Residents of Andover, North Andover, Boxford, and Tewksbury are excited about Democrat Barbara L’Italien’s decision to run for state rep. in those towns. L’Italien previously served in the House for eight years and developed a reputation as a tireless, full-time advocate for the communities she represented. By contrast, her opponent, Republican State rep. Jim Lyons, has been barely visible in the six communities he has represented for the past two years.
Local activists who appreciate L’Italien’s record quickly mobilized to support her decision. Within a couple weeks, some 30 volunteers collected more than 600 signatures on her nominating papers — more than four times the required number for inclusion on the ballot.
L’Italien’s record of hard work and legislative accomplishment has a strong appeal to voters in the newly-drawn district. She is especially well-known and respected in her home town of Andover as a result of years of volunteer work in the school system and community as her four children were growing up. The number of Andover voters in the new district has doubled and now represents more than half the electorate in the new district.
dickandjudyhowe
Discuss
16 Comments . Leave a comment below.If this is coming from the campaign that should be stated. I personally would love to see Barbara return to the House.
And fairly different from the one she used to represent. Andover was L’Italien’s strongest town in 2010, (the only one she won actually) so it’s good that more of it is in the district.
The more information on this race, and all contested races, the better as far as I am concerned. They all matter.
Rep Lyons is the worst kind of Republican: rigid, mean, and proud of it.
I hope she can win her seat back, but it won’t be an easy race. This is a great place for progressive activists to focus efforts. The difference between the two could not be more stark, and it is tough but very winnable for L’Italien.
With help from the Eagle Tribune, which sat on the story until after their endorsed candidate won.
http://www.eagletribune.com/election/x1744211440/Tax-woes-come-back-to-haunt-candidate-for-state-rep
The GOP is suffering buyer’s remorse for nominating this do-nothing tax cheat.
That information was out there, and the date on the article you link to is Oct 24th, 2010.
The GOP is not suffering remorse. Lyons is one of the most popular Republicans in the state, and he’s definitely popular with his constituents.
Regardless of what anyone wants, or thinks about L’Italien, this district got more Republican with the redistricting changes.
The primary was in mid September 2010, October 2010 is certainly after that date.
There was no way law student John Thorlin was ever going to win. He had no money, no organization, and was in Washington DC for the whole summer doing an internship or something. In the meantime Lyons was knocking on thousands of doors.
Really a great candidate that Thorlin, and one I’m sure the Eagle Trib felt they needed to help out by “holding” the Lyon story.
you are the prototypical MV republican who believes that every voter in the MV votes the way the Tribune comments go.
You’ll be shocked when Jim Lyon loses to Barbara.
EBT reform and illegal immigrant issues do not make a successful representative. The MV rewards practical candidates.
The best part of your take is that Jim Lyons would be out raising and donating to other candidates. PLEASE!
… would you have still voted for him?
Even if that were true, it’s still not saying much.
He’s a serial tax cheat, why would that make him popular with you people?
Something wrong with the voters?
…because it was a major GOP year and she was frankly lucky to hold on to such a conservative district for so long given her progressive record. However, the “something wrong with the voters” thesis is tempting when they send such nutjobs to the legislature.
That wasn’t the case in MA as the GOP lost every statewide race, every Congressional district, every State Senate seat they contested, and only added a few House seats they had once held ten years ago.
This wasn’t the case in this district as it didn’t exist ten years ago. I think she only had only one challenger since she won it so no one had any idea whether it’s conservative or not.
Could you at least add an opinion based on some correct assumptions. Try arguing that 2010 was a major GOP year in MA. I’d like to hear that.
So is this clearly a case of voters being misled, or do you have another thesis?
She has been challenged every cycle since 2002 (as far back as I found info for), and while MA was relatively sucessful in holding back the red tide we were not completely immune to it. After all, the GOP spin is that they doubled their presence in the State House in 2010.
Where the poster is unable to admit they are wrong or not have the last word.
I was wrong on the challengers (I was thinking of Brennan who ran twice)- and she has beat them pretty well every time up until Lyons. I wonder what was different. It’s not my district so I was a little hazy.
So in this case you believe the GOP spin? What were they going to say.
2010 was not a GOP year in MA. If you don’t believe me I’ll start a new post that says “The GOP had a great year in MA in 2010″ and we’ll see how many people agree with me on that.
L’Italien’s not going to win. So far her campaign strategy is just to bash Lyons. Not going to be effective I think.
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