Dang! And I made all that popcorn… Christopher Schiavone, gay ex-priest and market researcher, will not challenge the, uh, “colorful” Eugene O’Flaherty for his Chelsea/Charlestown State Rep seat. Adam Reilly’s got the scoop; here’s part of Schiavone’s letter reprinted by Adam:
[I]n politics as in life, timing is everything. Because of major changes in the organizations of several of my clients in recent months, I am required to be more involved in the day-to-day activities of my consulting business than I had anticipated back in the Fall. It has become clear that the amount of time required for effective fund-raising and voter outreach would be incompatible with my current responsibilities as a small business owner. Hence, I have decided not to proceed with the race.”
More time with the family, too, no doubt. This will please certain of our more conservative readers no end. (yawn) Oh well, back to the salt mines of the Governor and LG races…
Schiavone did a poll and it came back huge for O’F; it’s no secret, O’F is VERY popular in his district with old-timers and new folks. This is an example of out-of-the district hype that folks in the district disregard because of work-product. O’F has produced for 10 years now and has put a lot of people to work and has fought for the neighborhoods he represents. It would have been disastrous for Schiavone and he made a very wise decision not to run.
Schiavone ran an extensive poll through out the district last month. The results were horrible for him. I mentioned this in previous post.
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O’Flaherty has a huge huge stronghold in the district. That comes from years of returning phone calls and doing the most for constituents. Regardless of his politics.
I still can’t understand his decision to withdraw from politics completely rather than take on a vulnerable Anthony Galluccio, who is presently running unopposed for Jarrett Barrios’s Senate seat. I agree completely that he had no chance of unseating O’Flaherty. But he had obviously done a substantial amount of groundwork that would easily translate into a Senate race, and that seat is open. Would he win? Maybe not. But it would be worth a try.
I think he should first try to be elected dog catcher for his street in Charlestown. If he ekes that one out, then run for a seat on the advisory neighborhood council, if by chance a miracle descends and he wins he can then run for Boston City Council and more likely than not that prospective loss will end his interest for all times in politics except for the armchair. What was this guy thinking- that a bunch of suburban progressives (who probably have lived in Massachusetts for less than 10 years) can just announce they’re running for something and everyone is going to say “oh, you’re so smaaartt, thanks for running guy” PLEASE, adam reilly-how you doin’?