Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

I ask for your vote

By

Dear BMG Readers,

I can think of no better way to end this busy day of campaigning than by thanking the BMG community.  Throughout the campaign, you have provided thoughtful and meaningful commentary and exposure, even when other media outlets did not. That means a great deal to me and I respect and appreciate the quality of the debate that you and other great blogs in Massachusetts have brought to the race. Now, with just hours before the polls open, I would be remiss if I didn’t personally ask for your vote.  As the Suffolk poll out today shows, the Lt. Governor’s race is in a statistical dead heat and the large number of undecided voters means this race is wide open.

There’s been a lot of discussion on the site about which Lt. Governor candidate would best complement the gubernatorial nominee. I truly believe I can best help Democrats win back the corner office. Suburban women were a powerful and determining swing vote in 2002.  By all calculations they will play the same role this year.  I know that I can appeal to these voters and earn their support for the Democratic ticket, helping our party win on November 7th. As a resident of the town of Harwich on Cape Cod I also bring geographic diversity to the ticket.  Not only does my jobs message appeal to the traditionally independent voter, but also living 90 miles outside of Boston I’ve really connected these past 18 months with voters throughout the state who too can feel “outside of the Boston/495 loop.” 

You are among the most well-informed citizens of this state, and you know as well as I that we have a lot of work to do to turn our state around.  I have the skills to get this most important job done.  I ask you to please vote for me in tomorrow’s primary and thank you again for being engaged and active in the Democratic Party. 

Warmly, Andrea

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Comments

  1. From a sister entrepreneur and kayaker.

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    Let’s create jobs together, and then go kayaking on the weekends!

  2. You’re an excellent, deserving candidate. I really hope you win! While I like both of your opponents, I think you really do have the skills to do something about job growth. Plus, I like that you have so many skills in language – your knowledge there could be especially important there in connecting with thousands of voters from the South Coast and elsewhere.

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    Good luck tomorrow!

  3. Seriously, I do appreciate greatly the fact that you stopped by. Although my vote tomorrow will go to my mayor, Tim Murray, I do see many positive aspects to your candidacy, and if the voters decide you are the nominee tomorrow I will enthusiastically work both for you and our nominee for governor.

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    This, and the Sec. of State race, have been difficult ones to point to the ‘best’ candidate for me at least. That’s a good thing! I think I speak for most of us here when I say that I’m proud to be a member of a party that does not ordain people in elections.

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    Although my allegience will be elsewhere when I cast my ballot tomorrow and work the polls, I just wanted to drop in the thread and make it known, in case you check back, that if you are the party selection tomorrow you will have my support unconditionally.

  4. Best of luck tomorrow and thanks for elevating the debate and giving primary voters a clear choice for Lt. Gov.

  5. “Candidate BMGers most want to have a beer with.”

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    Congrats on a really classy, thoughtful, substantive campaign.

  6. … at the GLAD Breakfast you might get lucky and when I throw the dart it will land closest to your name. Well I just did… and guess what? You got lucky! I have decided (FINALLY!) to cast my vote for Andrea.

  7. I’ll be proud to vote for you tomorrow. You’ve run a great positive campaign, and I look forward to the Patrick/Silbert campaign signs on Wednesday!

  9. Andrea:

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    Thanks for writing.  I won’t be voting for you tomorrow, but if you win you become my candidate.

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    So many of my friends like you, and they are voting for you.  My support for you on Wednesday, should you win, comes from their belief in you and their ability to convince my friends and neighbors that you were the best choice.

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    Yet I will be disappointed.  As a long-time town meeting member, whose passion is local government and public education, you have not spoken to me.  You have not spoken to my dreams, to my passions, to my progressive views of local government.

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    If you want to put the wind in the sails of the ticket, you need to move beyond the issue of jobs.  Kerry Healey spent most of last year visiting cities and towns, meeting mayors, selectmen, school committee members.  I don’t think she really listened, or really understood what she was hearing, but she made the effort.  At least she rang the doorbell.

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    Regardless of the outcome, know that you made many friends.  Treasure the experience.  And if you win, I’ll do all I can to point the wind toward your sails.4a7d3d609129a9296bf7ac0608c2097

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    pablo
    BMG

    • I won’t be voting for you tomorrow, but if you win you become my candidate.

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      That’s rather pitiful. Too bad you can’t vote with your brain, which seems to disagree with some other part of you.

      • You discount someone who follows what we all should be following, which is to work for whatever Dem ticket is assembled tomorrow.

  10. but what is the role of the Lt. Gov in MA politics. From the ads I’ve seen/heard they talk about the role of Lt. Gov. in pretty much the same way as governor. What are the difference in role and responsibilities? What are the qualities one expects in the Lt Gov not in the Gov?

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    And finally, why don’t the Gov and Lt. Gov run as a team?

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    If anyone has a resource site (or a discussion on this blog) I can read tonight that would be great. Thx.

    • The official roles of the LG are to take over if the governor is incapacitated or out of state…Other than that, there have been many lively discussions on the subject but no real answer.

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      My take is that the LG does two things relating to now and to later. The now is answering the question of who draws in votes that would otherwise have gone to the opposition. My opinion is that Tim Murray draws a lot of Central/Western MA voters and therefore adds the most in this regards. Others differ in this opinion, I can’t honestly take the time before I head to bed to provide the links that would help you see all sides, I’m sure some others can.

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      The second, or later, part of the equation is, well…Whatever the LG makes it. Again I stump for Tim Murray in saying that both someone with real experience in revitalizing poor ole MA mill cities, and the ability to realize this and other objectives from a secondary government position will be our best bet. Silbert is a jobs candidate, to oversimplify. Can jobs be created from the LG spot? Can awareness of the oft-overlooked areas of the state, and rebirth of our cities and towns be accomplished from this spot?

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      We just don’t know. If you think it can, vote for the candidate representing the issues closest to you. If you want a window dressing with a HUGE purse, I suggest Deb Goldberg.

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      So there you have it. I hope that others will add their takes, and there’s a few diaries floating around the front page on this very subject. I wish I could help more, but I need to be off to bed…One thing all us MA political junkies can agree upon is that tomorrow will be a very very long day…

  11. I’m a huge fan of Andrea’s but I am so glad she reached out to us and asked for our vote.  Tip O’Neill wrote that he ALWAYS asked his wife for her vote on election day.  Too many politicians expect the voters support and forget that you still gotta ask. 

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    Best of luck, Andrea.  I’ll see you on the flipside.

  12. While I respect Andrea Silbert I feel like this post is entirely in response to Jim McGoverns earlier. Tim Murray is my clear choice for LG and many others because of the way he balances the ticket and his munciple experience.

      • Hoss – it’s clear that you’re angry tonight. Tomorrow when they call the LG race, my guess is you’ll be furious.

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        Lots of people said McGovern was shooting himself in the foot when he backed Deval 18 months ago. I have no problem following McGovern’s lead on a Patrick / Murray ticket.

    • This is a falsehood that Democrats can succeed from going ‘centrist’.

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      Who are you balancing for? Healey who can’t even poll against any of the three Dem Gov candidates?

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      You’ll have to back up your logic with some facts before it is in any way viable.

  13. I do believe the Patrick / Silbert / Bonifaz ticket looks mighty impressive.

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    Some true leaders, with so much accomplishment, here for Massachusetts to choose.

  16. You have my vote and many of my friends’ votes.  You are going to make a great Lieutenant Governor.

  18. Like many, I’ve been going back & forth between Murray and Silbert for LG.  I like them both, and as importantly do not like Deb Goldberg (the firefighter lie really sullied her in my eyes and the more I learned of her the clearer it was that she was option 3 in my book). 

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    Silbert provides gender balance.  Murray is Irish.  Murray has Worcester.  Silbert has the Cape.  Murray has government experience.  Silbert is another outsider.  Murray seems to have more union support (which really gave me pause).

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    Then I stopped.  I know Murray is more centrist than Silbert and might ‘balance the ticket.’  I’m tired of that thinking.  I’m not going to decide on electability.  If I were to make the choice entirely by myself on who would be Lt Gov from the choices provided, I would choose Andrea Silbert.  I like Tim Murray – I just like Andrea Silbert a bit more.

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    My girlfriend figured this out last week when she sent in her absentee ballot.  I hope many others come to the same realization.  You’ve got my vote.

    • Pants – I would argue that the balance Murray brings to the ticket is geographic, great counter to Reed Hillman. He also has a solid track record in municpal government and knows first hand how miserably Kerry Healy has failed in her role as liason to cities and towns.

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      Murray brings that experience to what I hope is Deval Patrick’s administration.

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      Murray is also a good progressive. How exactly is he more centrist than Silbert? Look at the issues a bit more before you label any candidate.

      • Come on, now.  Murray is more progressive than Silbert.  Silbert’s views on education are straight out of the Pioneer Institute.  Her early supporters include the less than progressive Peter Larkin.

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        Admire her all you want, just don’t claim she is to the left of the other candidates.

        • We can all find positions that may seem “right” and “left,” but the question is are they right or wrong?

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          Okay, I just couldn’t resist saying that! haha. Deval’s my hero =p

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          Seriously, though, Andrea Silbert isn’t going to decide education policy – not even Deval is going to have any more than a peripherary role in ed policy. What I like about Andrea is her take on the office: she can pick two or three issues and really run with them, being recognized as the leader on this issues so the press listens to her and she actually sets policy. I like her on jobs and as a liason for localities – and ultimately, that’s probably why I chose her.

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          So.. don’t be an ‘issue’ voter, vote at a broader level – for the entire candidate. At least, that’s how I think people should vote.

          • The only place where there is a clear distinction between the candidates is on education.  With that in mind, I am certainly going to vote on the issue.  From my perspective, Murray is dead on correct on education, has a positive track record as chair of the Worcester School Committee, and will advocate for K-12 education.  Andrea’s position is wrong, she seems to be (jobs) a one (jobs) issue (jobs) candidate (jobs), which means her priorities (jobs) is different than mine (getting the state Board of Education out of the hands of the radical right advocates for vouchers and standalone charter operators).

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            This election counts big time for the children in our public schools.  Those children are my biggest issue.  I’m voting for them.

        • Felix Arroyo is super conservative.
          So is the Somerville Journal and South End News.
          And Senator Jehlen and Rep. Kaprielian.

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          Something tells me Mayor Murray hasn’t spent a whole lot of time in a kayak, either! : )

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          Silbert defies the progressive/conservative labels and has attracted incredibly diverse supporters… exactly what the party needs in November.

  19. From a former employee of the campaign, best of luck Andrea.  I will admit that after being let go I was a bit tempted to vote for Murray, butthat didn’t last long.  You’re extremely qualified, and I was/am continually impressed by your passion and dedication.  This morning I cast my vote for you because I truly beleive you are the best candidate for the job.

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    -Phil

  21. I hope that Deval and Tim will be open to your sage advice when they take the oath of office in January! Good ideas don’t need to die at the end of the campaign trail.

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