I am so proud to be able to share the news with BMG that my long time friend, protege, and democratic activist Anthony Guardia, today announced his candidacy for State Senate. We first met in 2004 when I was campaign manager for Katherine Clark when she challenged incumbent Republican Richard Tisei for the State Senate. Anthony served as Katherine’s Deputy Campaign Manager at the ripe old age of 18 and did a fantastic job organizing the district for her.
Fred Rich LaRiccia has been Katherine’s campaign chairman for 10 years and now serves as Anthony’s campaign chairman.
________
Democrat Anthony Guardia announced his candidacy for the Massachusetts Senate today with a call for a new generation of leadership dedicated to economic opportunity and education reform.
Guardia, former Chairman of the Wakefield School Committee, said the 5th Middlesex Senate District needs fresh ideas to make state government more responsive to taxpayers in Malden, Melrose, Reading, Stoneham, Wakefield, and Winchester.
“The Fifth Middlesex District embodies many of the things that make the Commonwealth a great place,” said Guardia. “We are proud of our tight-knit communities, good public schools, and our diverse economy that provides opportunities for our residents to earn a living and support their families.”
“But Beacon Hill policies are leaving too many of our citizens behind. Our state’s unemployment rate just rose higher than the national average for the first time since the start of the Great Recession. We need to make sure we are helping employers and training programs connect to those unemployed and underemployed, especially workers approaching retirement. We need to make sure we are helping the small businesses in our own communities because they are the engines of our economy. While our schools are among the best in the nation, we still have a lot more to do; including reforming how the state distributes local aid, creating a universal pre-kindergarten program, and ensuring higher education is affordable and not creating unsustainable debt for graduates.”
Guardia, 28, is Director of Development for HomeStart Inc., a nonprofit organization that helps vulnerable seniors, veterans, and families move out of homeless shelters and into permanent housing.
“We need to make sure we take care of those most vulnerable, especially our senior citizens. We need to ensure we support their caregivers and give them a choice in how and where their loved ones are cared for,” said Guardia.
A graduate of Suffolk University and Suffolk University Law School, Guardia also practices law in Melrose and Wakefield and provided pro bono legal services to the Battered Women’s Advocacy Program. He is a Corporator of The Savings Bank in Wakefield.
At 23 Guardia was the youngest Chairman of the Wakefield School Committee, where he was an outspoken advocate for equity in state-aid. Guardia believes access to a quality education is critical to the success of generations of families.
“My grandmother emigrated from Italy and was a union seamstress. My father is the first in his family to graduate from college and was able to buy the family home in Malden. At sixteen, my mother emigrated from Italy, she would be the first in her family to graduate high school. Today she is an Assistant Vice President at a local bank in Stoneham. My family’s story is a beautiful story of the American Dream. Their example leaves me with a true respect for just what one generation can do for the next through hard work, saving, and a quality education.”
The special primary election will be held Tuesday, March 4, 2014, and the general election is April 1. The District includes Malden, Melrose, Reading, Stoneham, Wakefield and part of Winchester. The seat was last held by Clark, who was elected to Congress last year. For more information on the Guardia Campaign for State Senate, see www.anthonyguardia.com
My parents just moved to Wakefield and I believe they are in that district, I will be following this race closely. I am also excited to see someone so close to me in age taking the plunge and running-gives me hope for myself!
Best of luck to you both and next time I’m in town I’ll be sure to get in touch to get updates.
Though we have yet to meet I feel I know you through your thoughtful posts. It would be fun to ‘swap lies’
with you the next time you’re in the neighborhood visiting family. My email is frichdem@aol.com. Give me a shout out.
If I get the job I applied for ill be heading back to the area and probably crashing in Wakefield for a little bit. Would love to meet you and the candidate then. When did he first get elected to the school committee?
Anthony Guardia topped the ticket for the Wakefield School Committee in 2006 as a 20 year old undergraduate at Suffolk University. He went on to serve two three-year terms and at the age of 23 was elected by his peers
as the youngest Chair. In 2012 Anthony was elected the youngest Corporator in the more that 100 year history of the Wakefield Savings Bank. He was also recently inducted into the Wakefield High School Hall of Fame. Yes, we are very proud of Wakefield’s ‘Favorite Son’.
Fred Rich LaRiccia
Similar trajectory to what I want to do but he got a bit of a head start. One of my regrets going elsewhere for college was getting removed from the scene for such a long time-but I had campaigns out here and BMG as Kepler in touch. Glad to meet your acquaintance and look forward to doing so in person when I’m back in the area.
I’m very concerned that the result here will be that Fallon, a Republican in all but name, will eek out a primary win against divided Progressives.