Election 2018: Candidate Profile Of Rep. Ted Speliotis

This is one in an occassional series looking at candidates running in contested races on November 6. Today we profile Ted Speliotis, the incumbent, Democratic state representative for Danvers, Middleton and Peabody. He will face Republican nominee Mark Mezzina in the general election on Nov. 6.

WESTFORD, MA -- Ted Speliotis won his first election when he was 18 and was elected to Danvers Town Meeting. Now 65, he has been a constant presence in the state house, representing Danvers, his hometown, as well as Peabody and Middleton, in the house of representatives since 1997.

Speliotis and his wife June still live in Danvers and have two grown daughters, who both live in Danvers, as well as two grandchildren. The following are responses Speliotis gave to questions Patch posed to all candidates running in the race:

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Our schools and health care facilities are ranked number 1 in the nation and fuel our economy with good paying jobs and great opportunities. Our number 1 priority ought to be to keep those industries vibrant and strong while providing greater access to every resident of Massachusetts. That requires us to provide greater financial aid to students and a greater financial commitment to our public colleges and universities. We also need to do everything in our power to rein in health care costs. Just this week, the Attorney General has stated that patients are facing rapidly rising deductibles and a lack of information on what options they may have as consumers. The Massachusetts House of Representatives needs to address these costs and place greater pressure on the pharmaceutical industry to eliminate their practice of gauging consumers when they have the opportunity.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I believe experience matters. I chair the Committee on Bills in the Third Reading which releases all the legislation to the floor of the House of Representatives. The position strategically places me in a position to be enormously helpful to my constituents and the communities I represent. The most recent example is the fact that the Registry of Motor Vehicles is opening a new branch in my district on October 31st behind Chili's on Route 1 South. Throwing this experience away would be foolish and short sighted.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform:

I have been described by many as socially progressive and fiscally conservative. My opponent has attempted to define me as a tax and spend Democrat by citing votes I took during the worst recession in our lives in 2009 and 2013. I believe that the voters are smart enough to know that if you have to go back nearly 10 years to criticize a person, then you probably do not have much to complain about.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

There are several accomplishments I am proud to mention from being the original sponsor of the health care proxy legislation to my involvement in the first funding for students with special needs transitioning to adulthood at 21 years old, but one of the most proudest accomplishments is funding an Allied Health Nursing School Building on the grounds of North Shore Community College in Danvers. I know that if Senator Fred Berry and I did not have the critical leadership positions we held that building and those programs would have been built somewhere else and the access to first rate quality education and the jobs that go with them would have been made available somewhere else in the state.

The best advice ever shared with me was ...

The best advice I have received in my lifetime was early on in my career by my wife, June. As a young man or woman we are often very anxious to accomplish a great deal in a short amount of time or convince our constituents and colleagues that we are right on an issue. June advised me, "to relax and let the issue come to you." To me her advice was to place your constituents’ needs first and your agenda second. Not an easy task when you are young and full of vigor.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I would like the voters to know that I place integrity, hard work and respect for each other as the reasons the voters have continually reelected me as their State Representative and I will continue to work as hard as possible to assist them in any way possible to improve the quality of their lives.

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Photo submitted by Ted Speliotis. Used with permission.

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).