I am very happy to report that the voters of the 33rd Middlesex (Malden) have elected City Councilor Steve Ultrino as the Democratic nominee for Rep. in General Court. Ultrino earned 58% of the vote (2253) and his opponent City Councilor Neil Kinnon earned 37% (1448). Write-ins and blanks made up the remaining 5%.
Supporters, including State Senator Jason Lewis, Rep Paul Brodeur (Melrose), and many members of the Malden City Council and School Committee, celebrated Tuesday night at John Brewers Tavern in Malden. Councilor Kinnon stopped in briefly to shake hands with the winner and congratulate him on his victory.
In addition to having a great ground game to get his message across to the voters, Steve Ultrino offered them a real Democrat with a strong commitment to public service and a collaborative approach to problem solving. Voters are clearly convinced that Ultrino will work hard for them, will generally vote in ways that align with their values, and will be effective working with others in the legislature. He will now go on to face unenrolled candidate City Councilor John Matheson in the November election, which is of course expected to turn out many more voters.
For all your hard work in electing this fine progressive. And an important lesson to our movement-start small and challenge the impediments to progress at the local level. In this case, even the whiff of a challenge was enough to scare DINO Charlie Fallon into retirement. If we can put the same kind of folks against Dwyer, Donato, Miceli, and others we can retake the House for a progressive majority.
You’re welcome. It’s not over until November, of course. đŸ™‚ I think it was the senate defeat that most dispirited Chris Fallon, and he clearly wasn’t ready for another fight so soon after. Though I’ve heard rumors he might eventually run for something else.
I know little about Donato, but I’ve been grateful that he is supporting Steve Ultrino.
Think I confused him with someone else. But the Timilty’s can be added to my wall of shame up there, along with many others, and it’s time we build on these successes, the Warren campaign, and the infrastructure left over from Deval and Obama to really start targeting the DINOs and making them extinct.
Looks like we hit “Post” at the same time, Linda LOL
You are absolutely right. We would not have been able to do it without building our knowledge, experience, and teamwork over the last 2.5 years. You need a solid candidate AND a solid campaign. Our opponent gave voters a choice, and, as Christopher said in his unity post, that helps our democracy.
His campaign tactics boiled down to: 1) scaring voters into thinking that their taxes would go up radically if Steve were elected, 2) saying “I’m like you and understand you” because he is a white professional man with a wife and four kids, 3) referring to endorsements from groups like Progressive Mass, NARAL, Planned Parenthood, Mass Alliance, teachers’ unions, and SEIU groups, etc. etc. as “the influence of moneyed outside interests.” These are classic Republican tactics that have been used against Elizabeth Warren, Ed Markey, and many others.
Beyond simple campaign tactics, though, some of his supporters seem also to believe these things and feel genuinely besieged and threatened by a more progressive agenda being advanced in Malden, whether or not it’s coming from outside. One can always argue about the merits of specific policies, but beyond higher taxes, which would not happen if the wealthier in our state paid their fair share, it seems to me there is nothing really to be feared. Democrats who supported Councillor Kinnon will come to realize this, I hope, and will support their party’s nominee in November. Steve Ultrino will be a great representative for EVERYONE in Malden–even the DINOs.
I know in Cambridge the conflict was between the CCA, the local, pro-PR, anti-patronage organization full primarily of progressive Republicans who moved leftward over time, and the ‘independent’ caucus on the Council full of old time Dem pols like the late Walter Sullivan and Al Vellucci Sr., the latter of whom regularly threatened to arrest Harvard faculty members for “inciting” anti-war riots.
“‘Regulah’ Democrats vs the eggheads” to put it simplistically. Also newer residents vs older one. I know Medford and Malden has gotten a large influx of Cambridge refugees over the past decade, including some friends of mine, along with a lot of new immigrants. I could see my people (the white ethnics) wanting to back the old guard if they felt threatened by the new. But, the way to reach out to them is to show them where the old guard hurts them (money spent on patronage is money wasted), show them what they have in common with newcomers (young profs and immigrants want to raise families with good schools, good transit, and affordable housing just as much as they do!).
Joe Curtatone has basically assembled that kind of bridge building coalition between young professionals, hipster students, and a lot of the old school multigenerational families who call Somerville home. I think the right kinds of leaders can do that in Malden. I think Ultrino is that kind of leader.