Unfortunately for him, he didn't want to go back. But he lost the Register of Probate Democratic primary race to Patty Campatelli, 51-49. The results also signal, again, that Tom Menino's coattails don't extend very far.
Maura Hennigan staved off Robert Dello Russo rather handily in the angry Criminal Clerk race.
You'll be one of the few and proud, in today's generally low-key Thursday primaries. Some Boston-related races (all Democratic, natch):
Maura Hennigan vs. Robert Dello Russo, Suffolk County Superior Court Criminal Clerk. They hate each other.
The war of words pitting Sheriff Andrea Cabral and DA Dan Conley against Suffolk Criminal Court Clerk Maura Hennigan over the mistaken release of a murder suspect continues. Up this week: Conley and Cabral.
Channel 4 reports a clerical error by Maura Hennigan's Sufolk County Criminal Clerk's office meant a man scheduled for arraignment for an East Boston beating murder was able to walk out of custody and disappear.
She's made it so efficient she doesn't have to spend much time there anymore, Channel 4 reports:
Channel 5 reports the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance is asking whether she had court workers stuff envelopes for a fundraiser, possibly to help retire the debt on her mayoral campaign a few years back.
David Weinberger says Patrick's victory shows the power of the 'Net:
... This is also a win for Internet politics. Patrick ran a grassroots campaign that's making smart use of the Net. Plus, he's been more direct and more human than candidates often are, which, right or not, I take as being part of the Net ethos. Patrick is going to stir up some powerful enthusiasm in this state. ...
Gene Koo discounts the 'Net effect:
Statewide results from Channel 4.
Tom Menino gets ready to host a unity rally in, holy mother of pearl, Adams Park in Roslindale (Roslindale - it's the new black - and I am so there, any UH readers who are going, let me know).
Kristie Helms will be there:
Yeah, you know there's a primary on Tuesday for governor and other statewide offices. If you live in Suffolk County (Boston, Chelsea, Revere and Winthrop) and vote in the Democratic primary, you also get to decide who will represent your party in the races for country Register of Deeds, Clerk of the Supreme Judicial Court and Clerk of the Superior Court - Criminal.
What? Maybe in 1652, it made sense for these offices to be elected, but now they seem to be largely a way for old Boston city councilors to pick up a few extra dollars on the way to retirement.
In the deeds election, you've got former City Councilor (and Police Commissioner) Mickey Roache hoping to cling to power against a tough challenge from Michael Makan, who disagrees violently with Roache on, um, steel vs. wood shelves for property records or something. I don't know.
Maura Hennigan, who gave up a safe city-council seat to be slaughtered by Tom Menino in the mayor's race, hopes to make up for that by getting herself elected Clerk of the Superior Court - Criminal. Sure, she has no court experience, unlike her opponent, Robert Dello Russo (who currently works fulltime as asssistant clerk of the court), but I'm sure she'd do a fine job ensuring whatever it is the clerk ensures. Both are running to replace John Nucci. One guess what he was before his election.
One of the few people to spend more than 10 seconds thinking about this race is Mass. Marrier, who takes a dim view of Hennigan's bid:
... After failing, she inexplicably picked this clerk's spot to relaunch and redefine her political self. Forget that she has no experience or expertise here. She has attitude. Forget that she is running against a guy who actually understands the job and its duties, as well as the players. She's not coloring in the lines here. ...
In the SJC clerk race, you have incumbent Maura Doyle (South Boston Online bio) vs. Peter J. Walsh (South Boston Online bio). I won't bore you by repeating all the issues in this race.
Also up for re-election this year, although not with primary challenges, are Clerk of Superior Court - Civil Michael J. Donovan and District Attorney Dan Conley, who, surprise, used to be a Boston city councilor.
Third Decade doesn't get why Maura Hennigan is running for office again (this time for Suffolk Superior Court clerk):
... Is there a scientific term to describe someone who's addicted to running for elected office? ...
Or she could be tired of running for elected office and figures this is a good position to "retire" into. Look at former councilors Richard Ianella (now probate-court clerk) and Rosaria Salerno (now city clerk).
Kevin notes that Maura Hennigan showed up at a press conference about that electrocuted dog in Charlestown and wonders if Tom Menino might try to keep her from getting elected as Suffolk County court clerk if she keeps criticizing City Hall:
Kevin wonders whether Menino's inaugural address will include this:
... I will appoint Councilor Hennigan to a new cabinet-level position called Director of I Told You So. Her responsibility will be to review every department in my administration and tell them, again, what they are doing wrong. ...
Polls may show dissatisfaction with the state of the city, but you wouldn't know it from the results - Menino beat Hennigan 2-1 - overwhelming not only the hapless city councilor but people who either voted for her or cast blanks as a protest against the nascent Imperial Mayor.
On the city council, the big news is the election of Sam Yoon to an at-large seat. First Asian-American to hold such a seat. Felix Arroyo came in second to vote machine Michael Flaherty. For me, the big surprise was Steve Murphy's re-election. After his shellacking in the sheriff's race last year, he seemed to be on his way out. Shows you what I know - and how important the union vote still is in this town. At the district level, South Boston's Jimmy Kelly easily swamped the South End's Susan Passoni, as West Roxbury's John Tobin did to Jamaica Plain's Gibran Rivera (hmm, imagine if, somehow, JP and the South End were joined in a single district).
So what's it all mean?
John Connolly, or, at least, his sign, towers over other candidates at the Holy Name School in West Roxbury.
Around 8 this morning, the school, which houses a polling station with one of the highest turnouts in the city, was a beehive of activity. There were few voters, but plenty of politicians (and a Fox 25 news crew), all of them ignoring that quaint law requiring them to stand, oh, 75 or 150 feet away from the entrance to the polling place. Incumbent at-large Councilor Steve Murphy and wannabe at-large Councilor Matt O'Malley bracketed the stairs to the entrance (O'Malley even introduced himself to voters exiting the polls).
Murphy anxiously awaits the next voter:
What would an election-day hotspot be without a visit from Hizzoner?
Adrian Walker hauls out the newcomer cliche column and doesn't say anything new about people like Sam Yoon and Susan Passoni, just that they are new.
Adam explains why he'll be voting for Hennigan, Arroyo, Yoon, Connolly and O'Malley.
In a Globe interview, Tom Menino says he has some creative ideas for public housing:
Q: Can you suggest -- can you mention some of those new ideas?
A: No, why should I do it before the election?
John is outraged:
... That response is a kick in the teeth to anyone living in the city of Boston. It is insulting and arrogant. ...
The focus of the Globe story was that almost every city employee who has made a donation has made it to Menino. That would be 438 of 440 employees who "have been identified" on campaign records. But there are 16,000 city employees.
The South End News endorsed Susan Passoni in the District 2 race; Menino for Mayor; and Felix Arroyo, Patricia White, Matt O'Malley and Michael Flaherty in the At-Large race. The newspaper does not have a Web site. Here's the editorial:
editorial
Boston City Council endorsements
This year’s crop of candidates for Boston City Council is the strongest we’ve seen in years. Voters are better off for it. When we go to the polls next Tuesday, Nov. 8, we’ll have an opportunity to send new energy, ideas and passion to Boston’s much-maligned City Council.
One of the themes emerging from the At-Large race is that the Council is only as strong as its members make it. Although the Council’s powers technically reside just in its authority to approve the Mayor’s budget, the Council is a powerful bully pulpit from which to push policy ideas and endorse social movements.
Bay Windows endorsed Mayor Menino for reelection ("[I]t's hard to think of another big-city mayor who is more supportive of LGBT rights than Menino.") and Susan Passoni ("[I]t is long past the time that the South End, home to one of the city's highest concentrations of gay residents, was represented by someone who sees LGBT people as equally deserving of Constitutional rights as every other citizen.") for District 2 City Councilor.
In the At-Large race, the paper endorsed Matt O'Malley, Michael Flaherty, Patricia White and Felix Arroyo. Click
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