Many of you may already know me, but let me tell those of you who don’t a little bit about me and my history. I grew up in Holyoke as one of eight children. My brothers and sisters and I all worked our way through school, and after studying at UMass Amherst and the University of Puerto Rico and finishing my law degree at Suffolk University, my husband and I moved to Lowell. I love the city and have worked for most of my adult life, as the mayor and as a city councilor, at trying to make it a better place to live, work and raise a family. We’ve done a lot, but like most things, there is always more to do.
As mayor, I helped bring different parties to the table to create some of the best public-private partnerships the city of Lowell has ever seen to build major economic development projects. The Tsongas Arena, the LeLacheur Ball Park, the redevelopment of the artist overlay district – these were all projects that required hard work, partnerships, and compromise. They weren’t easy, and they sometimes required tough votes. But that’s what it takes to get it right.
I’ve never backed down from a challenge – on many occasions – and that’s the kind of voice for the district I will be on Beacon Hill.
I have worked for many years with Senator Panagiotakos, and he will be sorely missed. The First Middlesex District has been the luckiest in the state to have “Pangy” as our senator. We owe it to this district to continue the tradition of strong leadership, particularly during these challenging and uncertain economic times. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the First Middlesex District need someone who will be aggressive, someone who understands how government works and will approach problems and issues with common sense.
This is going to be a fun, but tough campaign, and I intend to work for every vote. We’ve been out meeting voters at every stop and every event we can, but I need your help to get the word out as well. I intend to be a regular presence on BMG, providing campaign updates and information, so please look for me here!
In the meantime, my campaign website is up (and is getting a makeover, so be patient) at http://www.eileendonoghue.com , where you can sign up to volunteer and get information. More to come soon!
-Eileen Donoghue
A small issue, maybe, but one I care about.