Collection of posts about the Special Elections yesterday in Massachusetts

O'Day Romps in Worcester
Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Although expected, the victory of the pro-marriage-equality and more progressive candidate in Worcester is reassuring. James O'Day trounced the other guy, unenrolled Joseph Cariglia, to replace 14th House District Rep. James B. Leary.

Leary stepped down after his November re-election to become chief of staff for Lt. Gov. Tim Murray. He had a long record of good votes for good causes.

In yesterday's election, the lowest O'Day got in any area was 83.4% of the vote in Worcester. His opponent was from the city, while much was made in the campaign that O'Day was from nearby West Boylston. He averaged 85.1% across the district.

Provincialism yielded to hopes for progressive achievements, it appears.

This ratio of pro-marriage equality state reps did not diminish. In the primary, at least two of the candidates were anti-SSM and favored advancing the current amendment to stop SSM here. O'Day soundly thumped them as well.

More:
http://massmarrier.blogspot.com/2007/04/oday-romps-in-worcester.html


Bilafer and Obey win legislative primary

April 18, 2007
DEDHAM

In a special primary yesterday in the 11th Norfolk district, Stephen M. Bilafer of Dedham topped a field of four Democrats, while Douglas E. Obey of Westwood won the two-way Republican race. The candidates will compete with independent Paul McMurtry of Dedham in the May 15 election to fill the seat of Democrat Robert K. Coughlin, who resigned to take a job in Governor Deval Patrick's administration. Turnout was light across the district, which consists of Dedham, Westwood, and part of Walpole. Bilafer outpolled his closest opponent, Dedham School Committee member Joanne Flatley, by 153 votes or 5 percentage points, while Obey defeated GOP State Committeeman William D. McKinney of Dedham by a 2-to-1 margin.

More:
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2007/04/18/bilafer_and_obey_win_legislative_primary/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+City%2FRegion+News




Passoni, Linehan top race for council

By Donovan Slack, Globe Staff | April 18, 2007

South End resident and former investment banker Susan Passoni eked out a victory yesterday in a preliminary City Council election against a field of six candidates from South Boston.


Passoni, who won by 37 votes, will face off against yesterday's second-place finisher, city worker Bill Linehan, in a final election May 15 to determine who will win the council seat occupied for 23 years by South Boston native James M. Kelly.

The margin between first and third place yesterday was just 129 votes out of 7,740 votes cast, according to preliminary results released last night by the Boston Election Department. Passoni garnered 1,869 votes, Linehan got 1,832, and Ed Flynn, son of former mayor Ray L. Flynn, had 1,740 votes.

"We're going to have to dig down deeper and do it all again," Passoni told a jubilant crowd of campaign workers and supporters celebrating at a South End restaurant. "We're on a whole new journey now. We're going to have to work as hard or harder."

More:
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2007/04/18/passoni_linehan_top_race_for_council/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+City%2FRegion+News



John Walsh was elected Chairman of the Massachusetts Democratic Party April 14, 2007.
by: bowes3
Tue Apr 17, 2007 at 22:49:07 PM EDT
http://www.soapblox.net/belowboston/showDiary.do?diaryId=813


Susan Passoni vs. Bill Linehan
Submitted by adamg on Tue, 04/17/2007 - 10:05pm.

Susan Passoni of the South End topped a seven-person field in today's preliminary election in District 2 to replace the late Jimmy Kelly. She'll face off against Bill Linehan of South Boston in a special election on May 15.
http://www.universalhub.com/node/8417



Bilafer versus Obey & McMurtry in 11th Norfolk
by: pablo
Tue Apr 17, 2007 at 21:53:48 PM EDT

( - promoted by David)

In the other race of the evening, Steve Bilafer has won the Democratic primary in the Dedham-Westwood-Walpole seat. He will face Republican Doug Obey of Westwood and independent Paul McMurtry of Dedham in the May 15 special election.

According to the Dedham town website reporting results for all towns in the district:
DEMOCRAT
Bilafer 1213
Flatley 1060
Schoenfeld 792
Boncek 111

REPUBLICAN
Obey 912
McKinney 462

More:
http://www.bluemassgroup.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=7073