Real Civic engagement is this too…..stepping up to run for office.
Editorial: Competition is healthy
Needham – As Needham’s School Committee race comes to a screeching halt – with seats no longer contested – it’s nice to see another race heat up. Earlier this week, Needham psychologist Sara Orozco threw her name in the ring for state Senate, vying for the seat Scott Brown has held since 2004, when he ran unopposed……………..When Orozco stepped forward, she didn’t just give Needham another chance at new representation, she gave it an excuse to begin important discussions. We look forward to that conversation, and hope residents of Needham do, too.
I know some folk from Needham who are really looking foward to a healthy debate and an opportunity to ask both candidates how they would work together with them to define the kind of government they want and how to pay for it.
I know Sara. She’s feisty and tireless and is getting to know lots of people from the district. They are probably a little skeptical at first- not believing that this lesbian Latina cancer survivor could survive a tough campaign like this, but then they start to see how tough and smart she is and how energized they feel after meeting her…and they start to think “just maybe”….
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p>Here’s an article about her campaign:
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p>http://www.milforddailynews.co…
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Count me in to donate and do some work. Every time I see Sen. Brown on News Night I want to scream.
And would like to be kept posted on this campaign. Not sure if I will have the time or energy to involve myself, but will contribute what I can.
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p>This is also why the snarky comments about this or that candidate mystify me and appear to me to exhibit some kind of jealousy, or extremely immature political philosophy.
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p>I do not particularly admire Sen. Brown’s politics and do think that what I read about him makes me glad that someone, especially a woman, has the sheer courage to run against an incumbent in this incumbent empowered, mysogynistic political culture. Need I also say at times elitist, or litmus test oriented, based on some commenters?
Senator Brown is one of the few people who I’d do a LOT of work in an effort to unseat. I really know both field and communications work (I’m currently a campaign field director now, actually), so if this campaign needs database work or anything like that (creating lists, entering data, training others, etc.), I can help out in that capacity. I can help out by making phone calls. Needham is a bit of a hike for me, otherwise I’d even be willing to go door to door. Brown is an absolute disgrace, and having him replaced by a glbt person of latina descent would be sooooo fantastic I don’t think there are words to describe it.
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p>Please contact me! (darth – dot – adams – at – gmail – dot – com)
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p>Kudos to Sara for having the courage to run against this guy; I don’t have a lot of confidence that he’ll run an honorable campaign, and it takes a lot of guts to run against someone like that.
That “competition is good” seems to only be applied to the races where a repub is the incumbent. Let’s please make this state even more one party dominated, that seems to be working oh so well.
I don’t think that’s a fair or accurate description of what I’ve seen on this site, JK. It seems to me many of the people on this site are interested in challenging incumbency that goes beyond Republican elected officials.
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p>Whether the challenge is of a Republican in a general election or a democrat in a primary, I think there’s been plenty of call for that. The Democratic leadership in Washington is regularly challenged here for their action or lack thereof. And in a political system when even new candidates can feel like incumbents because of the backing of powerful allies, I think there’s been calls for competition here.
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p>Do we really need to go through the litany of issues on which people post here asking that the status quo–incumbent ideas–be challenged and thrown out?
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p>On a general Democratic board you might make hay with the argument that they want to leave alone their own. But I don’t think this site fits that profile. I’m surprised you do.
you don’t know much about Senator Brown. He’s one of the most offensive of the bunch, in my opinion, so he’s not just another republican. In Massachusetts, there are actually a few decent Republicans. Senator Brown, unfortunately, isn’t one of them.
I’ve been dying for years for a competitive race against my incumbent Democratic state delegation. I even like (most of) the politics of my state Senator even though his political methods are too cronyist (well, gee, surprise for Lowell, right?). But I love a good primary and I say the more competitive the better, because our elected officials should always feel like they have to ask us for our vote.
It’s not true that Scott Brown ran unopposed in 2004 — he won a fairly close race against Angus McQuilken.
Greetings BMG members!
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p>I’d like to formally introduce myself as a candidate for the Massachusetts State Senate to represent the Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex district against Republican incumbent, Scott Brown. Thanks so much for your early interest in my campaign. A special thanks to those who have expressed interest in donating and/or volunteering. I need your help!
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p>I don’t want to misuse this BMG space by soliciting supporters, so I’d invite you to visit my campaign website(www.saraorozco.com ) to sign up and we will be in touch soon.
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p>Best wishes,
Sara
I’ll definitely head over to the website.
And please, don’t worry about “misusing” BMG to get people involved in your campaign! This site is all about increasing the number of progressives involved in politics at all levels, and replacing Scott “F*&# you, kid!” Brown with a true progressive certainly qualifies.
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p>So solicit away! We’re here to help.
But I have to say, I really appreciate that Ms. Orozco is coming to this community with real class.