Nelson Benton
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Candidates in the Sept. 14 primary election have to be cursing Earl as they try to rouse at least some interest in their candidacies before voters go to the polls.
Labor Day is late this year, so there's only a week between the traditional end of the summer season and the primary. Many candidates were hoping to use the long weekend to get people to focus on their messages, but then Hurricane Earl came barreling up the coast.
Democratic state treasurer candidate Steve Grossman of Newton, who visited The Salem News Wednesday afternoon, admitted it's been tough getting people to pay attention. He's been touting his experience as a businessman and longtime Democratic Party activist to make his case to those who will listen.
The only statewide primary races are for state auditor on both the Republican and Democratic side, and for the Democratic nomination for treasurer in which Grossman is being opposed by Boston City Councilor Steve Murphy.
Locally, two Democrats — Jerry Parisella and Scott Houseman — are vying for the right to take on Republican Brett Schetzsle for the seat being vacated by Rep. Mary Grant, D-Beverly.
Both attorneys with long records of civic and political engagement, Parisella and Houseman will debate the issues at a forum Tuesday (7 p.m., Beverly Public Library) being sponsored by the Beverly Democratic City Committee.
Schetzsle (rhymes with pretzel), is expected to pose a formidable challenge to whoever the winner turns out to be on the 14th. He was cited by state GOP chairman Jennifer Nassour as one of the party's rising stars in an interview that appears in the current issue of Commonwealth magazine.
The other major primary contest in this area, pitting Boxford's Bill Hudak against Saugus attorney Robert McCarthy for the Republican nomination for the 6th District seat, has not turned out to be as lively as some thought it would be.
With no U.S. Senate race and the contest for governor and ballot questions not being decided until November, look for a low turnout for the primary. Let's hope one of those tropical storms churning out in the Atlantic doesn't head up the coast as a hurricane a week from next Tuesday.
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Also Wednesday, Grossman visited with members of the Salem business community at a meeting at Finz restaurant on Pickering Wharf arranged by Mayor Kim Driscoll, state Rep. John Keenan, D-Salem, and Senate Majority Leader Fred Berry, D-Peabody.
In addition to those three, Grossman has also been endorsed by mayors Bill Scanlon of Beverly and Michael Bonfanti of Peabody.
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More than a few entrenched incumbents are wary of the voter anger that made Republican Scott Brown a surprise winner in last January's special election for Ted Kennedy's U.S. Senate seat and was seen again this past week when incumbent U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski was defeated by Tea Party candidate Joe Miller in the Republican primary in Alaska.
Former legislator Marie Parente of Milford acknowledged as much in a recent letter urging support for her good friend, state Rep. Joyce Spiliotis, D-Peabody.
"There is an undercurrent sweeping across the nation targeting public servants who have forgotten their mission," Parente wrote, hastening to add, "I can attest that Rep. Spiliotis is not one of them."
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In an unusual move for a longtime incumbent, state Rep. Ted Speliotis, D-Danvers, says he's willing to debate his Republican opponent, Danvers Selectman Dan Bennett, whenever, wherever and however many times he wants.
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Also this month, the JFK Library in Boston begins its observance of the 50th anniversary of the Kennedy presidency, which will include speaking programs and special exhibits. On Wednesday, Sept. 22, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., former Kennedy adviser Ted Sorensen will join several veteran journalists to discuss the impact of the Kennedy-Nixon debates, which took place a half-century ago this fall.
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Endorsements: The Gun Owners Action League picks the GOP's Hudak over Tierney in the 6th District congressional race ... Americans for Tax Reform bestows its blessing on GOP gubernatorial candidate Charlie Baker for signing its "taxpayer protection pledge," which commits him to "oppose and veto any and all efforts to increase taxes." ... Democratic state auditor candidate Mike Lake has received the endorsement of Mayors Driscoll of Salem, Carolyn Kirk of Gloucester and Thatcher Kezer of Amesbury, along with City Councilors Wes Slate and Jim Latter of Beverly.
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Nelson Benton's column on North Shore politics appears on this page every Friday. Follow him daily at blogs.salemnews.com/fullnelson or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/nelsonbenton.
