First off, let me say how glad I am to be here.
I am a long time (six year!) lurker here who finally decided it was time to set up a diary of my own.
Why? Simple. United States Senator Scott Brown (*gag*).
I am a long-time Democratic/progressive activist here in the Boston area. I grew up outside the city, where my parents live about a half-mile from the border of Scott Brown's former MA State Senate district. Although he may have been obscure nationally before last month, I can assure you that Brown had achieved a level of local notoriety for his hypeconservative (even by MA GOP standards) views and his controversial and often inappropriate behavior.
http://www.thesunchronicle.com/...
Needless to say, I am mortified that this man is now serving in federal office.
But together, we as a community can do something about that. It starts by taking back the State Senate seat Scott Brown left behind with a progressive Democrat. Luckily, just such a candidate is running.
http://petersmulowitz.com
http://www.wickedlocal.com/...
Dr. Peter Smulowitz, MD, MPH is a 33 year old ER doc and Town Meeting member in Needham, the largest town in Brown's former district, and one of the most liberal. Peter is a die-hard progressive, having worked on US Sen. Ted Kennedy's DC staff before attending medical school. He's also worked with the state legislature for several years to help shape Massachusett's pioneering universal health care program. Not only is Peter a fantastic candidate, but this is classic swing district. In fact, the senator who held the seat for a dozen years before Scott Brown did was Cheryl Jacques, the first openly gay state senator in Massachusetts history. Jacques went on to serve as president of the Human Rights Campaign in DC, and now serves the Commonwealth again as a judge.
The race will not be easy. Smulowitz faces a strong pro-life conservadem State Rep. Lida Harkins in the Democratic primary, and the winner is poised to face Scott Brown's protege, Republican Wrentham State Rep. Richard Ross. Both Harkins and Ross are strong fundraisers and strong campaigners. More coverage of the developing campaign can be found here at Swing State Project and at Blue Mass Group, a local Massachusetts progressive blog.
http://www.swingstateproject.com/...
http://www.bluemassgroup.com/...
So instead of rehashing what's already been written about the campaign above, I will take your leave, with just one request. Help.
If you live in the Boston or Providence area, please come volunteer with Peter's campaign! If you don't please donate whatever you can afford online! No amount of time or treasure is too small to make a difference.
Working together, we can change the narrative of Republican ascendency and Democratic doom this fall. We can shatter conventional wisdom like a baseball through a window. We can take back Scott Brown's own senate seat for our party and our movement. But only if we work together.
Thank you for your support and for taking the time to read this.