Democrat Marilyn Devaney, who represents Newton and other communities as our representative on the Governor’s Council was called out by her colleagues this week, the State House News Service reports. Here’s a few excerpts:
“It is time that we stood up to the terror that [Devaney] has rained upon this council and the nominees that come before this body,” said Councilor Mary Hurley, an East Longmeadow Democrat, who said she left last week’s meeting “sick to my stomach because of the way (Devaney) treats people.”
“The legacy of this council as a laughing stock is a legacy that Councilor Devaney, in my opinion, you own,” said Oxford Republican Jennie Caissie, a general practice attorney. “The lack of respect that this body gets … is a reputation that you have developed over a decade and a half as a member of this council.”
“Stop bullying me, and stop bullying me with texts from the 21st Amendment,” Devaney interrupted, referring to a bar across the street from the Statehouse.
And we just keep on re-electing these type of people into office – whether it is on a local, state or national level. Pretty sad when even her colleagues can’t stand her.
As someone who has more than a passing knowledge of the situation, this story does not in any way surprise me.
It is extremely difficult to oust an incumbent, female, democrat with any name recognition (even the most negative type).
I received 66% of the Newton vote last time, but the district is so large, that many other communities which have very different demographics, handed her the win…again.. The incumbent system is so stacked against challenge that even with a felony assault charge (throwing a curling iron at a store clerk that wouldn’t let her pay by check with no ID, while shouting “don’t you know who I am”) the ballot name recognition carried her re-election. Seriously-Google it for yourself. Truly astounding.
Interestingly enough, the badly conceived new Charter proposal will set up a similar structure locally where incumbents with name recognition will always win out. Another great example of why voters should vote against it.
@Charlie: I generally agree with what you just wrote…except, I’m wondering how being female has anything to do with it? There are plenty examples of incumbent, Democrat males in local, state and national public offices who seem immune from challenges.
Can you back that up?
Someone correct me if I’m mis-remembering, but I don’t recall many of her fellow councilors disavowing that odd and apparently faked endorsement letter two elections ago. Many seemed afraid to comment. Not that it would have made much difference, probably, it was all so last-minute.
@Julia: You are not wrong. There’s also the question as to whether or not “Sette” Warren endorsed her last year.
@Greg-I personally think women, as a very broad generality, are viewed in the abstract as more trustworthy, thoughtful, and stable than men. In many cases for good reason. Clearly those traits are not applicable in this context.
I’ve voted against her in every primary for the last eight years. I would have voted against her in the general – no matter the party – if she had a challenger.
How is it that there could be a three way split in the primary vote, and no-one, not the republicans, not the green-rainbow party, nor the pirates, challenged her in the general?
@Anne. Tom Sheff ran as an independent in the general election. He ran a spirited campaign, but the deck was just too stacked against him. Marilyn had the good fortune to have the endorsement of Congressman Mike Capuano and many other influential elected officials in both the primary campaign against Bill Humphrey and the general election campaign against Tom.
I think the more general problem is that Governors Council, Clerk of Courts, etc shouldn’t be elected positions. The average voter has no idea of who any of the candidates for these more obscure offices are.
The Governors Council has been an irrelevant, unnecessary entity for many years.
Time to eliminate this frequent political distraction from the Beacon Hill political
landscape.
Sorry Jerry, there’s nothing more exciting than a hotly contested Register of Deeds primary or caucus.
Actually, the most exciting of the lot for many of us is the occasional contest for Middlesex County Register of Probate. Many of us fondly remember a few years back to the raucous Democratic Party caucus at Waltham High School to nominate a candidate. It was one hell of a night and a lot of fun horsetrading votes among the various candidates and their supporters.
Tom Sheff may have run, but his name was not on the ballot in Newton.
http://www.newtonma.gov/documents/City%20Clerk/11-08-16%20State%20General%20Results.pdf