Well this is stunning. Tierney came down with a minute’s notice and conceded the race to Moulton.
RT @GlobePolitical: Live updates: http://t.co/cj7xznhWEi#ma06#mapoli RT @GlobeKMcCabe: Tierney concedes pic.twitter.com/9d5ygr7XYw
— Matt Viser (@mviser) September 10, 2014
Crazy times.
Ecstatic crowd @sethmoulton at news Tierney has conceded. #ma6#mapolipic.twitter.com/uNs8FwlynO
— Anne Mostue (@AnneMostue) September 10, 2014
Congratulations to Seth Moulton, Iraq War vet and the new Democratic nominee for the MA-06. Now for a smashing victory in November over the guy who’s going to vote for John Boehner as Speaker.
So how did he do it?
1. Nice résumé and bio. Good story.
2. Second time running against a … [CORRECTION: Moulton thought about it, but didn’t jump in as an independent vs Tierney in ’12]
3. Weakened incumbent.
Yup. That’s how you do it.
Be THAT stunning. The only reason Tierney survived in 2012 was because he rode Obama’s coat tails, and even then he nearly lost. He’s been on borrowed time since then.
But nobody was interested in hearing it. I fully support Seth Moulton against Richard Tisei, have always respected his service, and hope he can retain the excellent constituent services that Tierney provided along with the economic focus. And according to most polls this should make the race a lot more winnable-though it will come down to the wire. Let’s keep working to keep the 6th blue and tap into that spirit of change that nominated Seth.
Good points — but the “stunning” aspect of it is perhaps more a commentary on the power of incumbency than anything inherent to the race. It’s just very unusual to have a candidate primaried and defeated in the Democratic party in MA these days. And it’s not a bad thing — as long as it’s not part of a internecine battle against a lunatic fringe, like the Tea Party these days.
Wow! That’s all I can think to say.
Not that you were making them Charley, but I’m sure the lazier elements of the media might go there. Primary voters choose an ethically clean, highly competent, military veteran at a time when they are disgusted with Washington, incumbent politicians, and people who have overstayed their welcome. Tierney should’ve wrapped it up for the good of our party, I stuck with him since he had a good voting record but always insisted he should step aside for someone else. The voters decided overwhelmingly that they want a Democrat, just not one with questions or clouds hanging over them.
I am a lot more optimistic about keeping this seat since Tisei’s change narrative and anti-Tierney narrative is lost. Now he is just another Republican. That said, Seth burned some bridges and needs to quickly mend fences with organized labor, seniors, and make some iron clad commitments on a few key issues. I am confident he will, and interested to see his take on recent foreign affairs given his background.
Calling Moulton a Republican?
I never argued that ad made sense from a strategic, tactical, or accuracy standpoint. Did anyone else here make those arguments?
If anything it was really stupid since it probably increased his name recognition, free media, and gave him sympathetic coverage in response. I began preparing myself for this possibility two weeks ago, a close personal friend from high school works at a great non-profit and has had a lot of support and dealings with Seth, he seems like a humble veteran eager to serve. I think he will be more than eager and more than capable of beating Richard Tisei, and I do hope Seth feels free to come on BMG, answer our questions, and get this community excited about his race.
I think he just took the wind out of Tisei’s sails. I strongly hope he and John can patch things up, and that he can make a direct appeal to the 40% of Democrats who voted for Tierney in spite of all the baggage. He will need each and every one of them in November.
with the voters put off by the heavily negative campaign run for him. It was the reason I wouldn’t vote for him in this primary. The campaign looked more like a Republican against a Democrat than a Democrat against a Democrat. That being said, now that the primary is over, we must close ranks and support him against another vote for the Republican agenda in Washington which Tisei surely will be.
The worst thing he ever said was that he was a ‘pretty centrist guy’ and the worst thing he ever did was work in the private sector and for David Petraues. Both of which are assets in large portions of the district.This was no Bill “Obama=Osama signs on my lawn” Hudak tea party opponent like in 2010. It was totally dishonest for Tierney to smear Seth like that and it clearly backfired. The district leans a little more moderate, so he should play well against Tisei. And Tisei’s large rationales for his candidacy-dump Tierney, socially liberal and fiscally conservative-have now been negated by Moulton’s nomination.
I just need Moulton to say he likes unions, social security, and medicare and will fight to protect them from Tisei’s cuts. I suspect he will. And with ISIS dominating the midterms now, it helps that we have the guy who has far more national security experience on our side.
Moulton’s mailings were incredibly dishonest and Moulton himself used a lot of the very same attacks that Republicans have made against Democrats. It was weird listening to his speech tonight with all its Republican talking points in them.
I’ll hold my nose and vote for Moulton, but along with the fence mending over the short term that he’ll have to do to have a chance at winning the general, there is a large deficit of trust issues that can’t be mended over night — but only through proving he won’t sell us out to Wall St.
Care to say what they included? Not doubting you at all, just want to be clear on what was said.
Matt Viser says he’s a first time candidate, and I don’t remember him running before.
but ultimately didn’t do it.
That was when he called himself “a pretty centrist guy.” Now a progressive apparently.
I remembered his name, but not the exact circumstance. Anyway, just by publicly considering it last time, he probably gained some name recognition — similar but less bruising than actually running twice. 😀
Highly disappointed here in Swampscott. Anyone who spent five minutes on Moulton’s website and facebook page could discern he’s not a principled liberal and has no particular connection to the Democratic Party. He ran a nasty campaign, as is the way of lightweights, and if he now expects Tierney supporters to canvass for him or otherwise lift a finger or toss him a nickel: ha, bloody ha.
I surely won’t vote for Tisei, and since I’ll be in the booth anyway I’ll probably pull the lever for him, but that’s it. Let’s hope that Marblehead tide can make up for all the votes Tierney used to get in Lynn and Salem to pull him through.
Sorry my first post here is negative. I’ve often wondered whether Dems in the 6th fully appreciated the solid, nose to the grindstone Democrat representation had in Tierney. The moment his wife gave the other side ammo, it was rats jumping ship. All right. Zipping up now. Thanks for reading.
This one hurt……I really liked John Tierney.
I will support Mr. Moulton in November, perhaps he will champion some progressive causes. Richard Tisei’s first vote John Boehner (and the majority of votes thereafter) disqualifies him from ever earning my vote.
SIDE IN A FIGHT (ANON)….I proudly supported John Tierney because he was and is a fearless Liberal !
So, I went to the Democratic Unity breakfast with my friend, Mike Lake, and Seth Moulton asks for my support. My response to him was anonymously quoted in the Globe today : “Moulton said Wednesday that he did not feel the Tierney ad hurt voters’ impression of him, although he immediately faced skepticism from one Democrat at the unity breakfast who said Moulton would need to start “convincing me that you were a real progressive” before he would volunteer.”
I’m still waiting.
Fred Rich LaRiccia
Member, Wakefield Democratic Town Committee
Bay State Stonewall Democrats, Member
Chair, Congresswoman Katherine Clark Campaign