CMassPolitics.com Interview with Mike Stopa

Interview with Mike Stopa (R-Holliston), candidate for U.S. representative in the Third Congressional District.

Roundup: Neal trouncing challengers in money race; Herr, Lamb trade charges

Continuing their look at the finances of candidates for Congress in Central Massachusetts, the Telegram reported Wednesday that Rep. Richard Neal (D-Springfield) had nearly $3 million in his bank account at the end of the most recent filing period, far outpacing the two Republicans vying for the nomination to oppose him in November.

According to Federal Election Commision reports, Jay Fleitman (R-Northampton) had a little over $54,000 remaining, putting the physician at a 48-to-1 disadvantage to Neal. Tom Wesley (R-Hopedale) had even less money to spend, reporting under $27,000 in available cash. The sum is more than 111 times less than Neal has banked.

Both candidates have heavily self-financed, with Fleitman loaning his campaign over $73,000 and Wesley lending around $33,000 to his effort.

One of the best ways to cope with a lack of funds is through free media, and both Fleitman and Wesley have taken advantage of the opportunities over the last few days. On Tuesday, the two appeared on Channel 22 in Springfield for a televised debate.

Wesley appeared on WHYN-AM Radio in Springfield to talk about his campaign.

Fleitman also did a radio gig, speaking with Bax and O'Brien on WAQY-FM.

The Springfield Republican previewed the race between Fleitman and Wesley, anointing Fleitman as the "higher profile" candidate.

Neal visited manufacturing facilities in Webster and Spencer, talking to employees and entrepreneurs about jobs and international competition.

Third Congressional District
The big news in the Third District was also about campaign finance, but instead of discussing how much was raised, two of the GOP candidates for the nomination were sniping back and forth about House ethics and FEC rules violations. From the MetroWest Daily News:

With less than a week before the primary, two Republicans in the 3rd Congressional District race exchanged broadsides yesterday, accusing each other with not following election rules.


The dispute between Brian Herr of Hopkinton and Marty Lamb of Holliston stems from Herr's failure to meet a May deadline for turning in a financial disclosure form listing personal income, assets and liabilities. The snag was first publicized by the Daily News, not Lamb's campaign.

The dispute has devolved into a nice bit of schoolyard taunting:

"I am very disappointed that Mr. Herr would blatantly attempt to mislead voters, but it seems to be a pattern with him," Lamb spokesman Shane Hayes said in the statement.

Herr said his campaign would not have mentioned the filings had Lamb not repeatedly raised the tardy financial disclosure form.

"The issue here is people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw rocks," he said.

The Telegram and Worcester Magazine have more. CMassPolitics.com posted both Herr's and Lamb's press releases on Wednesday.

One candidate who hopes the voters send both candidates to detention is Michael Stopa (R-Holliston). Stopa has been making the rounds on local radio, touting his platform yesterday on WCRN-AM's Peter Blute Show and speaking this morning with WTAG's Jim Polito.

Fifth Congressional District
The Lowell Sun rounds up the voting records of the four Republican candidates for the seat currently held by Niki Tsongas (D-Lowell). While earlier coverage had focused on Jon Golnik (R-Carlisle) and his eight-and-a-half year refusal to even register to vote, the Sun's piece points out that most of the other candidates also have their gaps:

...Westford's Tom Weaver was the only one of the four Republican candidates to vote in the October 2007 special election that sent Tsongas to Congress to replace former U.S. Rep. Marty Meehan, who resigned to become chancellor of UMass Lowell.

"I think your public history matters, and that's comprised of voting record, community service and involvement and where you've worked," Weaver said. "People have to put whatever weight they feel is important on that, but I've been saying, tongue-in-cheek, that I'm the only candidate who has been running against Niki Tsongas since 2007."

Golnik, Sam Meas of Haverhill and Robert Shapiro of Andover all failed to vote in that special election that gave Tsongas her first electoral victory by just 6 percentage points over Republican Jim Ogonowski of Dracut.

Tsongas is scheduled to be a guest on Channel 5's "On the Record" Sunday morning. Portions of the interview have been made available online. 
 
First Congressional District
Rep. John Olver (D-Amherst) touted the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act in a visit to North Adams, saying the economy needs more stimulus spending in the near future to continue recovery.
 
A post on the liberal site Firedoglake.com touts Michael Engel (U-Southampton) as a "True Activist Progressive Leftist" and says he "is a true grassroots reformer, a democratic socialist in the mold of Bernie Sanders."

What are the GOP rep. candidates thinking?

As interesting as all the personalities and "grilling" are, what do the five Republican candidates for 3rd District Congressman stand for? Here are a few of the ideas they proposed at Tuesday's debate in Westborough.

This being the Republican primary, take it as read that all five candidates dislike President Obama, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Congressman Jim McGovern (natch), amnesty for illegal immigrants, the concept of health care as a right, and "cap-and-trade legislation"; and are generally well disposed toward a broad reading of the Second Amendment, small government, tax cuts (including the "Bush tax cuts" set to expire in January), family, God, honesty and hard work. Their opinions of motherhood and applie pie were not solicited.

Robert Chipman (R-Plainville): First priority would be passing a Balanced Budget Amendment. Also supports the line-item veto (as a constitutional amendment; it was found unconstitutional when passed as a law in the 1990s). Is against the recent extension of unemployment benefits to 99 months.

Robert Delle (R-Paxton): Main economic plank is creating more enterprise zones for small businesses. All Defense Department spending should be done in the United States. Implement tax havens within U.S. territorial borders, to recapture the banking business that has fled to Caribbean islands and other low-tax or low-regulation countries. As a "free-market absolutist," believes illegal immigration is best curtailed by cutting off "free money" programs (welfare, public housing, etc.) to anyone who isn't a legal resident.

Brian Herr (R-Hopkinton): Touted potential dividends from improving local digital infrastructure, such as increased attractiveness to business, and easier sharing of medical records (to reduce the administrative costs of health care). Would send military troops to patrol the Mexican border.

Marty Lamb (R-Holliston): Has a seven-point plan to end illegal immigration. Advocates having troops on the border to defend against what he calls an "invasion." Would ask Supreme Court to interpret (not rewrite) the 14th Amendment as not applying to so-called "anchor babies" because the parents, illegal immigrants, were not "subject to the jurisdiction" of the United States. Instead of government health plans, he proposed giving tax credits for individuals to purchase insurance.

Michael Stopa (R-Holliston): Use unspent stimulus money to extend the Bush tax cuts two more years. Wants Washington out of the business of "social engineering and political payback" that drives most spending plans; would rather see partnerships with business. "These people [Democratic leadership] basically view profit with hostility. ... We're going down there not to fix the economy, but to fight with the people who are trying to destroy the economy."

Every candidate specifically mentioned wanting to repeal "Obamacare," though only a couple went into great detail. Herr said he'd like to see the health care system defined on a state-by-state basis, and said the real problem -- high costs -- can be tamed through better technology and tort reform. Stopa said he wants to follow "the Massachusetts model for dismantling Obamacare" -- he said he's the only candidate campaigning on this platform, which could have the recent health care law nullified "in 2012, with Michele Bachmann in the White House."

On Social Security, which the moderator called a "Ponzi scheme," Stopa said he'd like to raise the retirement age and perhaps privatize 1/3 of each account. Chipman agreed and added that he'd index benefits to prices, not wages. Delle called the program "Democrats at their best, free money for everyone." He would give people the option to "buy out" of the program. Herr stood against raising the retirement age, but would like to incorporate modern investment techniques into Social Security. Lamb called the existing accounts "sacred" but said he'd like to let new workers contribute to individual retirement plans instead of Social Security.

And who are these guys? Based on their own (often repeated) statements, Chipman's "the man of 'no'" on his School Committee and speaks for the "silent majority" awakened during the health care debate; Delle is a lawyer, true conservative and the only one who really understands Central Massachusetts; Herr is a small-government advocate who touts his local government experience (selectman and Planning Board) and his role helping craft a 0% increase town budget this year; Lamb is a Tea Party member (it means "Taxed Enough Already," he noted) and small business owner; Stopa is a Ph.D. physicist, "Reagan conservative" and founder of the Harvard University Tea Party ("I fight with liberals every day.").

Other takes on the Westborough debate (and I feel sorry for the two headline writers who inadvertently used the exact same phrase in this morning's newspapers):
MetroWest Daily News: Candidates Grill Each Other at 3rd District Debate in Westborough
Telegram & Gazette: GOP Candidates Grill Each Other; Victor to Face McGovern in 3rd

Who's on 3rd?

Last week, the best question asked at the 13th Worcester House District Democratic debate was: "Who's the front-runner in this race, and why shouldn't we vote for him or her?"

They didn't ask that question at the 3rd Congressional District debate Tuesday in Westborough -- it might have seemed out of place on a dais where the candidates maintained a relatively collegial manner, with so many references to supporting whoever wins the primary on Sept. 14. However, each candidate was given the chance to ask a question to any two of his colleagues (or two questions to one), and we tracked each one down after the debate to ask whether the choice of whom to question gave any insight on who's ahead in this race of political newcomers trying to unseat Congressman James McGovern (D-Worcester).

Is Michael Stopa of Holliston the front-runner? He thinks so, and "I have the most articulated positions," to boot, he added in a quick interview after the debate. During the portion of the debate when candidates could ask each other questions, he and Herr were the only ones to be targeted twice by the same opponent -- Robert Chipman used both his questions on Stopa (he later said, "he's the [second-]best candidate, next to me"). Robert Delle also questioned Stopa. Stopa was asked whether he would voluntarily limit himself to three terms (no, he wouldn't make a unilateral limit, but he supports term limits in the form of a constitutional amendment that's binding on all candidates); what makes him think he knows the district after having been born outside it, and living several years overseas; and how he plans to stay in touch with the sprawling district, once elected (he hopes the contacts he's made in the campaign -- including Chipman -- will be his eyes and ears).

Is Brian Herr of Hopkinton the front-runner? He thinks so. Stopa identified him as the best fundraiser, "a really good resume" and the chief among his rivals. So did Marty Lamb, who said he believes the race is between he and Herr. Herr believes it's a three-way race, with he, Lamb and Stopa. Both of his rivals Lamb questioned Herr twice on his financial disclosure dustup earlier in the year. In response to the questions from Stopa and Lamb, Herr sharply criticized his opponents and newspapers for blowing what he termed "one missed deadline" out of proportion.

Is Marty Lamb of Holliston the front-runner? He thinks so, citing the support of Tea Party voters who recognize him as one of them. Delle used one of his questions to call Lamb "the master of the gimmick" and ask why he thought Congress could pass amendments to enact the line-item veto and a balanced budget requirenent -- key planks in Lamb's economic platform -- when the amending process is notoriously lengthy, and after the 1994 "Contract with America" Congress failed to make those proposals stick. Lamb said failure in 1994 shouldn't mean advocates should stop trying. Herr tossed a softball to Lamb, asking how he voted on a Proposition 2 1/2 override (a tax increase) in Holliston. Lamb said all three voters in his house voted "no." Stopa tried to tag Lamb as a Johnny-come-lately to conservatism, noting that Lamb had donated $500 each to Democratic leaders such as Ed Markey, Tom Daschle and Joseph Lieberman in 2005. The money, Lamb explained, was part of a lobbying effort to strengthen U.S. support for Israel; "I wasn't politically involved then; I am now."

What about the two Roberts? Neither one would identify a front-runner to CMassPolitics.com -- instead endorsing the field. Each was asked only one question from his rivals: Stopa asked Robert Chipman to talk about how he got involved in his local School Committee, in Plainville. Herr asked Robert Delle where he'd ever shown public leadership; Delle noted he'd been on the Planning Board in Westborough for more than six years. Herr, a selectman, said he'd still rather vote for a candidate who had "created jobs in the public sector."

Delle said his ties to the Worcester area -- he was born in the city and lives in Paxton after recently moving from Westborough -- make him the logical candidate to unseat the incumbent. "If you pull in someone from Middlesex County, they're going to have a hard time beating McGovern," Delle said. "As they say, 'he's a commie but he's our commie.'" Holliston and Hopkinton are both in Middlesex County, which hosts only four of the district's 28 cities and towns.

Later today we'll take a look at some of the issues discussed at the debate.

Update: Reporter's error -- Stopa didn't ask Herr any questions.

Congressional Roundup: Democrats "slightly ahead" in fundraising by huge margins

Congressional fundraising reports were due last week and now that the numbers are in, it looks like the Republicans running for Congress will have their work cut out for them. We start in the Fifth Congressional District, where the Sentinel and Enterprise headline writer says "Tsongas slightly ahead":

BOSTON -- Sluggish fundraising from the four Republican candidates running in the 5th Congressional District could put the winner of the primary election, now less than two weeks away, at a marked disadvantage against U.S. Rep. Niki Tsongas, who out-raised all of her opponents combined over the past two months....

Tsongas raised $121,323 in July and August, leaving her with about $517,000 on hand as she prepares to enter the general election campaign. Though she has far surpassed her opponents' fundraising efforts, her less-than-sizable war chest could force her campaign to make decisions down the stretch about where they want to spend and where they can cut back.

The cash-on-hand tally, according to the Sentinel:
Niki Tsongas (D-Lowell): $517,000
Jon Golnik (R-Carlisle): $77,600
Sam Meas (R-Haverhill): $28,600
Bob Shapiro (R-Andover): $3,300
Tom Weaver (R-Westford): Did not report

Pretty tough news cycle when your six-and-a-half to one money advantage is considered a "slightly ahead"...

Third Congressional District
According to the Telegram and Gazette, Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Worcester) has a slightly better than slight lead--as in a 64-fold advantage--over his opponents:

With nearly $1 million in the bank, U.S. Rep. James P. McGovern is easily winning the fundraising battle against his six challengers.

Five Republicans and one independent candidate are also running for the 3rd district seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. According to reports filed with the Federal Election Commission this week, the best financed Republican in the race, Brian J. Herr of Hopkinton, has $14,603 on hand, compared to Mr. McGovern's $964,303.

The Telegram's cash-on-hand tally:
James McGovern (D-Worcester): $964,303
Brian Herr (R-Hopkinton): $14,603
Marty Lamb (R-Holliston): $9,505
Michael Stopa (R-Holliston): $7,544
Bob Delle (R-Paxton): $4,600
Patrick Barron (U-Worcester): $2,500
Robert Chipman (R-Plainville): "almost nothing"

Yesterday, McGovern was the keynote speaker at the Labor Day breakfast in Worcester. According to the Telegram, he told the audience that he was tired of Republican criticism on the economy. "The people who drove us into this ditch shouldn’t be complaining about the size of the tow truck to get us out of the ditch," he said.

Late last week, McGovern visited a factory in Fall River that makes camouflage material for military uniforms. McGovern also appeared on WICN-FM Radio to talk about the issue of global hunger. Visitor's to McGovern's website can sign up before tomorrow to get a special web-only video announcement.

Lamb was also on the airwaves over the weekend, appearing with Rachel Miselman on the BlogTalkRadio.com network.

Not to be outdone, Delle has released his first radio ad.

Second Congressional District
Finally, Jay Fleitman (R-Nothampton) spoke out against the Democrats' handing of the economy at a Republican candidates' forum in South Hadley late last week.

Congressional Roundup: Niki Tsongas? "Voters hate her."

The four Republicans running for the chance to defeat Fifth Congressional District Rep. Niki Tsongas attacked her repeatedly in a debate in Methuen Monday night. From the Lowell Sun:

METHUEN -- The four Republican candidates running for 5th Congressional District didn't do much to put distance between themselves during a debate last night....

"Voters hate her," said candidate Robert Shapiro of Andover during a debate last night hosted by the Eagle-Tribune of Lawrence. "I think any one of the four of us has a decent shot."

Along with Shapiro, candidates Jon Golnik of Carlisle, Sam Meas of Haverhill and Tom Weaver of Westford tried to set themselves apart from the competition. They agree on several issues, such as the deficit being too high, job growth being low and government spending leading to problems.

The Eagle-Tribune has more on the debate. They have also posted video of the forum on their site (although I haven't been able to get it to play).

Third Congressional District
The symbolic issue du jour led the Telegram's coverage of a Congressional forum held in Worcester yesterday. Each of the candidates who attended the taping of Charter TV's "Hank Stolz Experience" weighed in on the proposed Islamic Center a few blocks from the former site of the World Trade Center in Manhattan:

Candidate Michael P. Stopa of Holliston said he suspects terrorists would use the center to plot attacks. He said he wouldn't oppose construction if he knew the mosque would be under FBI surveillance once it opened.

“If violence is being planned, we have a right to defend ourselves,” he said this afternoon at a taping of “The Hank Stolz Experience” on Charter TV3. All five Republican candidates for the district were invited to the forum; four attended.

Brian J. Herr of Hopkinton immediately disagreed with Mr. Stopa, saying there is no need to spy on a house of worship. But Mr. Herr opposes the plan to build the Islamic center because he feels it is insensitive to 9-11 families and to people who live and work near ground zero.

Robert A. Delle of Paxton, formerly of Westboro, said he was concerned about something bigger — the growth of Islam.

MetroWest Daily News columnist Rick Holmes calls out Delle and fellow candidate Robert Chipman (R-Holliston) for their contention that Barack Obama is a secret Muslim:

Anyone who says Obama is a Muslim is either ignorant or unprincipled. Either they don't know the truth, or truth means nothing to them.

The Telegram also caught up with Herr, who has admitted to twice missing campaign finance reporting deadlines. As could be expected, the missing forms earned a slap from the McGovern campaign.

First Congressional District
John Olver (D-Amherst) joined HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan and Gov. Deval Patrick to announce a $24 million project to renovate Gardner's former Heywood-Wakefield factory into an assisted-living facility.

Press Release: Stopa Unveils Massachusetts Model for Dismantling Obamacare

The following press release was sent by Michael Stopa (R-Holliston), candidate for representative from the Third Congressional District.

Stopa Unveils Massachusetts Model for Dismantling Obamacare

(Boston, MA) Harvard physicist and U.S. Congressional candidate Michael Stopa today unveiled his plan for defunding, delaying, and ultimately repealing Obamacare. Appropriately, he used a blueprint that was successful in overturning the Massachusetts Universal Healthcare Bill signed by Governor Dukakis in 1988.

Standing with Mike on the steps of the Massachusetts State House was State Representative Betty Poirier, whose husband Kevin, was one of the key lawmakers instrumental in defeating "Dukakiscare."

Included here is the plan which includes an Executive Summary, the Case for Repealing Obamacare, the Plan to Repeal Obamacare, and free market alternatives that will provide better healthcare reform.

Michael Stopa is a fiscal conservative and first-time candidate running in the Third Congressional District of Massachusetts who will be competing for the seat currently held by Democrat James McGovern.

Press Release: Mike Stopa Will Suggest Blueprint For Dismantling Obamacare

The following press release was sent by Michael Stopa (R-Holliston), candidate for representative from the Third Congressional District.

Mike Stopa Will Suggest Blueprint For Dismantling Obamacare
At Massachusetts State House, Site Of Rise and Fall of Dukakiscare

Holliston, MA, August 29, 2010: Michael Stopa, candidate for U.S. Congress in the Third Congressional District, will hold a press conference on Monday, August 30th, at 11:00 A.M. at the Massachusetts State House to suggest that a plan for dismantling Obamacare already exists, and that the blueprint was developed right here in Massachusetts in the 1990's.

Standing on the steps of the State House where Dukakiscare was enacted, then killed, Stopa will be joined by, among others, State Representative Betty Poirier, whose husband Kevin Poirier, was instrumental in defeating the Dukakis plan. According to its opponents, the plan would have had a devastating effect on small businesses in the state.

Stopa will point out some of the major problems with Obamacare, including its higher costs, its negative effects on small businesses and senior citizens, and the expected rationing of medical care services and/or longer waits for medical service. He will discuss how the Obama administration, through Senator Reid and Speaker Pelosi, passed the bill against the will of the majority of Americans, as evidenced by numerous national polls and by Senator Scott Brown's upset win this year.

He will discuss Congressman McGovern's marching in lockstep with Speaker Pelosi throughout the process and will challenge McGovern to a healthcare debate "anytime, anywhere" on the issue.

"Reforming healthcare is a noble and worthwhile goal, if it's done properly," Stopa has said. He will provide some of his ideas for reforming healthcare "the right way" at the press conference.

Michael Stopa is a Physics researcher at Harvard University and an internationally recognized expert on nanoscience and computation with over 80 publications and a thousand citations. He is a fiscal conservative and a first-time candidate. He and his wife and four children live in Holliston.

Congressional Roundup: GOP candidates on their own

The Sentinel and Enterprise reports today that despite Republican optimism inside the Fifth Congressional District, the National Republican Congressional Committee is not planning on spending any money to oppose Rep. Niki Tsongas (D-Lowell):

BOSTON -- The national Republican Party, eyeing a possible takeover of the U.S. House of Representatives this fall, has not been fully sold on the chances of Bay State congressional GOP candidates to tap into the Scott Brown magic.


In the 5th District, that could mean another election cycle that the Republican nominee will have to go it alone against a better-funded U.S. Rep. Niki Tsongas, who is seeking a second full term after her special election victory in 2007.

Despite the insistence that Tsongas could be vulnerable this fall, national Republicans are not yet willing to commit any resources to a race in Massachusetts still considered a reliable Democratic stronghold, even after U.S. Sen. Scott Brown's upset victory in January over Attorney General Martha Coakley.

The article discusses the chances of either Jon Golnik (R-Carlisle) or Sam Meas (R-Haverhill) to upset Tsongas. Tom Weaver (R-Westford) and Bob Shapiro (R-Andover) are relegated to the dreaded "also running" status.
 
That hasn't stopped Weaver, who took a shot across Golnik's bow with a press release calling news of Golink's eight-and-a-half year voting hiatus as a distraction and asserting that only Weaver's "resume" was strong enough to defeat Tsongas.
 
The Boston Herald looks at WTKK-FM radio host Lawrence “Huggy” Bergman, who doubles as a "campaign operative" for Meas. Bergman insists that there is no conflict of interest.
 
Meas continues to garner national recognition for the story of his emigration from Cambodia, this time in the Wall Street Journal.
 
In a post at Blue Mass Group, Tsongas uses the 90th anniversary of women's suffrage to argue for her re-election.
 
Third Congressional District
Three of the five contestants for the Republican nomination squared off in a televised debate in Hopkinton. Michael Stopa (R-Holliston), Robert Delle (R-Paxton), and Brian Herr (R-Hopkinton) differed on the size of the federal workforce and the acceptance of Race to the Top education funding. Video of the forum is available on the HCAM-TV website.
 
Rep. James McGovern (D-Worcester) visited Somerset to discuss future development possibilities on the town's waterfront.
 
Marty Lamb (R-Holliston) continues to get mileage out of his barf bag gimmick, with coverage on WCVB-TV and in the Attleboro Sun-Chronicle.

Wednesday roundup: Deadline day

Today marked two important deadlines in the candidates' quest for their parties' nominations. First, today marked the last day a voter could register to vote or declare their enrollment in a political party. Secondly, August 25 also marked the last day candidates can receive campaign contributions and count them toward the July-August reporting period. The Telegram looks at the second:

In the 3rd Congressional District, U.S. Rep. James P. McGovern, D-Worcester, has raised an estimated $250,000 since July 1, said campaign manager Edward M. Augustus Jr. Combined with money raised earlier in the year, the campaign will have nearly $1 million on hand, Mr. Augustus said.

As of June 30, Mr. McGovern had raised more than $1 million — far more than the Republicans challenging him had raised — and had nearly $823,000 on hand....

Mr. [Brian] Herr [of Hopkinton] and Mr. [Marty] Lamb [of Holliston] were the only Republican opponents to submit FEC reports for the reporting period that ended June 30. In that period, Mr. Herr had raised more than $66,000 with about $23,000 left on hand, and Mr. Lamb of Holliston had raised nearly $49,000 with about $21,000 on hand.

The other candidates, Robert J. Chipman of Plainville; Robert A. Delle, formerly of Westboro, who now lives in Paxton; and Michael P. Stopa of Holliston, lag in fundraising. They have yet to submit any financial reports.

Chipman, Delle, and Stopa also get the treatment from the liberal alt-weekly Boston Phoenix, which looks at right-wing candidates running for Congress and refers to the three candidates as part of "a swarm of dubious characters, with little experience in politics, whose questionable beliefs are only just beginning to come to light."

Lamb has been getting some mileage out of his Congressional barf bags. He gets a mention from Michelle Malkin, which is a pretty big get. (Perhaps just as surprising is the news that Malkin's staff follows Worcester Mag's Jeremy Shulkin).

Four of the five candidates are scheduled to debate in Hopkinton tomorrow night.

Middlesex and Worcester Senate District
Sen. Jamie Eldridge (D-Acton) spoke out against a proposal to move the caseload from Marlborough District Court to facilities in Ayer and Concord.
 
Eldridge, who strongly opposes casino gambling, told the Lowell Sun that the failure to pass casino legislation will be a plus for Gov. Deval Patrick's reelection campaign.
 
Second Franklin House District
David Roulston (D-Greenfield) announced that he has received the endorsement of Sheriff Frederick McDonald.

Congressional Roundup: Golnik's DNV

In basketball, a player who suits up but does not appear in the game is shown in the box score as a "DNP" (Did Not Play). According to a report this weekend in the Lawrence Eagle-Tribune, Third Congressional District candidate Jon Golnik (R-Carlisle) has been quite the bench warmer, as he did not vote at all from November, 2008 to March, 2009:

"It's one of those things you're certainly not proud of and wish you could change," Golnik said of his voting record. "I fell into a trap and I got disillusioned. I got frustrated...."

"I was an activist. And then I stopped," Golnik wrote on his campaign website under the header "My Political Journey." "What happened to a young activist like me and a lot of others after 2000 that made me make the active decision not to vote? It wasn't because I didn't care. I felt that I upheld my end and that my party didn't uphold its end. I felt betrayed. I believe Republicans lost their way after Bush's 2000 election."

Not only is Golnik being criticized for his DNV (Did Not Vote), an area blogger and strong supporter of Sam Meas (R-Haverhill) is suggesting that the fire that destroyed Golnik's headquarters may have been started by the candidate (or one of his supporters). The Lowell Sun reports:

Mike Farquhar, who writes on the blog rabidrepublicanblog.com, asked "Could this be a narcissist's criminal bid for attention?"

"Maybe it's just my suspicious nature, but with three honorable candidates in this race, and one proven liar ... could this be a self-inflicted wound?" Farquhar wrote.

The Golnik camp was appalled.

"Thirty-six hours after the fire that destroyed the Golnik office, we are fully functional and not focused on ridiculous accusations from anonymous people and blogs," said campaign spokeswoman Alicia Preston.

As you can imagine, Meas has distanced himself from Farquhar, saying he "doesn't condone anything Mike has said."

Elsewhere in the races for Congress...

Third Congressional District
Michael Stopa (R-Holliston) gets the full treatment from the Telegram today. To sum up:

“I am frustrated by the condescending stubbornness of the Obama administration, and I am scared by the complete cluelessness of what to do about it,” he says bluntly.

Martin Lamb (R-Holliston) got to be part of The Hark Stolz Experience. Unfortunately you won't be able to get the full experience, as only the first segment of the show has been published.

Audio of Brian Herr's (R-Hopkinton) radio ad has also been posted to You Tube.

In talking about the effort to restore cuts to food stamp programs, Rep. James McGovern (D-Worcester) said "Let's not rob Peter to pay Paul." Any old saying that reminds me of former Red Sox G.M. Lou Gorman warms my heart.

McGovern also attended the reopening of a Jiffy Lube in Westborough to laud the company's charitable efforts. He was joined by current Selectmen Timothy Dodd (D-Westborough), who is running in the Ninth Worcester House District, and George Thompson (R-Westborough), who is campaigning for the Middlesex and Worcester Senate seat.

First Congressional District
Bill Gunn (R-Ware) will be out of the district and in Washington, DC this week to fulfill his community service obligations. According to a press release, Gunn was arrested on March 21 and charged with disruption of congress for yelling "Kill the Bill" from the House gallery during debate on the Affordable Care Act. Gunn was subsequently sentenced to 40 hours of community service, to be completed this week at the Greater Capital Area Food Bank.

Last week, Gunn appeared on the "Politically Speaking" show on Fitchburg Access Television.

Michael Engel (U-Southampton) announced that he has accepted an invitation to debate Gunn at a Tea Party event in the coming weeks. No definitive date has been set.

40% of GOP candidates in MA-03 say Obama is Muslim

Apparently the Third Congressional District is as Amreican as hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet. A recent Time magazine poll suggested that 40% of Republicans nationwide believe that President Barack Obama is Muslim. An Attleboro Sun-Chronicle canvass of Republican candidates challenging Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Worcester) found that two of the five GOP challengers believe the same. The roundup:

Robert Chipman (R-Plainville): "I believe that - that he is a Muslim...Coming from an international background, there is no mistake that he leans into the Muslim faith."
Robert Delle (R-Paxton): "There is no doubt about it. Obama is a Muslim."
Michael Stopa (R-Holliston): "I actually don't think Barack Obama is a Muslim. I think he is a nonbeliever...I think he's sympathetic to anybody who is opposed to America and American values."
Martin Lamb (R-Hopkinton) "said he is uninterested in Obama's religion."
Brian Herr (R-Hopkinton) was not quoted in the story.

So the final tally is 40% of GOP candidates in MA-03 say Obama is a Muslim, 20% say he is an athiest, 20% do not care, and 20% did not comment.

Friday Roundup: Lamb's voting record in question

Unless something breaks this afternoon, this will be the last update of a busy week of campaigning. Let's start in the Third Congressional District, where Martin Lamb (R-Holliston) got the full treatment from the Telegram this morning. Lamb told reporter Priyanka Dayal that he'd finally had enough:

I got sick and tired of yelling at the TV and preaching to all of my friends and family and decided it was just time to get off my couch and take some action,” he said, explaining why he is running for Congress.

The report also claims that "In previous elections, Mr. Lamb says he has almost always voted Republican, but he conceded he didn’t vote for Ronald Reagan the first time Mr. Reagan ran for president." That does not jive with an earlier Telegram report. Last month, Shaun Sutner reported that Lamb "voted as a Democrat in state and presidential primary elections in 2006, 2004 and 2000."

The earlier story also reported that Lamb "said he has since 1976 voted for Republicans for president in the general election." That would contradict the statement in today's paper that Lamb did not vote for Reagan in his first run for president, unless Lamb was referencing Reagan's primary run in 1976, when Lamb would have been 19 years old.

Elsewhere in the district, Michael Stopa (R-Holliston) has been touting some of his one-liners from the GOP debate Wednesday in Shrewsbury:

"Later, [Stopa] got the biggest laugh of the night when he said that Massachusetts, unlike Arizona, doesn't have to worry about protecting its borders except perhaps with Rhode Island...To make sure "Patches" Kennedy doesn't sneak in."

I'm not sure Stopa will be the next host of Saturday Night Live, but apparently he does have a knack for radio, as he was featured on WCRN-AM's Mike Wade Show last Saturday.

The incumbent was also making news Thursday. Rep. James McGovern (D-Worcester) and Rep. Barney Frank (D-Newton) announced that they will file a provision in Congress to ban the construction of a liquid natural gas terminal proposed for Fall River.

First Congressional District
Rep. John Olver (D-Amherst) was in Pittsfield to announce a $1.25 million grant to aid the completion of the Streetscape Project.

Second Congressional District
Tom Wesley (R-Hopedale) spoke Wednesday night at a Tea Party forum in Holden. The former Navy aviator told the crowd that "I didn't blink with the Russians and I'm not going to blink with Nancy Pelosi."

First Worcester House District
Worcester County Sheriff
House candidate Kim Ferguson (R-Holden) and Sheriff candidate Lew Evangelidis (R-Holden) also spoke at the Tea Party event.

11th Worcester House District
Kevin Byrne (D-Shrewsbury) formally kicked off his campaign Wednesday night.

18th Worcester District
Rep. Jennifer Callahan (D-Sutton) and challenger Ryan Fattman (R-Sutton) each weighed in on Bellingham's restrictive lawn sign ordinance.

Thursday Congressional Roundup: Immigration dominates debate

Four of the five challengers for the Third Congressional District seat held by Rep. James McGovern (D-Worcester) squared off last night in a Shrewsbury debate. The forum, sponsored by the Shrewsbury League of Women Voters, gave Brian Herr (R-Hopkinton), Michael Stopa (R-Holliston), Martin Lamb (R-Holliston), and Robert Delle (R-Paxton) a chance to differentiate themselves from each other, however slightly. One area where there was both some consensus and disagreement was on immigration policy, as reported in the Telegram:

Though they all oppose amnesty, the candidates differed somewhat in their views on illegal immigration. Mr. Herr and Mr. Lamb both said the borders need to be secured, with the help of the U.S. military. They said existing laws need to be enforced to make the country unattractive to illegal immigrants.

Mr. Lamb went a step further, saying employers should be fined or charged for hiring illegal immigrants. He also believes citizenship should not be a birthright for children born to illegal immigrants.

Mr. Stopa voiced strong support for Arizona's new immigration law and said other states should be allowed to pass such laws. “I think we should send 12 million illegal aliens back to their home countries,” he said.

As a lawyer, Mr. Delle said, he has represented hundreds of illegal immigrants.

He said the illegal immigration problem has been overstated, and that people who live in the country illegally are not stealing jobs that citizens and legal residents would want.

Delle, who has lived in Westboro, Wayland, and now Paxton in the last year, also remarked that he was the best candidate because he doesn't "need a GPS to get around here." The article doesn't mention if the remark was serious or self-deprecating, but if he was joking about his frequent moves...well, that's funny.

While the Republicans were slugging it out, McGovern was discussing food stamp policy and other subjects on the Callie Crossley show on WGBH-FM.
 
Fifth Congressional District
The four Republicans hoping to replace Niki Tsongas (D-Lowell) faced off in a debate Tuesday in Chelmsford.
 
Just hours after the Tuesday debate, the campaign headquarters of Jon Golnik (R-Carlisle) were destroyed in a Westford blaze. Golnik told The Boston Globe that the fire will not slow down his campaign. In fact, Congressional Quarterly reported yesterday that Golnik has turned the loss into a fundraising pitch.
 
First Congressional District
Michael Engel (U-Southampton) asks on his blog if anyone has seen Rep. John Olver (D-Amherst) recently, illustrating his query with a photoshop of the incumbent on the side of a milk carton.

Thursday roundup: A new sheriff in town

The Telegram really brings it today with a bunch of stories on area politics in their Thursday edition, led by a look at last night's Sheriff's debate in Harvard:

Three candidates for Worcester County sheriff last night promised to kick politics out of the Worcester County Jail and House of Correction, while the fourth candidate, an assistant deputy superintendent at the facility in West Boylston said the jail has already been professionalized.

The emphasis at a sheriff candidates forum at the Harvard Unitarian Universalist Church was more on individual qualifications to run the Sheriff's Department than differences over issues. The forum was sponsored by the Worcester County Chapter of the Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, with Ronal C. Madnick, director of the chapter, posing questions to the candidates.

Madnick (U-Worcester), you may remember, is a candidate for state rep. in the 13th Worcester district. His participation as a moderator in this debate has sparked some discussion of a conflict of interest.

The Telegram's lead columnist, Diane Williamson, also took a look at candidate Tom Foley. Specifically, she examines the questions surrounding his retirement from the State Police due to a heart problem and the effect that issue is having on the race:

When Foley retired at age 50, he filed for and was granted a disability pension due to a heart condition. Under state law, he receives a tax-free pension — $112,000 — equal to 72 percent of his salary. The sheriff’s salary is $123,000, although under law Foley would only be eligible for about $93,000.

His opponents raise valid questions. If someone is so disabled that he must retire from one public job, how can he take another one? Is he disabled, or isn’t he? Just this week, while endorsing [Scott] Bove, the Worcester County Superior Officers Union said Foley couldn’t meet the “basic requirements” for sheriff because of his health, as the sheriff must also be a correction officer.

Williamson concludes that Foley's health is less of an issue than a flawed pension "system that encourages excess and abuse."
 
Elsewhere...
 
Third Congressional District
Brian Herr (R-Hopkinton) says the appropriations bill that passed congress earlier this week was akin to a shakedown:

It's no surprise that Jim McGovern voted for this bill...during his political career he has received $1,176,725 in contributions from labor unions. This year alone, he has received $2,500 from the American Federation of Teacher, $2,500 from the National Association of Firefighters, and $2,000 from the National Education Association.

It looks like the vote for this bill was nothing more than a $26 billion political payback.

Robert Delle (R-Westboro/Wayland/Paxton) talks about his upcoming move to Paxton and his campaign for office. He also says he "considers President Obama a socialist and is so wary of government spending that he believes people are 'stealing' federal stimulus money, though he didn't say who."

In an op-ed for the MetroWest Daily News, Michael Stopa (R-Holliston) argues that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is crowding out private investment and hurting the economy.

Fifth Congressional District
The four candidates for the Republican nomination discussed their ambitions at a debate in Concord:

When it came time to ask questions to one another, the candidates touched on tort reform for the healthcare bill, cost of living increases and the first piece of legislation they would file if elected.


Repealing the healthcare bill would be first on Golnik’s list, while Weaver said he would like to establish and chair an anti-appropriations committee to look at the books and cut unnecessary expenses. Shapiro would start by slapping a dollar limit on the federal budget and keeping bills under 100 pages, and Meas said he would seek to become the Ways and Means chairman and simplify the tax code to stimulate the economy.

13th Worcester House District
Mike Perotto (D-Worcester) visited Worcester Community Cable Access's "What It's Worth" show.

Shaun Sutner of the Telegram checks in on the relationship between Joff Smith (D-Worcester) and Worcester Mag columnist and former city councilor Gary Rosen. Sutner also looks at the efforts of Paul Franco (R-Worcester) in Paxton.

Tuesday Roundup: Rock the boat (don't rock the boat, baby)

Let's start our Tuesday spin around the region with the Congressional race in the Fifth District, where Sam Meas (R-Haverhill) rocked John Kerry over the recent controversy surrounding Kerry's yacht:

In a press release issued last week, Meas said the "nautical and tax-dodging misadventures of our aristocratic Senior Senator, John F. Kerry, firmly solidify his reputation as being total out of touch with his constituents."

Kerry, of course, has come under heavy fire for registering his new, $7 million, 76-foot yacht "Isabel," in Rhode Island instead of his home state of Massachusetts, ostensibly to avoid paying taxes on the costly craft.

At its core, this story illustrates the need to scrap our oppressive, unjust and obscenely complex tax system and replace it with something simpler and more fair..."

Of course, Kerry has been accused of docking his boat in Rhode Island to avoid paying state--not federal --taxes, so should he be elected to Congress, Meas wouldn't have any standing to change the tax system he accuses Kerry of dodging.

Poweline followed up The Weekly Standard's profile of Meas with a note from a reader touting Jon Golnik (R-Carlisle) as the best challenger in the field.

Second Congressional District
Rep. Richard Neal (D-Springfield) traveled to Lee's Summit, Mo. to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Social Security at a series of town hall meetings with Missouri Congressman Emanuel Cleaver.

Third Congressional District
Robert Chipman (R-Plainville) wrote to the Attleboro Sun-Chronicle describing his side of a dispute over lawn signs in Plainville.

Michael Stopa (R-Holliston) and Brian Herr (R-Hopkinton) attended a Tea Party event in Northboro to hear arguments against granting citizenship to illegal immigrants.

Second Worcester House District
Three of the five candidates for the open seat--Rich Bastien (R-Gardner), Carolyn Kamuda (U-Gardner), and Amy Feeley-Knuuttila (D, Winchendon) were endorsed by Citizens for Limited Taxation.

13th Worcester House District
Sean Dacey at Unfashionable Sentiments takes stock of the number of lawn signs in his neighborhood.

Middlesex and Worcester Senate District
37th Middlesex House District
In a surprise to no one, the Young Democrats of Massachusetts endorsed Sen. Jamie Eldridge (D-Acton). Previously, the YDMA announced their support for Rep. Jen Benson (D-Lunenburg).

Finally, thanks to Shaun Sutner of the Telegram, who had nice things to say about this blog in his online daily ElectionNet column on telegram.com.

Friday Roundup: GOP Money Trouble

The big story today is courtesy of the Associated Press, which reports that despite a supposed anti-incumbent wave this fall, GOP challengers for Congress are trailing badly in the fundraising race. The chart from the Telegram shows the details:

(Just a note to the Telegram...while Democrats in Sterling would love to be in the Third District with Rep. Jim McGovern as depicted in the map, we're actually in Rep. John Olver's First District.)

Third Congressional District
Speaking of McGovern (D-Worcester), Worcester Magazine has a long look at the race in the Third District. It is the first time McGovern has faced an opponent in four years.

One of his potential Republican challengers, Martin Lamb (R-Holliston) is under fire for his voting record. The Telegram reports that Lamb first registered as a Republican in 2009 and voted as a Democrat in every state and federal election between 2000 and 2006. The news drew a strong reaction from challenger Brian Herr (R-Hopkinton). Previously, Lamb unveiled his "lamb chop plan" (seriously? lamb chop plan?) to save the country to the Milford Daily News.

For his part, Herr told the MetroWest Daily News that he hopes to avoid the "nasty, unproductive banter" of Capitol Hill if he is elected.

Robert Delle (R-Westborough) tells the MetroWest Daily News that "Barack Obama is a Marxist." He claims to know this because he was a "bonafide socialist" while in college.

Michael Stopa (R-Holliston) told the Holliston TAB that he decided to run because it was "a travesty" that McGovern was unopposed last cycle. Now he appears to be the moderate Republican in the crowded primary field.

Second Congressional District
Jay Fleitman (R-Northampton) came out strongly against the Wall Street Reform Act that President Obama signed last week.

Rep. Richard Neal (D-Springfield) confirmed that he is running for Ways and Means chairman. Neal also spoke to ABC News about extending unemployment benefits and allowing the Bush tax cuts to expire for people making over $250,000 per year.

Fifth Congressional District
A Wayland attorney is accusing town officials of violating the state's Open Meeting Law by not posting a meeting last November with Rep. Niki Tsongas (D-Lowell).

Speaking of openness, the Boston Globe suggests Tsongas could make it easier for constituents to find information about her earmarks.

Challengers Sam Meas (R-Haverhill) and Jon Golnik (R-Carlisle) both told the Lowell Sun that they would have voted against Wall Street reform. They were joined by candidates Robert Shapiro (R-Andover) and Thomas Weaver (R-Westford) in opposition to the extension of unemployment benefits. Tsongas voted for both bills.

Golnik told the Boston Herald that he opposes the road signs informing motorists of projects paid for by the stimulus bill.

WBUR profiled Meas, a Cambodian American who survived the Khmer Rouge as a child and came to the United States as an orphaned teen. The Lowell Sun says Meas is counting on strong support from Lowell's Cambodian community.