Casey eyeing open seat on State Senate floor
Published on July 20th, 2005
For State Representative Paul Casey (D), answering the beckoning knock of opportunity birthed a wave of internal conflict.
Serving as Stoneham's State Representative at the 31st Middlesex District for over 15-years, Casey announced his candidacy for the 2nd Middlesex District's State Senate seat last June, a vacancy created with the untimely death of State Senator Charles Shannon, a 14-year veteran in the Somerville, Medford, Winchester, and Woburn based post.
"No, not at all," answered Casey, when asked if his decision was based on his growing tired with Stoneham. "One of the reasons I wasn't going to run is because Stoneham truly fits me like a glove."
"This is just such a unique opportunity that to turn it down would show a lack of desire for upward mobility, to better myself," the eight-term State House veteran explained. "It's almost a personal responsibility, to improve, and for me, I think [becoming State Senator] would allow me to help a lot more people."
According to Stoneham Selectman Cosmo Ciccarello, who wholeheartedly endorses Casey's candidacy, the personable red-headed representative would be foolish not to campaign for the seat.
Specifically, Ciccarello believes that with Casey's current State House seat secure with his recent re-election last November, he finds himself in a truly unique political position.
"This is a great move for him because he's not going to lose his house seat. He's got nothing to lose and everything to gain, and I support him 100 percent. Of course, he won't represent Stoneham in his new seat, but I honestly believe he'll always advocate for us," said the seven-term Selectman, whose tenure as a Stoneham politician has mirrored that of the State Representative.
Considered a long-shot for the seat in many political circles, Casey hopes that he can become the type of dark-horse candidate capable of shocking his doubters in the Democratic primary for the Senate seat this Aug. 30.
But with the densely populated urban district already familiar with the Winchester resident's opponents - including Somerville State Representative Pat Jehlen and Medford resident and former Governor's Council Michael Callahan - answering opportunity's knock has left Casey rapping on many doors of his own.
"Knocking on doors has been interesting, because I've found that it's not that much different than Stoneham. It's been wonderful, because people take you as you are. They're very outwardly engaged," the State Representative said of his now regular snaking, multi-mile trek through the neighborhoods of Medford and Somerville.
"Although it's a tiresome process, [going door to door] is one of the necessary things with campaigning, and what you learn will become the issues and concerns you're taking to the Senate," Casey explained. "You see the issues and getting the feel for the people you represent."
Acknowledging the sloping battle Casey will have to fight to win the Senate seat, Selectman Tony Kennedy - who also supports the eight-term veteran's candidacy - believes that the Winchester resident could pull it off.
Preparing for that possibility, Kennedy hopes that an able-bodied candidate will replace him in the State House, one who can advocate for Stoneham as well as Casey had during the past 15-years. Several names from both Stoneham and Winchester have already been bandied about as possible candidates.
"I respect his career path. I really do. He wants to advance, and I wish him very well. He's got to go for his dream," Kennedy remarked. "He's been around for gosh, 15-years or so, and he's certainly done a lot for Stoneham. And Stoneham would miss him very much."
Expressing little concerned with the State Representative's potential replacement, Ciccarello believes that Winchester and Stoneham - which constitute the 31st Middlesex District - are pretty evenly matched.
And as such, the Selectman believes Stoneham has a great chance of putting forth a native candidate who could capture the seat.
"It's going to be a tough fight for Paul. He's got Winchester, but going from a small town like a Stoneham or a Winchester to the likes of a Medford or Somerville is difficult to do," Ciccarello said.
"But hopefully he'll be able to. Stoneham and Winchester are about the same size, so someone from Stoneham could run for it and win."
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