilors who want to move on - if he runs and wins, LaMattina, who now represents East Boston, Charlestown and the North End, would replace Richard Ianella, who retired last year.

Tim Murray's little fundraising pal

adamg — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 14:50:56 +0000

That would, of course, be disgraced former Chelsea Housing Authority director Michael McLaughlin, whom the Globe reveals was just a bit more than the "campaign volunteer" Murray said he was - and that worrying about McLaughlin may have kept him up and led him to doze off on that Crown Vic-smashing ride.

Can a headline ask a question that isn't answered in the story?

adamg — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 16:48:18 +0000

Ripped from today's Herald: Are 'Joe for Oil' ads lubricating Joe III's run?

Perfectly valid question to ask, but nowhere does the story suggest that Joe4Oil has suddenly ramped up his omnipresent ads now that his kid is thinking of running for Congress, although it does note he's been thanking the people of Venezuela on TV for years now.

It just wouldn't be a Massachusetts election without a Kennedy

adamg — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 17:29:34 +0000

The Herald reports that, yes, Joe Kennedy III is running for Barney Frank's 4th District seat.

Mike Ross gets closer to moving out of Boston

adamg — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 00:53:04 +0000

Sets up exploratory committee for possible run for Congress in the 4th District. Legally, he doesn't have to move to Newton, or wherever, but in practical terms, if he runs, he's outta here.

You can't buy coverage like that, or maybe you can

adamg — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 12:51:46 +0000

Blue Mass. Group notes the conflict in a column by Holly Robichaud, who doubles as both scribe and political consultant:

How does a freshman state representative get mentioned as a "serious threat" to Democrats looking to retain the Congressional seat being vacated by Barney Frank? Seventeen grand should do it.

Thing is, Robichaud failed to note the consulting fees, for which, of course, BMG provides the state records.

Mike Ross thinking of moving out of Boston to run for Congress

adamg — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 01:57:33 +0000

The Jamaica Plain Gazette reports the Boston city councilor is considering moving back to Newton, where he grew up, to run for Barney Frank's seat.

It just wouldn't be an election season without a Joe Kennedy reference

adamg — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 13:06:41 +0000

The Outraged Liberal ponders the latest speculation that JOE4OIL's kid might run for Barney Frank's seat. Complete with the obligatory Michael Goldman quote.

Barney Frank is retiring

adamg — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 15:46:44 +0000

The Globe reports Frank won't be seeking re-election next year.

Quick: How familiar are you with Elizabeth Warren's upbringing?

adamg — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 11:26:32 +0000

John Carroll notes what he calls the "chin-strokerati" coverage of the nascent US Senate race by the Globe and other media outlets - they're only writing for other in-the-knowers, not the majority of us. For example, the Globe's constant references to the "now familiar" story of Warren's childhood in Okalahoma:

Ask ten people in the 351 cities and towns of Massachusetts about Elizabeth Warren and 1) 98% won’t know who she is; 2) 99.99% won't know the first thing about her.

Connolly vote collapses in Hyde Park

adamg — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 17:42:04 +0000

Steve Poftak looks at the numbers from Tuesday's election, notices that John Connolly's tally in Hyde Park and the neighboring part of Roslindale dropped more than 1,000 votes from 2009:

What's the explanation here? Well, my best guess would be a certain 60-something Readville resident and civic leader might have been less than fully supportive.

Chris Lovett also looks at Hyde Park's numbers - from 1999, the year of Dapper O'Neil's last hurrah.

Another Massachusetts presidential candidate

adamg — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 12:10:52 +0000

Jill Stein announces her candidacy for the Green Party nomination today at 12:30 p.m. in front of the State House.

Why, hello there, Ms. Chang-Diaz

adamg — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 01:24:01 +0000

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.