Gregory Bunn
Been hoping for some new candidates?
Well, it looks like you’ll get some, and as a result, we could now have a race on the Republican side in the special election to replace Joyce Spilliotis for the 12th Essex State House seat.
Both Gregory Bunn and Leah Cole, who haven’t run for office in Peabody before, have pulled nomination papers. If they each get 150 qualified signatures by Jan. 22, there will be a Republican primary fight on March 5, with the winner going on to the final election ballot on April 2.
Bunn, a Ward 5 resident, is part of the management team for the North Shore Career Centers. He is a former social worker with the Department of Mental Health.
Not many details on Cole yet, but Bunn has set up a Facebook page.
More details here from a story in today’s Patch.
And … there’s still time to pull papers for additional candidates who might be interested. To be eligible, you must live in Peabody Wards 1-4, or Ward 5, Precinct 1 or 3.
Word on the street is that the former holder of this seat, attorney John Slattery, might be the next to jump in on the Democratic side, which already includes declared candidates Beverley Griffin Dunne and James Moutsoulas.
Councilor At-Large David Gravel will be on the final ballot with no party affiliation, since he’s seeking the office as an unenrolled candidate.
Isn’t Beverley Griffin Dunne an attorney at the Law offices of the City solicitor, assistant city solicitor, and the Mayor,Ted Bettencourt?
I don’t know what the arrangement is. But Beverley and the mayor are NOT listed on the website of Smerczynski & Conn, PC, as attorneys who currently practice for that firm.
http://www.smerczynskiconn.com/Index.htm.
I’m sure if you ask Beverley, she will tell you. Ted Bettencourt right now is a full-time mayor.
Not sure what it has to do with anything, though. Please explain.
OG says…ok EOP readers..let’s pretend that OG just moved into Bright City and he was clueless about all these unannounced and announced candidates for State Rep…can you tell me why I should get out and vote for any one of these candidates? what skills and abilities do you see them bringing to this position? some of them have already served in elected roles for some time.. but why do our sage readers out there think that any one of them will be potentially helpful to Bright City and its residents?
With the State of the State address by the Governor last night and his ambitious objective of raising taxes once again in Taxachusetts I would love to hear the announced state rep candidates state their positions regarding the two taxe increase/decrease being floated out their by Deval.
You are not in Kansas anymore, time for the candidates to get “on the record” and what better place to start I say. What do you think Bob and OG?
Come on candidates start campaigning and laying out your platform !
Just speaking for myself, Insider, but I would personally find it very difficult to support any candidate in the state rep special election race who agrees with the governor that we should raise taxes by almost $2 billion. That’s insanity! And I think an overwhelming majority of Peabody voters would agree.
Perfect timing for an anti-tax increase republican candidate in both the US Senate race and local State Rep race. This family of 5 voters will be taking a close look at the republican candidates in both races.
The insider is right. Let’s hear what the candidates have to say about supporting the governors tax ripoff. I don’t want to hear the same old blah, blah, blah like I’m committed to Peabody. I want to hear I’m committed to vote against the governors tax hike. If Gravel and Dunne are going to stay the course and vote for every tax increase they see, they have no shot at winning. Mr. Bunn looks like a pretty good candidate to me
OG says…you are all a bunch of optimists…you are expecting any of the announced well known candidates will come out and and take this no tax stance? what are you all smoking? whoever wins this seat will get there due to popularity, name recognition and front yard signs…none of them will tackle real issues and take controversial positions like you all yearn for!!! there may be a few of us who actually pay attention to the issues and political fallout of decisions on Beacon Hill but most of our Bright City brethren are clueless and too busy to take heed….and that’s how OG sees it….get ready for your taxes to go up folks…Deval has spoken
OG says…and speaking of taxes…OG will be very curious to see how Teflon Ted is going to implement all of his glorious plans without us seeing a good size bump up in local taxes….things like new schools and downtown flooding solutions all cost money….so if TT has a plan to pull it all off without a bump to our hallowed local tax rate then OG is all ears on that one…..