No perfect storm for Tobin


DAVID TABER

City councilor rules out run for state Senate, says he will quit council by 2013
City Councilor John Tobin is not planning a run for state Senate, he told the Gazette.

The councilor, who represents most of JP, took out nomination papers to run for the Suffolk and Norfolk Senate seat. As he told the Gazette at the time, however, he had no intention to run if the district’s incumbent, Sen. Marian Walsh, decided to seek re-election in November.

Walsh was widely rumored to be on Gov. Deval Patrick’s shortlist for a state District Court judgeship nomination.

Since he took out papers, Tobin said, “She has indicated to me that, for whatever reason, she is going to run for her Senate seat.”

Reports that Walsh was planning to forgo re-election led to wide ranging speculation about who might bid to replace her.

In addition to Tobin, City Councilor Robert Consalvo, who represents Hyde Park and Roslindale, and West Roxbury state Rep. Michael Rush, whom Tobin beat out in 2001 when he was first elected to City Council, were said to be considering runs.

The Suffolk and Norfolk district includes West Roxbury and parts of Roslindale as well as a number of suburban municipalities, but only a small portion of the Forest Hills neighborhood of JP.

Tobin has also said he would consider a run for mayor next year if current Mayor Tom Menino decides not to seek a fifth term.

Regardless of what happens, he is “more than half way done with my time on the City Council,” he said.

“I love my job and the opportunities it presents to help people and have a little vision for the city…but being a district city councilor for an extended period of time is not something I desire,” he said.

If no opportunity to seek higher elected office opens up, Tobin said, he will likely end up back in the private sector.

“Things have been pretty stagnant for the last 10 years,” he said.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *