Newton City Councilor Alison Leary is challenging incumbent State Rep. John Lawn for the 10th Middlesex seat in the Sept. 1 primary. The district includes parts of Newton, Watertown and Waltham,
Here’s two videos featuring the candidates, the first hosted by the Newton League of Woman Voters and the second by me for the Newton-Needham Regional Chamber.
Decision 2020: Massachusetts House of Representatives' 10th Middlesex District from NewTV Government on Vimeo.
The debates make it clear that the 10th Middlesex district is ready for a change. Councilor Leary will provide the effective advocacy that the constituents of Newton, Waltham and Watertown deserve. As a fellow colleague on the Newton City Council I’ve seen Alison take the lead and tackle many of the difficult issues that have faced our city. She has taken the initiative and brought about change in local policies that involve combating climate change, providing more affordable housing and transportation improvements. In addition Alison has always made herself available and responsive to the needs of her constituents. Alison Leary is the kind of representative the 10th Middlesex district needs.
We watched the Reibman debate last night – this was our first exposure to either candidate, since we’re not in the district.
I haven’t read the Herald in a while, but Lawn is clearly a latter-day example of the Thomas Finneran-era gravy-train state hacks that Howie Carr used to write about (or maybe still does write about).
I oughtn’t say more, since somewhere between Lawn’s rambling about how he doesn’t trust the internet and how his committee is transparent because you can call him up if you really care how he voted, he did of course manage to squeeze in a mention of his brother’s appointment as Watertown police chief.
It’s such a shame that this guy can still get elected in the year 2020, but the 10th Middlesex has obviously been gerrymandered for guys like him, with as many empowered Newton/Watertown reactionaries and disenfranchised Waltham immigrants as could possibly be squeezed in.
Leary, on the other hand, came across as a genuinely thoughtful and decent person. The Commonwealth would be infinitely better off with her in the legislature.