John Kerry is afraid of competition for his Senate seat
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John Kerry aims to thwart challenger
By Dave Wedge
Boston Herald Chief Enterprise Reporter
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
U.S. Sen. John Kerry - wary of a potential political embarrassment - has been calling in favors to top Bay State Democrats in a bid to block a Gloucester lawyer from getting on the ballot to challenge him, the Herald has learned.
Several high-ranking Democrats said the senator has reached out in recent days seeking support and asking for help in preventing attorney Ed O’Reilly from getting the convention votes he needs to force a September primary race against Kerry.
O’Reilly, a former firefighter, needs 15 percent support from the Democratic State Committee at the party’s convention Saturday in Lowell to get on the ballot. He did not return calls yesterday.
Kerry campaign spokesman Roger Lau said: “The senator has been in Massachusetts politics for a long time and he believes what Tip O’Neill said, that all politics is local. You have to ask everyone. You can’t take (support) for granted.”
Insiders say Kerry has drawn the ire of some party officials for backing Barack Obama over Hillary Clinton in the presidential primary race and that some may use Saturday’s convention to exact political payback.
Clinton backers recently showed their clout in intra-party elections, ousting longtime state delegate Margaret Xiafaras, reportedly because she backed Obama.
“In a (presidential) primary race as close as this one has been, it would not surprise me to see people take sides and for there to be hard feelings,” said state Sen. Jack Hart. “I know the Kerry campaign is calling around to all the delegates, which they haven’t done in the past, asking for their support.”
If O’Reilly gets on the ballot, he would be Kerry’s first primary opponent since 1984.
“They want to put him on the ballot,” said one longtime party operative. “They figure it ruins Kerry’s summer by making him have to campaign in the state.”
But state Auditor Joseph DeNucci, a Clinton backer, said Kerry deserves the party’s full support.
“I’m with him,” DeNucci said. “He’s an incumbent. He’s been a good senator. It wouldn’t look too good for the Democratic party to come out against one of its own.”
Former state Democratic Party chairman Chester Atkins added: “John is an important senator, an important partner to Ted Kennedy and an important national voice. To have John distracted by someone who is just a nuisance candidate would be unfortunate.”
By Dave Wedge
Boston Herald Chief Enterprise Reporter
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
U.S. Sen. John Kerry - wary of a potential political embarrassment - has been calling in favors to top Bay State Democrats in a bid to block a Gloucester lawyer from getting on the ballot to challenge him, the Herald has learned.
Several high-ranking Democrats said the senator has reached out in recent days seeking support and asking for help in preventing attorney Ed O’Reilly from getting the convention votes he needs to force a September primary race against Kerry.
O’Reilly, a former firefighter, needs 15 percent support from the Democratic State Committee at the party’s convention Saturday in Lowell to get on the ballot. He did not return calls yesterday.
Kerry campaign spokesman Roger Lau said: “The senator has been in Massachusetts politics for a long time and he believes what Tip O’Neill said, that all politics is local. You have to ask everyone. You can’t take (support) for granted.”
Insiders say Kerry has drawn the ire of some party officials for backing Barack Obama over Hillary Clinton in the presidential primary race and that some may use Saturday’s convention to exact political payback.
Clinton backers recently showed their clout in intra-party elections, ousting longtime state delegate Margaret Xiafaras, reportedly because she backed Obama.
“In a (presidential) primary race as close as this one has been, it would not surprise me to see people take sides and for there to be hard feelings,” said state Sen. Jack Hart. “I know the Kerry campaign is calling around to all the delegates, which they haven’t done in the past, asking for their support.”
If O’Reilly gets on the ballot, he would be Kerry’s first primary opponent since 1984.
“They want to put him on the ballot,” said one longtime party operative. “They figure it ruins Kerry’s summer by making him have to campaign in the state.”
But state Auditor Joseph DeNucci, a Clinton backer, said Kerry deserves the party’s full support.
“I’m with him,” DeNucci said. “He’s an incumbent. He’s been a good senator. It wouldn’t look too good for the Democratic party to come out against one of its own.”
Former state Democratic Party chairman Chester Atkins added: “John is an important senator, an important partner to Ted Kennedy and an important national voice. To have John distracted by someone who is just a nuisance candidate would be unfortunate.”
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