Donors With Ties To Building Back Kratman In State Rep Race

TEWKSBURY, MA -- Engineers, electrical equipment suppliers, construction executives and other people with ties to development contributed more than $7,000 to Tewksbury Selectman Mark Kratman for his run for the 19th Middlesex District seat representing Tewksbury and Wilmington in the state House of Representatives. Kratman also received $1,000 from labor unions tied to the building industry , according to campaign finance reports candidates had to file with the state on Monday.

Among the donors were Micahel Saccone, owner of Tewksbury-based MDR Construction, and his wife, Constance, who each contributed $1,000 to Kratman, and Maureen DiPalma of Tewksbury-based L J DiPalma Inc., who also gave Kratman's campaign $1,000. The Laborers International Local 1421 of Tewksbury and Teamsters Local 25 of Boston, which has formally endorsed Kratman, each donated $500 to Kratman's campaign.

"It's not a shock. When I ran one of the things I told everybody was that I was going to work on infrastructure improvements," he said. "Businesses understand that -- you have to improve infrastructure for businesses to survive."

During last week's debate of the four candidates running in Tuesday's Democratic primary, Kratman called for intersection and other infrastructure improvements along Route 38, the main byway through the two towns, and called for more affordable senior housing.

Kratman said the backing from several organized labor groups stems from his role as senior vice president of his union, SEIU Rage Local 368. "I'm proud of that" support, he said, noting that other candidates in the race had also tried to get union endorsements and assistance on their campaigns.

Kratman wasn't the only candidate to receive donations from people tied to businesses that would potentially benefit from more development in Tewksbury. Two architects -- Paul Davies of Westford and John Sullivan of Lowell -- each gave $500 to former Wilmington Selectman Judy O'Connell. O'Connell also received $300 from Wilmington contractor James Newhouse. O'Connell, a a realtor, also received contributions from donors that work in real estate.

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Patch file photo via Shutterstock.

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