While this is not likely on most folks’ radar, the state primaries are one month away, Thursday Sept. 8. One of the only contested contests is yet another attempt to unseat incumbent Marilyn Petitto Devaney from the governor’s council.
This year, Devaney has two opponents. — Peter Georgiou from Lincoln and Bill Humphrey from Newton. Vote in our poll and — more importantly — explain your choice to large number of undecided voters reading this.
[polldaddy poll=”9492627″]
Thank you for posting this. I was not aware of this nor that there were challengers.
And that’s not good for them.
Unfortunately, this dance has been done before with two challengers splitting the vote. If ever there was a symbolic “windmill” in politics, Marilyn is it. She is a turn-out-the-vote machine. If I remember correctly, last time around Marilyn received around 17,000 votes in the general election. Can either of these two count on getting a number over that amount INDIVIDUALLY in the general? They can’t assume that the numbers for the person coming in third in the primary will automatically switch over to them, allowing them to beat the incumbent. While I credit them for running, they can’t beat Marilyn’s full-time with their part-time campaigning, without a lot of time and money especially the latter.
My thoughts four years ago that I still believe and repeat: Just get rid of the council. Nice idea, but we can’t continue to be the full-employment act for ultimately useless and over-politicized state government branches, commissions and councils.
Regardless of whether “just get rid of the council” is the wisest choice overall, that’s not what’s on the table on September 8. What is on the table is a primary with a clear best choice: Bill Humphrey. I’ll be voting for Bill because I’m very impressed by his energy and work ethic, his commitment to public service, his dedication to social justice, and his vision for the office for which he is running (which sets him distinctly apart from the other two candidates). I’d encourage anyone who has not been following Bill’s campaign, or the race in general, to visit his website and find out what he stands for and intends to work toward on the Governor’s Council. In addition to all of the reasons that I think Bill would be an excellent representative of the 3rd district on the GC, I also think that he has an excellent chance of finally ousting the incumbent (anyone unfamiliar with her might want to check out the relevant the “Related Posts” above). Contrary to Mark’s characterization of the challengers’ “part-time campaigning”, Bill and his campaign team have been working practically non-stop for many months to connect with voters, knocking on many thousands of doors throughout the massive 3rd district; Bill’s also participated in debates with the other candidates and spoken at numerous events. He maintains a very active presence on Twitter, where he live-tweets the Council’s judicial nomination hearings, and on Facebook .
Thanks Jen! I went to Bill’s website through your link and I was very impressed with his position; I appreciate the link.
(I also wen’t to Peter’s site, and while I think he could do the job 1,000x better than Devaney, that’s true of most individuals in our commonwealth. Bill seems to really be looking out for everyone.)
I have been a cheerleader for Bill since he threw his hat in the ring. He is by far the best choice. Unfortunately most of the time I mention the race, no one knows what I’m talking about. Thanks for posting it.
Thanks for the supportive comments! As of tonight, we’re at 5,991 doors knocked and our phone banks are launching soon (if you want to help with that or if you have other questions, email me at bill at billhumphrey dot net).
My team of volunteers & I have been out there campaigning full time practically around the clock all over this district in recent months, and I began my race in December. I spent several months beforehand studying not just the office (to make sure it was an appropriate fit for what I’m trying to achieve on certain policy goals) but also exactly what it would take to win this race in this particular year. Mark, with greatest respect, a number of your observations/recollections on details of past races don’t quite hold up to the actual record. (It tends to happen to us all that the details get fuzzy in favor of narratives. You’re not the only person to misremember here and there on past GC races.) But at any rate, this is a completely different cycle than some of the recent past elections, given what else is or is not on the ballot that day. And there’s no independent or Republican running (everyone either withdrew or went into the Dem side to contest it), so Thursday September 8th is for all the marbles. There’s no contested general election this year. I’m also not too worried about “vote splitting” this year. All the campaigns will have to build up from the ground, not divide existing turnout. We’re the best positioned at this point to do that. It’ll be interesting to see what the final total turnout ends up being.
In any case, I hope everyone eligible to vote in that primary will vote for me. We do need a change in this seat, and I’m certainly running on the most substantially different platform from the status quo situation. I’ve also energized a lot of folks to get excited about this race, which is unusual, and my team has put in an enormous amount of work to win it.
It would be fascinating if any of the seven individuals who have indicated that they are supporting Devaney would explain why they feel she’s the best candidate.
Hi, I’m always happy to stand corrected and learn people are out campaigning vigorously in any race.
And more importantly than time, with a passion.
@Greg. Yes, that would be interesting. ???
I’ll add my name to the list of people strongly supporting Bill for Governor’s Council. Bill has a great vision for the office and has put in place a plan to win what is a very difficult, unpredictable election.
I want to underline for people that this is not a race to sit out. The Governor’s Council plays a critical role approving justices to our highest court that shape the laws of our state just as much as the legislature. We have a Republican governor who has publicly stated he’s not asking judges whether they would uphold important precedent on a woman’s right to choose, campaign finance reform, and a host of other critical issues. Whoever you choose, just because the office seems obscure doesn’t mean it isn’t important for you to make sure you have someone in there who represents your values.
Is Bryan saying that the Governor should ask judges about what precedents they would or would not uphold? In the absence of the Governor asking these questions, is this what the Council should do?
Even though I often pay attention to minutia, the Governor’s Council is off my radar. Mark’s comments speak to me. Taking Bryan’s comments to fruition, Georgiou seems the best qualified since he is a practicing attorney. It is unclear what Devaney’s and Humphrey’s daytime jobs are. Regardless, they don’t appear to have law backgrounds
It isxamostva certainly that Melaney will win with 2 challengers running.
I think one should drop out.
@Bryan: What are you talking about? Please do further elaborate as your comments don’t make sense as applied to Massachusetts and its respective role.
As for this election, I haven’t yet formed an opinion. That being said, as someone with both a juris doctor and deep real-world understanding of the criminal justice system, I’ve been unimpressed with Bill’s grasp on how things work, particularly if the goal is to serve effectively. In fairness to Bill, contrast that with the fact that I haven’t heard anything substantive from Marilyn Devaney.
On the other hand, connecting with people beyond door-knocking matters. To her credit, during the last election cycle, I was very appreciative of the fact that Marilyn went out of her way to offer Jess a lot of really helpful campaign advice. I also enjoyed talking with her about relevant topics, which she openly discussed. Bill Humprhey, however, never responded to an outreach message that I sent, nor has he taken me up on my offer to discuss in more detail the issues relevant to this election.
At the end of the day, we undoubtedly are in need, generally speaking, of talented leaders who want to serve for the right reasons. As I look forward to learning more about the how and why of each candidates story, I wish all three the best of luck next month.
I am not as magnanimous as Tom in wishing good luck to all of the candidates. I think Bill Humphrey has the experience needed and is focused on issues important to me.
Tom, have you tried Bill lately. He is quite accessible, by phone, email or on Twitter. In fact, there are several people you have mentioned on various threads who did not get back to you, who others have no problem getting answers from. I am not saying you did not try but maybe you could try again or in different ways.
Devaney doesn’t come close. She needs to be defeated, but QqI am afraid of the same thing as Dan.
Bill has the temperament, knowledge and common sense to be an outstanding member of the Executive Council.
@Tom, interesting choice for campaign advice. I’m glad Jess skipped the part about putting false attributions from incumbents on a poorly written endorsement.
It’s amazing that this campaign has remained largely positive. I really don’t think it’s appropriate to keep silent on the incumbent’s record here, especially where she has been so outrageously offensive, but I certainly hope the strategy works. It is, after all, a primary with turnout which will be driven by this somewhat obscure race, and that’s much different than last time where most voters probably just ticked the incumbent box.
And I’m glad that Jess never threw a curling iron at a store clerk!
The Governor can choose whatever criteria he wants to in appointing justices and the Governor’s Council in approving them. I believe it is imperative that there is someone watching out to make sure that important precedent, like a woman’s right to choose and on campaign finance, is upheld by the courts. These are the same kinds of questions asked at the federal level by the US Senate.
And Tom, you say that my comments “don’t make sense as applied to Massachusetts”. I don’t know if you are fluent in Massachusetts law, but we have state laws on a woman’s right to choose and campaign finance which are stricter than the federal laws and would be appealable to the SJC.
@Greg. Now, now, maybe it was just than MD was having a bad day.
Jeff you’re an astute observer so I encourage you to put this race on your radar screen. I think you’ll find that Bill will bring judgment and passion to the Council. He was an ardent critic of me during my campaign, but I respect his approach to public service and will be voting for him.
@Marti: Bill’s fortunate to have your support. And for the record, I haven’t contacted him recently, so it’s entirely possible I’d have a different result now that he’s got his wheels moving. Out of curiosity, who else have I mentioned that hasn’t gotten back to me? As related to Newton, the only other individual that I haven’t heard back from is our current Mayor, whose administration I’ve been reaching out to about testing the water for lead at Newton Housing Authority units. I’ll be publicizing my efforts about this soon. Given that the City went as far as canceling the free water testing program after I reached out to them about this, I hope to gain your support as it appears that we’re going to need help fundraising money so that we can canvass and test the water in our pubic housing.
@Bob: That’s a good endorsement coming from you. I don’t know Bill personally, but he does seem like a good guy to me.
@Adam: When you’re in your mid-20’s and have never run for office nor paid homage to entrenched interests, it only makes sense to have a conversation with someone who has proven to be successful at GOTV. That’s especially true when you’re at a summer BBQ with a bunch of Newton Democrats, as was the case when Marilyne offered Jess some good insights. What’s so interesting about that?
@Greg: I hope it brings to you further gladness to know that Jess has unimpeachable integrity and class.
@Bryan: Cowards use fear-mongering to build political support. Are you saying that Governor Baker is working to restrict a woman’s right to choose?
Not at all Tom, exactly the opposite. I’m saying that Governor Baker is disinclined to inquire about a candidate’s legal views on important constitutional matters, because he doesn’t want to have a “litmus test”. Which is his prerogative. But I strongly disagree with him and believe that it is important that we have Governor’s Councillors who are willing to question whether a candidate will uphold important precedent.
See here for more on Governor Baker’s position: http://www.masslive.com/politics/index.ssf/2016/02/gov_charlie_baker_has_no_litmu.html
Bryan. In your call for action, you originally said, “We have a Republican governor who has publicly stated he’s not asking judges whether they would uphold important precedent.” You “strongly disagree” with him not asking these specific questions.
My understanding is that a judge that answers specific questions about whether he would uphold important precedents before he knows the facts of a future case is prejudiced and must recuse himself from that case. If I am correct, the Republican Governor, who from everything I have seen supports a woman’s right to have an abortion, is absolutely making the right decision.
Shouldn’t we seek judges that strongly respect the law, not judges that are strong advocates of political positions?
You went to law school. I did not. If I am wrong, I am eager to learn. Really.
@Bryan: I didn’t realize that your position is that Governor Baker is working to expand/increase a woman’s right to choose. No wonder after all this time, by wide margins, he remains the most favorably viewed Governor in the United States of America.
@Jeffrey: Not only are you correct, but Bryan is fundamentally incorrect. Rather than make stuff up and poorly attempt to spin the facts to fit his narrative (sound familiar?), I challenge Bryan to communicate honestly moving forward.
@Jeff: We should seek judges that strongly respect the law. For precisely this reason, on important issues that have become settled precedent we should seek to appoint judges who are not interested in overturning those decisions based on their own personal beliefs. As for the question of recusal, while this isn’t an area of expertise for me my understanding is that this is primarily based on a judge’s bias for or against a particular party, not on their general view on an area of law.
I should note that I have no reason to believe Governor Baker’s nominees won’t uphold precedent, but I think an important role for a Governor’s Councillor is asking these tough questions.
Let me add my voice to those supporting Bill Humphrey.
Bill is young and energetic, and he has a deeply-informed understanding of policy issues. He has built a broad base of support in a short period of time due to his integrity, work ethic, and thoughtful positions.
Make sure September 8th is on your calendar, this is an important election.
I’ll piggyback on Rhanna’s comments.
It’s refreshing to see a young, energetic, inspired and well informed candidate enter a public campaign. Bill Humphrey brings with him an unusual passion for the details of the job and the politics. He’ll be a refreshing addition to the GC.
It still worries me that even on V14 there are a high percentage of poll takers who have never heard of any of the candidates. That doesn’t bode well for challengers.
@Marti: Yes, except this will be a very low turn-out election. Odds are most folks who’ve never heard of these candidates won’t vote.
I think Bryan is saying he wants judicial nominees to be asked whether they support the legal principle of stare decisis. It is the well-established principle that courts are obligated to respect legal precedents established by prior opinions when deciding cases. That should be a pretty noncontroversial–and non-negotiable–subject.*
But, what do I know? I only graduated at the top of my class at Suffolk University Law School, clerked for the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, and have been a practicing litigation attorney for 25 years. Perhaps that longstanding legal principle has changed since I passed the bar.
*While the late Justice Scalia complained incessantly about “activist” liberal judges, he was not above a little judicial activism himself, when it suited his purposes. It was he who ignored stare decisis in his written opinion in District of Columbia v Heller, in which the Supreme Court overturned longstanding precedent to find for the first time that the Second Amendment protects an individual, as opposed to a collective, right to bear arms.
@Bryan and Ted Hess-Mahan: Since you two are clearly so concerned about a secret Republican agenda as related to Governor Baker and the Judiciary, I’m interested to learn more about how you came to form this perspective.
Do you have any relevant facts that suggest any of the Governor’s appointments wouldn’t uphold a woman’s right to choose? If not, instead of focusing our intellect and energy on made up issues, how about we come together and solve legitimate ones that exist in our own community?
Tom, don’t drop that mic yet.
You mention with sarcasm a Republican “secret agenda?” Pleaseeee!
Is that like the fake one Republican’s say gay rights groups supposedly had?
Or the real one backed by hedge fund and dark money working with Will Keyser in MA to “lift the cap” and “vote yes on 2?” They are not in the photo opp with Baker on the steps but they footed the bill.
Or the many others afoot?
You can take your ball and go home but that won’t stop the game. If you find it difficult to concurrently focus on both MA and community threads, I suggest you pick one or the other.
#PeterG2016. Humphrey is too far-left to get anything done.
As a volunteer for Bill Humphrey’s campaign, I can attest that Bill has been working overtime for months now to contact voters, increase name recognition, and advance the issues he believes are central to our justice system. To anyone who thinks Marilyn Devaney will keep her seat, I’d encourage you to find out how much work each campaign has actually done, knocking on doors, making calls, and generally making contact with the electorate.
Bill’s objectives for our justice system seem to me to be perfectly in keeping with what I’ve heard in the neighborhoods I’ve canvassed: People in the Mass 3rd District want a judiciary that will protect the environment, defend the rights of working people, and safeguard reproductive freedoms – not to mention the other issues that Bill has made the focus of his campaign.
Bill works harder to master the nuances of the issues than any other public servant I know, and it was remarkable to me to hear Councillor Devaney claim that she has a strong record of asking the “tough questions” to appointees without also hearing her offer a clear sense of what issues she asks about.
Marilyn Devaney doesn’t seem to me like the kind of person I want representing me: Falsely claiming endorsements (for years), having odd and unsafe incidents with shop clerks, and most importantly, taking a vague but ultimately too conservative stance on the issues. I was relieved when I found there was an alternative this cycle, and it’s precisely because Bill has worked so hard these past months that I’m confident he’ll make District 3 proud as our next Governor’s Councillor.
Don’t forget to vote for Bill Humphrey tomorrow.
Here are key reasons why: http://www.billhumphrey.net/issues