By Ethan Forman
DANVERS — Selectman Dan Bennett, a Republican, has decided to challenge incumbent Democratic state Rep. Ted Speliotis for a chance to represent the 13th Essex District on Beacon Hill.
"I think I can do a good job for the people of Danvers, Topsfield and Peabody, and it's time for a change," Bennett said.
The district includes Danvers, Topsfield and Ward 6 in Peabody.
Bennett, 61, said he had been mulling a run for a year, and said he would not have run without support from the community.
Bennett will take on Speliotis, a fellow Danvers resident and a longtime state representative who serves as chairman of the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure.
"Let's put it this way, everyone who knows me knows I love to campaign," Speliotis said, "and I'm looking forward to getting my message out."
Speliotis ran unopposed during his last couple of re-election campaigns. In 2004, he defeated Topsfield Republican Judith Judson, a first-time candidate backed by former Gov. Mitt Romney, during an at-times contentious campaign. Former Topsfield Selectman Stephen Clark, a Republican, lost to Speliotis in 2002.
Speliotis, 56, a Peabody native, has served as a state representative for more than 20 years. He served from 1979 to 1986 in a district that covered three precincts in Danvers and most of Peabody.
After that, Speliotis worked in government affairs at Northeastern University as a legislative liaison. He then ran and won in 1997 for a seat held by former state Rep. Sally Kerans, when she did not run again.
Speliotis is a Democrat in a town some say leans right. U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, a Republican, trounced Democrat Attorney General Martha Coakley in the January special Senate election by a nearly two-to-one margin (6,347 for Brown to 3,651 for Coakley).
"I'm not nervous," Speliotis said when asked about the town's political leanings. "I think the right word is 'excited.'"
In between his stints as state representative, Speliotis served as an elected town moderator for several years and he says he has a good understanding of Danvers.
"I think my relationship in town is one-on-one with the voters and not by party," said Speliotis who is a strong believer in knocking on doors and shaking hands.
Both Bennett and Speliotis have somewhat similar backgrounds.
Bennett is a Danvers High graduate and attended Boston University in a two-year, non-degree program. Speliotis is also a graduate of Danvers High and a graduate of Northeastern University.
Bennett has three grown children with his wife of 41 years, Janet, and Speliotis has two daughters in their 20s with his wife of 29 years, June.
Bennett said he was introduced as a candidate Wednesday to the Republican Town Committee, of which he is chairman, by fellow Selectman Keith Lucy. Bennett planned to collect the 150 signatures needed during Saturday's Kiwanis Club Pancake Festival at Danvers High. He also plans to collect signatures in Topsfield and Peabody to make sure he has enough.
Bennett has served for three years as a selectman and he is running unopposed for another three-year term. Bennett ran unsuccessfully for the board in 2003.
Bennett has a long list of involvement with the town, starting with being a Town Meeting member from 1993 to 1997 and 2004 and 2007.
He served a short stint on the Zoning Board of Appeals from 1996 to 1997, and was elected a member of the Danvers School Committee from 1997 to 2000. He served as the school board chairman from 1999 to 2000.
From 2004 to 2007, he was elected to the board of the Peabody Institute Library in Danvers.
He also has served stints on the Preservation Commission, the Open Space and Recreation Committee and is on the board of the Danvers Housing Assistance Trust. He has also been on the High School Planning Advisory Committee.
Since 2002, he has been a trustee of Essex Agricultural and Technical High, serving as the chairman of the superintendent search committee from 2006 to 2007. He is also a member of the temporary oversight board for the merger of Essex Aggie, North Shore Technical High and Peabody high school vocational programs. He is vice chairman of the Essex Aggie board.
Other civic involvement includes the Kiwanis Club of Danvers and the Danvers Educational Enrichment Partnership, among others.
Bennett works as the owner/broker of Dan Bennett Real Estate on Page Street. Before that, he worked in retail for 30 years as a buyer for Almy's and Rich's department stores, among others.
Staff writer Ethan Forman can be reached at 978-338-2673 or by e-mail at eforman@salemnews.com.
