A hat tip to Under the Golden Dome, which noted this Lowell Sun article reporting some interesting movement in the Middlesex DA race following Mike Festa’s withdrawal:
Leone said Festa’s departure does not change his message, but he has gained several of Festa’s supporter from Greater Lowell, including state Reps. Geoffrey Hall, D-Westford, William Greene, D-Billerica, Tom Golden and Dave Nangle, both Lowell Democrats, and Lowell Police Superintendent Ed Davis. “Hands down Leone is the most qualified of those two for that position,” said Nangle, who supported Festa as a “friend and colleague.”
Interesting. One might have predicted that Jarrett Barrios, as a fellow “progressive,” would draw most of Festa’s supporters to his side. Apparently it’s not going to work out like that.
Is not particularly progressive, and Geoff Hall may not be either(although I don’t have anything to base this on except his anti-gay marriage/pro-civil unions position). I don’t know about Nangle and Golden but many of the Lowell area Dems (Panagiotakos and Kevin Murphy come to mind) are not the most progressive members of the party.
but Festa is a self-described progressive, like Barrios – that’s my point. These guys initially backed Festa over Leone, yet now they’re backing Leone over Barrios. Why?
That they initially backed Festa because he’s their colleague and has been for a long time. In the House (and Senate), colleagues generally come first, it’s just gentlemanly (and when it doesn’t happen, eyebrows are raised).
<
p>
Now they’re more inclined to go with someone who is ideologically closer to them, and that’s Leone.
<
p>
Either way, it’s four people.
Barrios is their colleague too. And sure, it’s four people, but as we all know, in politics some people are more equal than others! 🙂
Festa, as a state Rep, is their colleague in a way that Barrios is not. I suspect that’s the key difference here. The two different chambers have all sorts of arcane protocol for how they interact.
though Barrios was a Rep for 4 years – it’s not like he didn’t put in some time in the other chamber.
True, but with Barrios no longer in the House (and having been out for a good while now), I don’t think that the loyalty applies. Instead, as sharpchick suggested, they’re able to move toward someone with whom they share ideology–like Leone.
It will also be interesting to see if Festa supporters from the GLBTQ community choose to endorse another candidate. I beleive Reps Liz Malia and Cheryl Rivera publicly endorsed Festa.
In an interesting twist I was cruising through the Metrowest Daily News today and found this article about Senator Barrios visiting with Holliston residents about crime and punishment. It strikes me as ironic that while Leone was busy getting politicians to endorse him (see recent posts) Barrios was talking with voters about criminal justice issues.
…but as a causal reader of the Middlesex race on this blog, it doesn’t surprise me that Festa people are breaking with Leone. I just got the sense there was/is bad blood between the camps.
… to see whether Leone will offer enough moderation ideologically on crime policy to enable us to support him.
<
p>
Leone has been gracious to Festa after Festa’s withdrawal (see Metrowest Daily News article by Jennifier Kavanough, Feb. 12, 2006).
<
p>
Barrios and his camp have been arrogant, callous, and presumptuous – not even asking those in Festa’s camp for their support. Not offering a kind word in public to Festa. Rotten.
<
p>
Festa is to the left of Barrios. Barrios is not of the Left: he is right in the center of opportunism, as his betrayals on civil liberties (his original gang bill) and Melanie’s Law (voted in Nov. 2005 for Romney’s facially absurd non-starter version and was the ONLY Democrat in the Senate to do so) make clear.
<
p>
Nonetheless, and even though Barrios is wholly unqualified for the position, I still would vote for Barrios or blank the race if Leone says that he would, e.g., seek the death penalty in cases should one come into law.
<
p>
Barrios is running around calling people telling them that Leone is a “Republican lawyer”. Baloney. Maybe Leone should start running around calling Barrios a “Real Estate Lawyer”. Not baloney.
To say that Barrios hasn’t said a kind word about Festa. From his own website:
<
p>
“Representative Festa has long been a leading progressive voice in the Legislature and in his community. The support he received throughout Middlesex County proves that. In the Legislature I have been honored to work with him for marriage equality, affordable prescription drugs and crime prevention initiatives. In his new role as the Chair of the Criminal Justice Board of Directors, I know Representative Festa will continue to be an active voice in our state for sensible criminal justice policy. I look forward to working with him to make our communities safer.”
<
p>
It says it’s been up there since February 12th. Those sound like kind words to me …. you can’t fault Barrios because they didn’t get quoted by a reporter.