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REGION
Blumer's death leaves last-minute bid for votes
In some contests, it's just heating up
By John C. Drake, Globe Staff | October 26, 2006

The chance to run came sooner than expected for the two candidates who have been endorsed by the Democratic and Republican parties in a Framingham legislative race.

On Sunday evening, the Framingham Democratic Town Committee endorsed the candidacy of School Committee vice chairwoman Pam Richardson out of a field of five hopefuls. The Republican Town Committee had selected retiring Holy Cross College professor Nick Sanchez a few days earlier.

The abbreviated process, coming about three weeks before Election Day, followed the sudden death earlier this month of state Representative Deborah D. Blumer, a Framingham Democrat who had been running unopposed for a fourth term representing the Sixth Middlesex District. The secretary of state has ruled her name must remain on the Nov. 7 ballot but no votes cast for her will count. The situation has set up a whirlwind three-week campaign involving Sanchez, Richardson, and a handful of candidates running without party backing.

There are other contested House and Senate elections in the region, including campaigns in Natick and Wayland.

State Representative David Linsky of Natick is facing a challenge from Republican Will Whittlesey for the Fifth Middlesex seat, and Republican incumbent Susan Pope is facing Tom Conroy for the 13th Middlesex House seat, which represents Lincoln, Sudbury, and Wayland.

In each of the races, state aid to local governments, illegal immigration, and education funding have been key issues.

In Framingham, Richardson, an advocate for increased state education funding, said she had been considering running for the seat for some time, and figured she would mount her campaign after Blumer retired. The 36-year-old realtor said she is confident that her name recognition, earned in previous campaigns for the School Committee, will overcome the challenges of a write-in campaign.

"I guess it's sort of raw democracy when you're opening it up this way," she said, "and certainly a lot of people are feeling that it's quite nerve-racking."

This will not be Sanchez's first run at the House seat. He garnered about a third of the vote when he challenged Blumer two years ago. The 61-year-old even has campaign signs left over from his 2004 run to use in his bid for the now-vacant seat.

Sanchez, a Cuban immigrant, says he is running in part to ensure that laws against illegal immigration are enforced and to reduce the number of social service agencies in town. Sanchez is also confident he has the townwide name recognition to mount a successful write-in campaign. He was elected to the School Committee in the mid-1990s.

Republican Jim Rizoli, a prominent activist against illegal immigration who also challenged Blumer in the past, is seeking the seat without the party's backing.

"This is going to be a very unique election, no doubt about it," said Rizoli, 54. Marla Davis, who is unenrolled, also said she plans to seek the seat.

In the Fifth Middlesex District, which comprises Natick, Sherborn, and Millis, political newcomer Whittlesey is taking on a four-term incumbent in Linsky. The 34-year-old small business owner in Sherborn says his lack of political experience is an asset.

"I'm not a career politician," said Whittlesey, who mounted a successful sticker campaign in the primary to get his name on the November ballot. "I'm bringing a citizen's perspective to government."

Whittlesey said his priorities are reducing the local tax burden, addressing illegal immigration, and streamlining regulations that he said hamper small businesses.

Linsky called his opponent's lack of previous civic involvement "inexcusable." Linsky contends he has done well at the three jobs of a state representative, which he describes as bringing money to the district, serving as an effective advocate in the House, and providing constituent services.

He said the amount of state aid to the town of Natick has grown since he began serving in the House. Linsky pointed to a 20 percent increase in state lottery funding and money for construction projects at the Wilson and Kennedy middle schools.

One Republican House incumbent is facing a general election challenge. Representative Susan Pope, a five-term incumbent in a district that consists of Lincoln, Sudbury, and Wayland, is facing Tom Conroy, a management consultant from Wayland.

Conroy is touting his experience in federal government -- with the State Department and as a Senate staffer -- as assets. He says the district needs a Democratic representative who can work with House leadership to restore state aid.

Pope, who is the ranking Republican on the House's bonding, capital expenditures, and state assets committees, says she is committed to returning the state income tax to 5 percent or lower. She also says her advocacy has played a role in protecting Hanscom Air Force Base during the most recent round of closings and in providing tax relief for seniors.

Representative Peter Koutoujian, a Waltham Democrat who has represented the 10th Middlesex District for five terms, seems poised to retain his seat. His Republican opponent, Dara Pourghasemi, has said he does not stand a chance against Koutoujian and is running to raise awareness of such issues as abolishing the income tax.

Two state Senate seats in the western suburbs are contested in the general election. Lincoln Democrat Susan Fargo, whose district includes Waltham, Weston, and portions of Sudbury, is facing Sandra Martinez, a Chelmsford Republican who is touting family values in her platform.

Fargo, who has served on Beacon Hill since 1996, is Senate chairwoman of the Legislature's Joint Committee on Public Health. She is trumpeting her work on economic development, tax cuts, and education funding, among other issues.

Democratic incumbent Edward Augustus has attracted two challengers in his effort to retain the 2nd Worcester Senate seat for a second term. Worcester Republican Richard Peters, a lawyer and former police officer, says he wants to complete the income tax rollback and strengthen sentencing laws. The gun-rights advocate also says the state's laws concerning concealed weapons should be streamlined.

Augustus said he wants to continue his work on revising the education funding formula so tax dollars are distributed more equitably to districts. Millbury independent John Lazzaro also is seeking the state Senate seat.



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