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Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Gomez, Markey Grapple in Final Senate Debate

The U.S. Senate candidates have one week to go before voters head to the polls.

  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 was taped in Boston, broadcast on several local networks and moderated by veteran city newsman and Boston University professor R.D. Sahl. It 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 …

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Gomez, Markey Set For Final Senate Debate

Debate to air on WCVB Tuesday at 7 p.m.

  Another US 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 …

Monday, June 17, 2013

Barrett Wants to Ban 'Toxic' Takeout Containers

Concord's state Senator is backing a bill that would institute a first-in-the-nation statewide ban on the use of take-out containers made of polystyrene -- the main ingredient in Styrofoam.

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Should the State Minimum Wage Be Increased?

The debate raged on Beacon Hill Tuesday.

  A packed hearing on Beacon Hill Tuesday dealt with the issue of possibly raising the mimimum wage for commonwealth workers, according to an Associated Press report posted on WBUR.com. While those in favor of the wage increase believe it to be about fairness and economic justice, the AP reported business groups said raising the minimum wage would make the state less competitive. Prior to Tuesday, SEIU Local 509 Director of Communications Jason Stephany said in a statement the minimum wage in the state has been at $8 an hour since January 2008. "Many jobs at large retail and restaurant chains pay so little that even full-time workers must rely on public assistance for the most basic necessities," according to the statement.  The Senate …

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Memorial, Funeral Planned For Cellucci

Former governor will lie in state in the Hall of Flags Rotunda Thursday before a funeral Mass in his hometown Friday.

  Former Gov. Paul Cellucci, who passed away Saturday after a long battle with Lou Gehrig's disease, will be honored at the State House with a memorial service Thursday. A funeral Mass for Cellucci will be held Friday in his hometown of Hudson as well, according to a statement from the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Shortly after noon on Thursday, Cellucci's motorcade will be arriving at the State House with a formal procession up the State House front steps. An invitation-only memorial service for Cellucci will begin at 12:30 p.m. According to the Boston Globe, the service will be live-streamed. Thereafter, a public viewing for Cellucci will be held in the Hall of Flags Rotunda at the State House from 2:30 to 7 p.m., …

Markey Up 48-41 on Gomez in New Suffolk Poll

Margin between the two Senate candidates was 52-35 a month ago.

  Republican US Senate candidate Gabriel Gomez has narrowed the polling gap with Democratic candidate Edward Markey in a new Suffolk University poll. In a survey of what the university called 500 "tightly-screened" likely voters, Markey has garnered 48 percent of support to Gomez's 41 percent. Ten percent have not yet made up their minds while one percent refused to answer and another one percent are supporting Twelve Visions candidate Richard Heos. “Ed Markey continues to lead but the margin has dwindled,” said David Paleologos, director of the Suffolk University Political Research Center in Boston in a statement along with Monday's poll results. “Markey’s core ballot test number has fallen below 50 percent and recent Obama administration…

Monday, June 10, 2013

Obama to Stump for Markey This Week

AP reports the president will campaign for the Senate hopeful in Copley Plaza.

  President Barack Obama will campaign in Boston this 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 on Wednesday, June 12. The Boston Herald was first to report on the visit, according to the AP. 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.

Thursday, June 6, 2013

Gomez, Markey Spar in First Senate Debate

Gun control, health care, economy, foreign policy among major topics in first meeting of candidates.

  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 …

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Gomez, Markey to Square Off in First Debate

The Senate candidates will face each other in a live, televised debate Wednesday.

  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 "…

Sunday, June 2, 2013

Markey's Got a Friend in Carole King

The singer-songwriter in stopped by a canvassing event in Lexington on Saturday, June 1.

Carole King has been criss-crossing the commonwealth over the past few days in support of Democratic US Senate candidate Ed Markey, and one of her stops was down the road in Lexington. The “You’ve Got a Friend” singer stopped by a canvassing event held Saturday, June 1, to sing a few bars and show her support for Markey, the longtime congressman. King told the crowd she has known Markey for years, and that he is the kind of candidate who represents her concerns about issues like the environment. Following a few words and, of course a short sing-a-long, King posed for pictures and signed autographs before the canvassers headed out. The event was held at the home of Mary Ann Stewart, a Lexington School Committee member and Democratic …

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