What Did We Learn Today?

Published Sep 26 2007, 01:42 AM by David S. Bernstein

Assuming the early unofficial returns hold up....

1. Maureen stands alone. Neither Rosie Hanlon nor Althea Garrison seem to have made it past the prelims, leaving exactly zero women on the final ballot for the 13 Boston City Council seats, other than council President Maureen Feeney.

2. Eastie: right on the map, right on the ideological spectrum! Or at least, they're grumpy toward liberals -- and that means you too, Mayor Menino. Eastie's old Italian Catholics (aka voters) rejected Menino's boy for state rep, choosing instead a conservative who -- the Democratic leadership has made clear -- will have absolutely no power in the State House.

3. The BMG kiss of death. Blue Mass Group endorsed Gloribell Mota in the state rep race. Slaughtered! They endorsed Tim Schofield in the Allston-Brighton council race. Crushed! Earlier this month they endorsed Tim Flaherty for state senate -- pummeled! And Jamie Eldridge for US Rep -- Demolished!

4. Russian roulette? I haven't seen precinct numbers, but I've got to think that Wallingford Road went with Greg Glennon, providing him the margin to beat Schofield and reach the final 2 showdown with Ciommo. Interesting race brewing between them now.

5. Felix needs friends. Looking forward to the November citywide election, today's results are bad signs for Felix Arroyo. First, Mota absolutely failed to pull East Boston Latinos into the voting booth, a development that would have helped Arroyo. Second, Eastie and A-B voted very conservative, suggesting very little warmth for progressive, New Boston candidates out in the neighborhoods. Third, Carlos Henriquez's poor showing against Chuck Turner -- slipping through to the final ballot with barely 15% of the vote -- means that it's a non-race (unlike, say, Ego Ezedi's challenge to Charles Yancey a few years back), and will generate no interest and thus very little turnout in November in the Arroyo-friendly Roxbury district.

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5 Comments

Tony Schinella said:

Actually, if you look at it like the anti-Nader people look at the 2000 election, Gloribell Mota cost Jeffrey Drago the election in Eastie. The state Dem leadership can yell all the want about Basile's previous support of Republicans. What they don't understand is that there is a long history of moderate to conservative Italians in that neighborhood supporting Republicans. It also looks like Hanlon cost Scofield the race, considering the same factor. Did Dan the Bagelman get any write-ins?

September 26, 2007 3:30 AM
Frank Conte said:

Thanks for covering the 1st Suffolk race. It speaks volumes that two city papers pay little heed and pay even less attention to issues that matter (quality of life, Massport, traffic, open space, crime) and more to the liberal agenda (gender, religion, ss marriage and obessiveness with 'progressive' politics. Blue Mass Group didn't have a clue on this race opting instead for identify politics. From where I sit, I found that Carlo Basile, a seasoned campaigner, worked the district hard. This was retail politics at its best and toughest. City Hall was a divided place with payroll patriots in virtual revolt against the machine. The local media missed it focusing on the fluff. This was a true democratic uprising someone ought to tell John Walsh at the State Committee to keep his nose out of the race. They were all Demcorats running and East Boston has a proud tradition of crossing the isle to support "the candidate not the party" See Volpe, See Cellucci. Even Mitt didn't do that poorly capturing of all places Trav's home precinct.

September 26, 2007 3:37 AM
Striker57 said:

The Basile victory was about neighborhhood ties and grassroots. Attacking Carlo for past endorsements (what the man was supposed to work against his employer in the Governor's races?) was an indicator that Basile was winning the race. Candidates in the lead don't need to go negative. Yes, the Democratic Party made a mistake getting involved in the primary. Having opened the door to "defining" a Democrat, I can assure you Organized Labor will be asking the Party to take on Dems who vote against union issues. The Allston-Brighton races show that city council is about neighborhood issues not policy and social issues. With deep neighborhood ties, Ciommo won a tough primary. Progressive voters will do themselves a favor to now back Mark. (can't see that Rosie cost Tim the primary - not having Brookline precincts voting cost him the primary!)

September 26, 2007 1:11 PM
Tony Schinella said:

Striker: If Rose hadn't run, Tim would have won. I must agree that the Phoenix, as always, has shown itself to be a top notch newspaper at covering politics and media. And thank God for that!

September 27, 2007 1:25 AM
John Laughlin said:

Tony: I agree on the Phoenix coverage. Not sure I agree that Rosie's votes were Tim voters if she doesn't run. I would be interested in hearing your logic on this - seriously.

September 28, 2007 1:57 PM