Steve Baddour pulls out of race for Marty Meehan's seat

[Ian David]

Baddour Pulls Out
by: DanielShays
Mon Mar 12, 2007 at 12:55:00 PM EDT

(Apparently, UMass-Lowell's decision is coming this week. If so, and if it goes as expected, this will heat up very fast. - promoted by David)

State Senator Steve Baddour has announced he will not seek election in the expected contest to replace Congressman Marty Meehan.

The Herald is reporting that Baddour has decided not to seek the seat for family reasons. I heard this last week, and it seems pretty genuine. He has two young daughters, I think ages 3 and 5, and the idea of being away from home that much didn't appeal to him.

As the Herald mentions, this makes the race even more wide open than previously expected. I think Tsongas and DiPaola have to benefit, with Eldridge getting a little help as well.

Any 5th district handicappers care to chime in and let us know how this will shake things up?

More:
http://www.bluemassgroup.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=6617


See prior threads:

Mass. Legislature rejects proposed amendment banning gay marriage
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=158&topic_id=6445

How did YOUR legislators vote re same-sex marriage amendment?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=158&topic_id=11163



See also:

Marriage momentum leaps forward
THE OVERWHELMING DEFEAT OF THIS YEAR'S CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION ANTI-GAY MARRIAGE AMENDMENT REVEALS GREAT STRIDES IN GAY ACTIVISM, BUT SAME-SEX MARRIAGE STILL NOT SAFE

<snip>

Gay Democrats were also at work behind the scenes. "We had a target list of legislators to turn," said Steve Driscoll, co-chair of both National and Bay State Stonewall Democrats. But he declined to identify which legislators the organization pressed.

It was a partisan effort indeed, by gay Democrats and Republicans, resulting in critical vote switching on both sides. For instance, state Senate members of the GOP who changed their minds, in addition to Lees, include Bruce E. Tarr of Gloucester, Scott Brown of Wrentham, Michael R. Knapik of Westfield, Robert Hedlund of Weymouth, among others. Also, Republican state representatives who voted no this time include Bradford Hill of Ipswich, and Susan W. Pope of Wayland.

For the Democrats, state Senators Patrick E. Berry of Peabody, Joan M. Menard of Somerset, Therese Murray of Plymouth, Steve Baddour of Metheun, and Stephen M. Brewer of Worcester, among others - all had changes of heart. Democratic state Representatives also joining the pro-gay side this time include, Harold P. Naughton Jr. of Clinton, Thomas J. O'Brien of Kingston, Garrett J. Bradley of Hingham, Patricia A. Walrath of Stow, David L. Flynn of Bridgewater, and Joyce A. Spiliotis of Peabody, among others.

On the convention floor, moreover, legislators who support full marriage equality expressed themselves in no uncertain terms. "All the arguments against marriage equality are based on fear," said freshman Senator Edward Augustus, Democrat of Worcester, adding, "It is evident the sky has not fallen. What we saw was how important marriage really is. We saw couples who had been together longer than some of us had been alive finally be able to receive the same benefits that other couples had always received and taken for granted."

More:
http://www.innewsweekly.com/innews/?class_code=Ne&article_code=537