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Political junkies flock to annual event
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Hampden County Sheriff Michael Ashe (left) is seen here with Edward Flynn, the Secretary of Public safety, one of the many government officials who attended his annual clam bake and picnic.
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By G. Michael Dobbs
Managing Editor
AGAWAM It is an event so alluring to the political junkie that it has the power to draw people to it even when they are in the middle of a vacation.
I'm speaking of myself, of course, and the event is Sheriff Michael Ashe's annual clam bake at the Six Flags picnic grove.
Part fund-raiser and part party, the picnic offers the highest opportunity for political schmoozing in the region, perhaps the state. It is the place to campaign if you're running and to be courted if you're a voter.
And the food is pretty good, as well.
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Lt. Governor Kerry Healey and Attorney General Thomas Reilly were both in attendance at the daylong event, although I missed them. Reilly has spoken about a run against Mitt Romney for governor and Healey has made statements about running for re-election even if her boss has been less than positive about winning second term.
The person who was causing the most stir in the late afternoon was another gubernatorial candidate and a confirmed one Deval Patrick. Patrick is a Democrat with an interesting resume. An attorney who graduated from Harvard Law School, Patrick is a native of Chicago who has spent 35 years of his life in the Bay State.
After passing the bar, Patrick worked for the NAACP and in private practice. He was appointed by the Clinton Administration as the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights in 1994. He returned to private practice in 1997 and had experience in the business world with positions as general counsel at Texaco and Coca-Cola. He resigned from Coca-Cola last year.
Patrick said that the state has had "too many governors who wanted to have the job, but not to do it."
"They check out and give up on the state. There's a lot to be done," he added.
Deval does not see a single number one priority for the Commonwealth, but "competing number ones." He said that healthcare is a "system that is not working" and that public education must be improved. He noted that, out of 50 states, Massachusetts ranks 47th in the amount of money it spends on public education.
Deval said that western Massachusetts would not be ignored by his administration. He said he is familiar with the region thanks to his vacation home being in the Berkshires and that, as governor, he would be in the area often.
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Michael Bissonnette, the Chicopee attorney who is challenging incumbent Richard Goyette for mayor of that city, said that he feels "very positive" about his campaign so far.
He said he would make his official announcement on Sept. 7 at an event at the Knights of Columbus in Chicopee.
He is building his campaign "neighborhood by neighborhood," he explained.
I noted that some of the people working for Bissonnette as volunteers who worked on the unsuccessful campaign Joseph Chessey ran against Goyette and I asked if this election was going to be a replay of Chessey loyalists against Goyette.
Bissonnette said that there are three dynamics in the campaign and a connection to the former mayor is not among them. He explained that this is a choice between a Democrat and a Republican and he believed a Democratic mayor would work more effectively with the Legislature in bringing state dollars back to Chicopee.
He said the last election was "two groups of insiders" fighting one another and that he is an "outsider." He has not had a city position since the administration of Mayor Richard Lak.
The third and final dynamic is that he is not willing to repeat what he called "the worst campaign in Chicopee history."
"It was a disgrace," he said. His campaign will focus on issues.
"We don't need a better city. We need a better mayor," he said.
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In the crowded field of the Springfield City Council race, three newcomers all said their campaigns were going well and that there was a common theme: Springfield voters want to see change on the Council.
Bruce Stebbins said that he greeted people who attended the recent Senior Forum presented by State Senator Brian Lees and that sentiment was repeated.
On a ballot with over a dozen candidates,Stebbins acknowledged that establishing name recognition is a "challenge."
Voters are responding to his message that he would work to generate new investment in the city.
Stebbins is going door to door, a grass roots campaign staple that two other new candidates are also doing. James Ferrera said he is "constantly" going door to door meeting voters.
"I'm really hustling," he added.
Ferrera said that he would soon unveil a business development plan for the city.
John Lysak also said he was "very happy" with the "excellent response" he has been receiving from voters.
"Lots of people are saying 'if you're not an incumbent you've got my vote,'" Lysak said.
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Springfield School Committee hopeful Victor Davila said his door-to-door campaigning has shown that two major issues on the minds of voters are finalizing a new contract for the city's teachers and the school boundary plan.
Davila, who recently proposed using volunteers to staff some substitute teacher positions, said that he will announce another proposal soon.
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Other elected officials spotted at the event included Springfield Mayor Charles Ryan, Agawam Mayor Richard Cohen, State Senators Brian Lees and Stephen Buoniconti, State Representatives Michael Kane, James Welch and James Curran and Springfield City Councilors Domenic Sarno and William Foley.
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