3rd Suffolk State Rep (Waterfront, South End, North End, Chinatown)

I only showed up to listen but suddenly I was accused of being there, "uninvited".
 
You kind of got caught in the middle of something, but's that another whole story. Such are neighborhood egos
 
Susan Passoni's people just called me and I had the pleasure of telling them "I'm voting for John Keith!"
 
I'm not voting for John Keith, but that's only because I'm not eligible to vote in this election.
 
There are ways to support my candidacy for 3rd Suffolk State Representative other than voting!

First, to remind you, I am running for 3rd Suffolk State Representative. This is the seat Sal DiMasi held until he "stepped down".

I am running as an Independent, so I will not be on the Democratic primary ballot on May 19. I will be on the special election ballot, on June 16.

I am having a "friends and family" get together on Monday night to kick-off my campaign for 3rd Suffolk State Representative and would love to see some of the archBOSTON.com forum members (even Ned!!).

I hope to have between 25-50 people during the event. Please come by to check out my campaign office and hang out. We'll have wine and cheese (and maybe even some crackers and Triscuits) and great music. I'll probably give a short speech full of pithy comments, too!

Please send me a private message to let me know if you think you can make it.

I look forward to seeing you.

Thanks.

John


Details:

Kick-ass Kick-off party at John A Keith for 3rd Suffolk State Representative campaign office

Monday, May 4, 2009, from 6-8 PM

597A Tremont Street
Boston, MA 02118
(617) 470-6839 (my cell)
(857) 350-4939 (office)
 
I will be there John, I can't vote for you, but I'd love to see a real progressive voice up at Beacon Hill. I'll do what I can.
 
This is an editorial that appeared in today's Boston Globe. I'm posting it to the archBOSTON forum because it discusses candidates' views on issues that we've talked about on this forum.

Bizarrely, it does not mention that I was at the candidates' forum, last Monday night. WTF?

A local campaign with issues

HOUSE SPEAKER Robert DeLeo shouldn't count on reinforcements arriving from the Third Suffolk District to help him hold a veto-proof majority for the House plan to raise the sales tax. The four Democratic candidates vying for the seat vacated by former speaker Salvatore DiMasi said they opposed the hike from 5 to 6.5 percent during a Monday candidates' forum sponsored by the Beacon Hill Civic Association.

So far, the debate in the Third Suffolk - a congested district that stretches into the North End, South End, Chinatown, Roxbury, and the downtown waterfront - has been a reminder of how geography steers lawmakers through the choices facing the state. Candidates Aaron Michlewitz, Susan Passoni, Lucy Rivera, and Brian Ross did support an increase in the gas tax, hardly a tough call in a district where shoes get a tougher workout than the family car.

But special district elections often are a bellwether of public sentiment more broadly. If so, prospects for casino gambling might be improving. "I'm not an automatic 'no,' " said Michlewitz, a former aide to DiMasi. The speaker killed Governor Patrick's casino plan last year before he folded his own cards in the face of an ongoing ethics probe.

Passoni, a financial analyst who is known from unsuccessful runs for the Boston City Council, joins Michlewitz as favorites. But Ross, an economic development officer for the state, and Rivera, an attorney who specializes in legal aid to the poor, also showed a grasp of tax, transportation, and development issues during this week's forums in Chinatown and Beacon Hill.

There is little time for voters to make up their minds before the May 19 Democratic primary or the June 16 general election. The new state representative will need to provide leadership quickly on major development proposals in the district, including the Government Center Garage, Columbus Center in the South End, and a plan to build two massive towers to replace the Harbor Garage along the Rose Kennedy Greenway. Proposals to transfer historic parkways from the state Department of Conservation and Recreation to the Highway Department as well as an MBTA plan to connect the Red and Blue Lines could have significant impacts on the district. Meanwhile, the elderly in Chinatown, Roxbury, and other poor parts of the district are frantic over potential cuts in health and social services.

These diverse needs underscore how the reach of state policy extends much farther than numbers in a budget. Whoever is elected in the Third Suffolk will need to show great political finesse. The job means giving a voice to constituents in an urban district, while reconciling local imperatives with what's best for the state as a whole.
Click to expand...

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/e...cles/2009/05/01/a_local_campaign_with_issues/
 
You should write a letter re: their lack of coverage of your presence and positions.
 
Hola.

The race for 3rd Suffolk State Representative is under way. Tomorrow is the Democratic (and Republican) primary and the special election is June 16. I am running as an independent so I won't be on the ballot tomorrow. I WILL be on the ballot on June 16 along with whomever wins the Democratic primary and the one Republican candidate (if he wins more votes than "Mickey Mouse" and "None of the Above").

If anyone on the boards would like to help out by holding signs and handing out literature, tomorrow, please send me a private message. We are going to get out the word that the primary is just stage one and that the real race begins May 20th.

I am going to be discussing many of the issues we've talked about on archBOSTON, during the next several weeks. If you'd like to be a part of the campaign (and also keep me from backing off any of my previous comments and opinions), let me know!

Hope you don't mind my posting this, I did so in the "General" thread so it should be okay, right?
 
2,000 plastic pink flamingos


+


2,000 business cards


+


Every single front garden in your district


+


An army of supporters willing to run around at 2am placing each flamingo


=

BEST PUBLICITY STUNT EVER!!!!!*







*(and maybe a lawsuit)
​
 
I like this idea, Lurker. Perhaps some of your former colleagues in Spetnaz could assist in a stealthy fashion.
 
Eh, somehow I don't think having former foreign military agents assisting a campaign would be good publicity. I generally don't show my face or donate money, even to a charity, unless it's through a convoluted trust. The notoriety of receiving support, from someone with my background, could be potentially damaging.

Stick with the stealthy flamingos holding business cards being clandestinely placed by civilians with citizenship and clean backgrounds.
 
^^ I think you are confused on the meaning of "stealthy" and "clandestine".

If you do it right, no one should know!

(BTW - love your new avatar)
 
Sal DiMasi's right-hand man won the primary last night and will be John's opponent in the general election. I was having coffee with my boss today and somebody who works at City Hall... here's the jist:

John, you have a 0.00% chance of winning this thing unless you can hammer Aaron at every single stop on the campaign as being "the right-hand man to corruption. It's time for a change"

The problem is this - Sal DiMasi is still loved in some areas. So you have to tread carefully on dumping on him. He's not convicted of anything... yet.

You have an uphill battle, but you must make this campaign about Beacon Hill politics as usual vs. change/hope/etc. You don't need a record or issues to run on, do exactly what Obama and Deval Patrick did. The record and the issues just confuse people. Just stick with one large, over-arching theme "Beacon Hill Corruption vs change/hope" and never, ever stray off that message.

Good luck - your work is cut out for you - I'm willing to help with whatever!
 
You suggested the campaign theme should be "Beacon Hill corruption versus change / hope"?

Paging Mr DiMasi, paging Mr DiMasi ...
 
Jump on it John - now - today! Make a headline. Go to the courthouse or something! This is your big chance. Enjoy this dark Sal DiMasi cloud as much as you can and point out to everyone that his little side-kick is running for the seat.

By the time the election gets here today's news is old news. Strike while the fire is hot!!!

Aaron says he didn't know about his boss's corruption - so the only fair question is "so are you a liar or are you just a moron?"

(this is why I'd never succeed in politics!)
 
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