Nov. 2 JP election features governor, Tea Party candidate, ballot questions


Rebeca Oliveira

Come Nov. 2, Jamaica Plain voters will help elect a number of state-wide officials, including Massachusetts Governor, as well as several local and national representatives that include a Tea Party candidate.

For Representative in the US Congress, the Eighth and Ninth Districts are up for election. The Eighth District covers most of JP while the Ninth has a few districts in the Forest Hills/Woodbourne area.

Democrat Mike Capuano is running unopposed in the Eighth, while the Ninth has three people on the ballot: Stephen Lynch, the Democratic incumbent; Republican Vernon Harrison; and Independent Philip Dunkelbarger.

Lynch, the congressman for the Ninth district since 2001, is a life-long resident of South Boston. He supports Wall Street reform, reducing dependence on foreign oil and withdrawal of troops from Iraq and Afghanistan. He voted against the House version of the health care reform bill, calling it “critically flawed,” according to his website.

Tea Party supporter Harrison is a first-time candidate for political office. According to his web site, he favors free market competition for insurance coverage with tax breaks for families and individuals who pay for their own coverage, small government with lower taxes, free market policies and securing the US border.

Phil Dunkelbarger is running as an independent candidate, “not a Libertarian,” Greg Agnew, his campaign manager, said. He is in favor of single-payer health care; campaign reform, including campaign lengths and budgets; energy independence; fair trade commerce; and revising the budget in order to invest in American projects and businesses without further borrowing.

JP’s state House of Representative seats were decided in last month’s primaries. These Democrats are all running unopposed: Liz Malia in the 11th Suffolk, Jeff Sanchéz in the 15th Suffolk and newcomer Russell Holmes in the Sixth Suffolk, Willie Mae Allen’s old seat.

Incumbent Sonia Chang-Díaz (D) has no challenger in the Second Suffolk district, which covers the great majority of JP. Democrat Mike Rush faces Republican Brad Williams for the Suffolk & Norfolk District, which covers one precinct in the Woodbourne area.

Mike Rush has been the 10th Suffolk District Rep. since 2002, and is now running for the seat vacated by retiring Marian Walsh. According to his website, he voted in favor of Massachusetts’s landmark health care reform; a stimulus package designed to invest in workforce training and infrastructure; raising the minimum wage; low-income and homeless housing funding and veteran support bills.

Brad Williams proposes to lower the corporate income tax, repealing the recent sales tax increase and repealing double taxation on alcohol, according to his website [see related article]. He also supports the expansion of public school options through charter, magnet and alternative schools and pension reform that would include annual caps.

Running for Governor and Lt. Governor, along with Democratic incumbents Deval Patrick and Tim Murray are Republicans Charlie Baker and Richard Tisei, Independent Tim Cahill (former Republican Paul Loscocco is still listed as Cahill’s running mate, despite having abandoned the campaign), and Green-Rainbow candidates Jill Stein and Rick Purcell. President Obama was in Boston on the 16th to campaign for Gov. Patrick.

Running for Massachusetts Attorney General are Democrat Martha Coakley and Republican Jim McKenna, who won his slot on a write-in campaign in the primaries.

The new state Treasurer, a post being vacated by Cahill, is also being chosen. Candidates for the seat are Democrat Steven Grossman and Republican Karyn Polito.

With the retirement of Joe DeNucci, the office of the state Auditor (which works to supervise government by investigating fraud, identifying overspending, and assisting in improving performance) is up for grabs. Running for position are Democrat Suzanne Bump, Republican Mary Connaughton and Green-Rainbow candidate Nathanael Fortune.

Polls are open Nov. 2, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Find your voting information
Mike Capuano
Stephen Lynch
Vernon Harrison
Phil Dunkelbarger
Russell E. Holmes
Jeffrey Sánchez:
Liz Malia
Sonia Chang-Díaz
Mike Rush
Brad Williams
Patrick/Murray
Baker/Tisei
Cahill
Stein/Purcell
Steve Grossman
Karyn Polito
Suzann Bump
Mary Connaughton
Nat Fortune

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