Markey Wins Senate Special Election
It’s been a long road to the Senate for Ed Markey, but the road finally came to a successful end for the longtime Congressman Tuesday night. Markey, a Democrat who has represented Malden since 1976, beat Republican Cohasset businessman and former U.S. Navy SEAL Gabriel Gomez in the election Tuesday. Markey’s party at the Park Plaza Hotel in Boston’s Back Bay was a raucous one for local and state Democrats who could revel in a special election victory after losing their last such race in 2010. He thanked his opponent and said that while they disagreed on issues they both “love the state of Massachusetts and love the United States of America.” Gomez, speaking to his supporters gathered at the Seaport Hotel, said that he called Markey with congratulations shortly after the race was called and that they had a “very productive talk.” “I wish him nothing but the best,” Gomez said. Markey was thankful of supporters who knocked on doors over the weekend in sweltering heat to get people out to vote Tuesday. “Regardless of how you voted, I say to you tonight, this is your seat in the United States Senate,” Markey said. Gomez framed his concession speech with the story of his parents, who immigrated from Columbia in 1964, and their decision to remain in the United States and raise their son. He went on to the Naval Academy, the NAVY SEALs and Harvard Business School. “I love this county with the bottom of my heart,” Gomez said. “I will continue to fight for my country. I’m going to ensure we have a strong, safe America.” Gomez did not hold back on his criticism of what he called the “Democratic machine,” and though he apologized several times for “coming up short,” his supporters shouted that he had nothing to apologize for, being a Republican in Massachusetts. “Sometimes you face overwhelming force,” Gomez said. “I mean, we were massively overspent.” “But in the face of this adversity,” he continued, “we could not have fought a better fight.” Markey, meanwhile, said he wants to be a leader on the issues of climate change, clean energy, gun control and making college affordable for all students among other ideas. “I want what you want, a 21st Century that is more educated, more healthy, more prosperous and more fair than the 20th Century was,” Markey said. “I will honor the vote that you gave that makes it possible for me to stand here tonight as your next United States Senator.” ***** ***** ****** ORIGINAL STORY: The Associated Press projects Democratic nominee Edward Markey […]
Gomez, Markey Grapple in Final Senate Debate
Gabriel Gomez and Edward Markey spent their final debate before next week’s U.S. Senate special election clashing over their records and who has the better vision for both their commonwealth and their country. The debate, taped in Boston, broadcast on several local networks and moderated by veteran city newsman and Boston University professor R.D. Sahl, was the last of three contests before voters head to the polls to fill U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry’s former seat. No matter the issue, be it taxes, gun control, abortion, national security and their own personal and professional histories, the two men found disagreements at every turn. Each candidate could agree on one thing: they believe the other candidate’s ideas are “old and stale.” Markey, a Democratic congressman from Malden since 1976, went after Gomez, a former U.S. Navy SEAL and businessman from Cohasset, about not disclosing his clients from his time working at private equity firm Advent International. “We don’t know who he worked for,” Markey said. “We have to know who’s side he’s going to be on.” Gomez corrected Markey, saying his firm didn’t have clients but actually had investors. Among his investors: President Barack Obama, among many other public sector employees. “President Obama would not be an investor if we weren’t $ 17 trillion in debt,” said Gomez, who mentioned several times that the nation debt has swelled from $ 670 billion to $ 17 trillion since Markey took office. Gomez has been a champion of term limits for members of Congress, but was challenged by Markey, who asserted that Gomez surely didn’t tell Arizona Sen. John McCain he shouldn’t run for his seat again when the former presidential candidate came to campaign for him recently. Gomez said he had, in fact, told McCain that he should be term-limited. Markey simply could not believe that was true. “Are you calling him a liar?” Sahl asked. “I’m saying that did not happen,” Markey said. Within that exchange, Gomez listed a number of areas where he believes his party is wrong right now, including immigration, gay marriage, expanded background checks for firearms sales, the environment and global warming. “Nothing’s going to change if Mr. Markey wins this election,” Gomez said. “We’re going to have the same D.C. down there and we’re going to have the same dysfunction.” On gun control, Markey asked Gomez why he opposed a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines and where a civilian would “need a weapon where they could shoot a gun with 100 bullets in under 2 minutes.” Gomez said Markey was “completely misrepresenting my position” on gun control and claimed […]
Gomez, Markey Set For Final Senate Debate
Another U.S. Senate election for Massachusetts is drawing to a close, with the two combatants set to square off one final time before voters head to the polls June 25. Democratic Congressman Edward Markey of Malden and Republican businessman and former U.S. Navy SEAL Gabriel Gomez will hold the last of three debates Tuesday evening in the race to fill the seat formerly held by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. The debate will air live from 7 to 8 p.m. on WCVB (Channel 5). The debate will be moderated by R.D. Sahl of Boston University. The two previous debates for the candidates were held in Boston and Springfield. Recent polling has suggested an edge for Markey in the race. Both candidates have received visits from high-profile supporters with Gomez welcoming former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani while Markey had both President Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton stumping for him last week. SOUTH END PATCH: Facebook | Twitter | E-mail Updates South End Patch
Markey or Gomez: Who Gets Your Vote?
A week from Tuesday, Massachusetts voters will decide who to elect in the special election to fill the seat vacated by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. What we at Patch want to know is – if the election was today – who would you vote for? Candidates Democrat Ed Markey and Republican Gabriel Gomez have been pullling out all the stops in the last two weeks as the latest polls show the gap is narrowing between the two. After weeks of relative quiet, the negative ads have started to clog the airways and both candidates have had high-profile folks stumping for them. Rudy Guiliani was in town last week putting his support behind Gomez and President Obama came to Boston this week showing his support for Markey. So tell us, if you had to vote today who would be your choice, Markey or Gomez? Tell us in the comments section below. South End Patch
Gomez, Markey Spar in First Senate Debate
Gabriel Gomez and Edward Markey engaged Wednesday in their first debate before the U.S. Senate special election this month, and the tone was markedly similar to the tone of the overall campaign thus far. Gomez, the Republican Cohasset businessman and former U.S. Navy SEAL, and Markey, the Democratic Malden congressman since his election in 1976, jabbed at each other during the hour-long debate at WBZ-TV’s studios and sponsored by the news station and the Boston Globe. Topics for the evening included gun control, health care, the economy, foreign policy, recent national political scandals, immigration and abortion. Time and again, Gomez pounded Markey for his years in Washington, painting the congressman as out of touch with Bay State citizens. “You are the poster boy for term limits,” Gomez said to Markey, claiming Markey hasn’t authored any legislation in 20 years. “In the private sector if you don’t do your job you don’t get a pay raise.” Markey said Gomez was espousing “the same old stale Republican ideas” and tried listing his own legislative accomplishments when attacked by Gomez. “I can go on, and on, and on with the number of laws that I am the author of, that I am the principle author of,” said Markey, calling Gomez’s line of attack “mythology.” Early on the candidates went back and forth on gun control, with Markey hitting Gomez for not supporting bans on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. “Massachusetts is the leader, not the laggard on the issue of gun control,” Markey said. Gomez stated support for increased background checks but slammed Markey for invoking the shootings last year at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. for “political gain,” calling it “beyond disgusting.” When discussing the impacts of the Affordable Care Act, Gomez said small business owners in Massachusetts are worried about its costs. Gomez said Markey didn’t support rolling back the tax in the bill on medical devices that impacts over 25,000 employees in the state. Markey said he would support taking out the tax if there was an offset somewhere else, saying he would reduce tax breaks received by oil companies to do so. “That’s the way you have to legislate,” he said. When discussing the recent scandals that have rocked Washington in recent weeks, Gomez called on U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to resign for the “chilling” seizing of records for reporters. On the topic of Internal Revenue Service employees targeting conservative groups, Markey said “anyone who did anything wrong at IRS should be found and fired immediately.” But on the investigation into the September 2012 attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Markey […]
Obama to Stump For Markey Next Week
President Barack Obama will campaign in Boston next week for Democratic Congressman Edward Markey in the U.S. Senate special election race, according to an Associated Press report published by CBS Boston. The president recently issued his endorsement of Markey’s bid and First Lady Michelle Obama also appeared at a Boston fundraiser for Markey. The AP reports President Obama will attend a fundraiser for Markey in Copley Plaza next Wednesday, June 12. Markey will face Republican Cohasset businessman and former Navy SEAL Gabriel Gomez in the June 25 election to replace U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in the Senate. SOUTH END PATCH: Facebook | Twitter | E-mail Updates South End Patch
Gomez, Markey to Square Off in First Debate
The Republican and Democratic candidates for the U.S. Senate special election later this month are set to conduct their first of three scheduled debates Wednesday night. According to an Associated Press article printed in the Boston Herald Monday, Republican businessman Gabriel Gomez of Cohasset and Democratic Congressman Edward Markey of Malden will debate at the WBZ-TV studios Wednesday in a debate sponsored by the TV station and the Boston Globe. WBZ previously reported the debate will take place and air live from 7 to 8 p.m. WBZ political analyst Jon Keller will moderate. According to the Herald, subsequent debates will take place on June 11 in western Massachusetts and June 18 back in Boston. The campaigns reportedly spent weeks “wrangling” over the time and number for the debates. The election will be held June 25 to fill the seat vacated by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. SOUTH END PATCH: Facebook | Twitter | E-mail Updates South End Patch
Obama Endorses Markey; First Lady in Boston Wednesday
Boston.com reported Tuesday that President Barack Obama has officially endorsed U.S. Congressman Edward Markey (D-Malden) in his bid to become the next U.S. senator from Massachusetts. In a statement from Markey’s campaign, Boston.com reported that Obama called Markey “a passionate and effective champion for middle class and working families.” Markey will face Republican Cohasset businessman and former Navy SEAL Gabriel Gomez in the June 25 election to replace U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in the Senate. Earlier this month, Boston.com also reported First Lady Michelle Obama will appear at a fundraiser Wednesday for Markey’s campaign at Taj Boston. According to Boston.com, the minimum contribution for the event is $ 500. SOUTH END PATCH: Facebook | Twitter | E-mail Updates South End Patch
Menino Endorses Markey as ‘There When We Need Him’
Calling him a friend to his city and state, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino endorsed Democratic U.S. Senate special election nominee Congressman Edward Markey in Dorchester on Friday morning. Speaking at a rally at the International Brotherhood of Eletrical Workers Local 103, Menino, a Democrat, said Markey has been with the city “at every corner.” Menino said Markey helped the city receive more Homeland Security funding, has been “out front” on gun control and sustainability. “He’s there for us all the time,” Menino said. Markey welcomed the endorsement, calling Menino “America’s greatest mayor” and a “transformative figure” for Boston and Massachusetts. “He has taken Boston and truly made it that shining beacon on a hill,” Markey said. “His name might be Tom Meni-NO, but he says ‘Yes’ to anything that makes Boston a greater city.” Speaking to reporters after the rally, Menino said that if the June 25 special election leads to a low turnout, he expects Markey to defeat Republic nominee Gabriel Gomez of Cohasset. “They don’t have the excitment they had,” Menino said of state Republicans. “(Former Republican Senator) Scott Brown had the excitement. There’s no excitement for (Gomez).” The race between Markey and Gomez took a nasty turn this week when Gomez called Markey “pond scum” for running an attack ad featuring images of Osama bin Laden. “I don’t think that the people of Massachusetts want to hear any name-calling,” Markey told reporters after the rally. “I think what they want to hear are real proposals. […] They want to hear about who the next Senator is and how it’s going to affect their family. And that’s what I’m going to focus on.” SOUTH END PATCH: Facebook | Twitter | E-mail Updates South End Patch
Markey or Gomez: Who Would You Vote for Today?
After months of campaigning we now know who is going head to head in the June 25 special U.S. Senate election. Democratic Congressman Edward Markey (D-Malden) took the Democratic vote in the Tuesday election over fellow Congressman Stephen Lynch (D-South Boston). Political newcomer and former U.S. Navy SEAL Gabriel Gomez of Cohasset came out on top of a field of Republican candidates – including more seasoned opponents former U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan and State Rep. Dan Winslow of Norfolk. With a month and a half of campaigning still to come we wanted to stop and ask you this question. If the Special Election were today – who would you vote for right now? Markey or Gomez? Tell us in our comments section below. South End Patch