Easton Republicans Cautiously Hopeful

With 27 days before the election, local Republican candidates hope they can still catch the tailwinds of U. S. Sen. Scott Brown's upset, and unseat Democrat incumbents in Beacon Hill. But they are also nervous that the anti-incumbent fervor may be waning, and they are urging volunteers to work as hard as possible to get sympathetic voters to the polls Nov. 2.

The candidates appeared before the Easton Republican Town Committee Tuesday, and they all said they have all been going door-to-door to seek residents' votes.  Canton selectman Bob Burr is running against state senator Brian Joyce (D-Milton), in a district that includes four Easton precincts, Easton resident Kristine Abrams is running for state representative against Brockton Democrat Geraldine Creedon, in a district that also includes four Easton precincts, and West Bridgewater state representative candidate John Cruz is running against Brockton Democrat incumbent Christine Canavan, in a district that includes Precinct 3 in Easton.

There are six precincts in Easton and the town is represented by three state representatives, two state senators and two councilors on the Massachusetts Governor's Council.

Burr said Joyce is vulnerable, noting that almost 30 percent of Democrats left his name blank on the Democratic primary ballot in September, in his hometown of Milton.  He said, however, that while Republicans have had momentum in a slumping economy, the Democrats could be coming back in a campaign ebb and flow. 

"Democrats are closing the gap.  The stock market is up and everyone is saying 'just stick with us – everything's going to be great,' but the only reason this economy is showing any life to it is one-time use of federal stimulus fund, and I think 2011 is going to be a very difficult year," he said.

John Cruz, a plumber who served as a state representative in 1990 for his district, complained that incumbent Democrats are spending too much money, adding that the state budget has tripled in 18 years.

He said he's gotten a warm reception on the campaign trail.

"As soon as I say I'm a Republican, that's it – they shook my hands and gave me a thumbs-up, and wanted me to meet their wife and children," he said. 

Kristine Abrams, who grew up in Easton, said she decided to run for state representative because she did not think incumbents paid attention to voters' concerns.  She added that there's a lack of balance in Beacon Hill, where there are only 15 Republicans out of 144 state representatives.

"I don't think our voices are being heard," she said.

Both Abrams and Cruz will be debating their opponents this week on WXBR radio, 1460 AM.  Burr said he has contacted Joyce several times to debate, and has failed to get a response.  He said that he and Joyce will appear at a candidates' forum on Oct. 25 in Canton, which will be broadcast on Cable 8, the local access TV station in Canton, but he is frustrated that the debate will come so late – just one week before the state election.

Also appearing before the committee was Governor Council's candidate Steven Glovsky, a lifelong Republican who complained that his opponent, Kelly Timilty, has a poor attendance in the Governor's Council, and will get a lifelong pension if she is re-elected. 

A lawyer and graduate of Harvard University and Boston University, he said the Governor's Council appoints judges, and that his education is an important asset for the job.

"You need lawyers to evaluate a candidate's ability to do the job as a judge.  Part of the reason we are unhappy with judges in the state is because we don't have lawyers on the Governor's Council," he said.

Town Committee Chairperson Patricia Locke said she is optimistic that more people are sympathetic with their party, even though Republicans are still greatly outnumbered. She said last year, about eight people showed up for Town Committee meetings, but about 40 people attended Tuesday's meeting. 

"People are no longer afraid to say they're Republican," she said.