The race between incumbent Senator Barry Finegold, a Democrat, and GOP challenger Sal DeFranco is drawing attention from local, state and federal elected officials.
This weekend, the DeFranco campaign announced that outgoing Governor Charlie Baker had endorsed the former US Navy SEAL and State Senate candidate.
“Sal’s experience as a Navy SEAL and entrepreneur gives him a unique perspective on the Commonwealth’s toughest challenges,” Baker said. “Sal is the commonsense candidate with a proven record of service. I cannot think of a better Senate candidate to represent the people and businesses within the Second Essex and Middlesex District.”
Governor Baker consistently ranks among the most popular in America.
“I’m honored to have the support of Governor Baker,” DeFranco said. “As the Governor prepares to leave office, it is more important than ever that we maintain the balance within our state government that he has fought so hard to achieve.”
DeFranco also has the backing of number of local elected officials. A meet and greet announcement on Facebook listed Select Board members Jay Kelly and Mark Kratman; School Committee members Kayla Biagioni-Smith, Rich Russo and Keith Sullivan; and Board of Health members Melissa Braga and Robert Scarano. Resident Patrick Holland also signed on.
Kratman’s name was later removed from the host list.
As of Sept. 30, DiFranco had $47,229.05 on hand, according to OCPF, versus $338,629.93 for Finegold.
Previously, Kelly, Biagioni-Smith and Russo also signed on to the host committee for Finegold’s recent meet and greet.
They joined Select Board chair Todd Johnson and member James Mackey, Planning Board member Vinny Fratalia and School Committee chair Bridget Garabedian. Residents including Arthy Bennett, Jim Carter, Marc Ginsburg, Krissy Polimeno, Marie Sweeney and Scott Wilson also signed on for Finegold.
Finegold has national support from US Senator Ed Markey and Congressman Seth Moulton. Tewksbury reps Dave Robertson and Tram Nguyen, Middlesex County DA Marian Ryan and Middlesex County Sheriff Peter Koutoujian have also endorsed.
Locally, Finegold is backed by former Town Clerks Liz Carey and Mary-Ann O’Brien Nichols; former Veterans Services Director Jimmy Williams; former Select Board members Joe Gill, Anne Marie Stronach and David Gay; and three unions, the Professional Firefighters of Massachusetts (PFFM),
Teamsters Local 25 and Building Wreckers Local 1421.
So do endorsements matter? That’s a question for residents, who are going to the polls now for early voting.
Lorna Garey
Lorna is a U.S. Army veteran and 25-year resident of Tewksbury who has written for organizations ranging from the DIA to InformationWeek to a free weekly in New London that sent her to interview the pastry chef at Foxwoods.
The two party system is broken. The dems spend too much money and the repubs promote the agenda of BIG business and the 1%ers. May challenge the winner in 2 years as the middle majority’s Independent candidate.