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Familiarity brings re-election for incumbentNyman wins fifth term taking 63% of vote over young challenger ROCKLAND - In the end, the voters still wanted Robert Nyman, a name and a face they know. Despite overwhelming support for Republican gubernatorial candidate Kerry Healey in Hanover and Norwell, voters picked their Democratic state representative to return to office. Nyman, a four-term incumbent, defeated 21-year-old Republican challenger Timothy Gillespie Jr. The two were competing to represent the Plymouth 5th District, which includes Hanover, Norwell and Rockland, Nyman took 63 percent of the vote, winning 10,818-6,233. “It was a vote for experience, a vote for maturity, and I’m pleased with that,” he said. “It was a tremendous vote of confidence for me.” Celebrating his victory at the Rockland Eagles hall, Nyman said he won because people know him and like him. “I’m around all of the time,” he said. “I don’t show up every two years when there’s an election.” Nyman said he has kept a 2004 e-mail to Gillespie in his coat pocket throughout the campaign. In the message, Nyman replied to a Gillespie request, offering him an internship. Last night, at the end of a campaign against him filled with criticism, Nyman said he is not sure if he’d repeat the favor. “I think I’d have to think about that one,” he said. “To me, trust and loyalty are key in this business.” Gillespie, a college student, said he tried his best to share his message with the voters. “Maybe it wasn’t the year to run as a Republican,” Gillespie said. “Maybe it was my age. Maybe it was my experience.” Andrew Lightman may be reached at alightman@ledger.com.
Candidates have similar war chests as race nears finishThe Patriot Ledger / Nov. 2, 2006 Both candidates for state representative in the 5th Plymouth District had almost the same amount of money to spend going into the last few weeks of the campaign. Incumbent Robert J. Nyman had $6,387 as of Oct. 20, while his Republican challenger, Timothy Gillespie, had $6,953. The Democratic State Committee kicked in $3,000 for Nyman. Trying to unseat the four-term legislator is Gillespie, a sophomore at Suffolk University. Both men are from Hanover. The 5th Plymouth District consists of Hanover, Norwell and Rockland. The following people and organizations donated $100 or more to the candidates’ between Sept. 2 and and Oct. 20: NYMAN $3,000 - Democratic State Committee, Quincy. $500 - Beer Distributors Political Action Committee, Boston; Plymouth County Democratic League, Wareham. $250 - Robert Biggins, Hanson. $200 - Robert Brugnoli, Hanover; Michael Costello, Newburyport; Massachusetts Nurses Political Action Committee, Canton. $199 - William Chan, Newton. $150 - Stephen Prada, Hanover. $100 - Mary Barry, Hanover; Maryann Brink, Hanover; William Chiasson, Hanover; Robert Coulstring, Hanover; Gerald Culhane, Braintree; James DiGravio, Hanover; Gerard Finnerty, Hanover; Fire Chiefs Association of Massachusetts, Medfield; Anne Fitzgerald, Hanover; David Flynn, Hanover; Laurence Gogarty, Norwell; Thomas Hayes, Hanover; James Hunt, Hanover; Roger Leslie, Hanover; Joseph McDonough, Scituate; Professional Firefighters of Massachusetts, Boston; Joan Pusateri, Abington; Jean Sheridan, Hingham; Dominic Tedeschi, Norwell. GILLESPIE $500 - George Massey, Boston; M. Holt Massey, Boston. $250 - William McDonough, Westwood; Horace Sylvester, Hingham; Cohasset Republican Town Committee, Cohasset; Hanover Republican Town Committee, Hanover. $200 - Michael Gillis, Westwood; Michael Gillis, Westwood. $125 - Michael Zupkofska, Rockland. $100 - Frank Delprete, Rockland; Donna Hoadley, Hanover; Doris Lewald, Hanover; John Monahan, Hanover; Anthony Quaquier, Rockland; Stephen Richardson, Hanover; Nancy Tartol, Hingham; Rockland Republican Town Committee, Rockland.
Nyman, Gillespie square off in radio debate MARSHFIELD - The incumbent, state Rep. Robert Nyman, D-Hanover, wants voters to look at his eight-year record on Beacon Hill. His Republican challenger, Timothy Gillespie Jr., said the 5th Plymouth District would do better with his youth and enthusiasm. The two are competing to represent the the towns of Norwell, Hanover and Rockland. In a debate on WATD radio last night, Gillespie blasted Nyman for supporting a tax-and-spend culture on Beacon Hill while allowing local schools and roads to fall into disrepair. Occasionally speaking from prepared notes, Gillespie, who lives with his parents in Hanover and commutes to Suffolk University, portrayed Nyman as an ineffective legislator who is out of touch with the voters. “When our basic infrastructure is crumbling, there is something going wrong,” Gillespie said Nyman was most critical of the 21-year-old Gillespie’s lack of political experience. “It’s not a position that you can just walk off the street and do,” the 46-year-old Nyman said. “You need experience.” Nyman said he has fought for Route 53 road improvements, supported public building projects in the district, and voted for stem-cell research and economic-stimulus bills that helped local businesses, such as a Serono laboratory in Rockland. “If we didn’t fund the stem-cell research bill, we would have lost a lot of those businesses to California and to other places,” Nyman said. “It not only kept jobs here, it is also going to help people down the road.” Nyman also said he will vote to lower the state income-tax rate to 5 percent once state revenues fully recover from their post-Sept. 11 decline. Gillespie said the tax rollback, ordered by voters in 2000, should happen without further delay. “Massachusetts does not have a revenue problem,” Gillespie said. “It has a spending problem, and Mr. Nyman, you are a part of that problem.” Gillespie said he would make business growth his top priority. Nyman, he said, is part of “the most anti-jobs Legislature” - one that has driven businesses out of the state. Nyman thinks the economy is recovering well, thanks to tax incentives and job-training programs he supported. “When you have a governor go around bashing the state that he’s a CEO of, that isn’t good,” Nyman said. Nyman supports same-sex marriage and abortion rights and favors the death penalty. He also says he supports the rights of responsible gun owners. Gillespie is against same-sex marriage and abortion and in favor of the death penalty and gun control. The two agree that the state must help make housing more affordable. Gillespie said that can be accomplished with careful state spending, which would increase local aid and lower property taxes. Nyman said the state should invest more in first-time home-buyer programs, which offer low-interest loans, and look for new ways to make the state more affordable. “I have two teenage daughters. They’re going to college soon and hopefully will stay in the area when they graduate,” he said. “I shudder to think what the price of housing will be when they start looking.” Andrew Lightman may be reached at alightman@ledger.com.
Nyman running on his record; challenger cites ‘youth, vitality’The Patriot Ledger / Oct. 10, 2006
Rep. Robert Nyman, D-Hanover, is hoping that his eight years on Beacon Hill will convince voters in the 5th Plymouth District to vote for him rather than his 21-year-old Republican challenger, Timothy Gillespie Jr. Gillespie, also a Hanover resident, is a student at Suffolk University and plans to start law school at Suffolk next year. He believes balance is what leads to government efficiency. He said he would bring more money back to the district by reducing legislative waste and pet projects. “Massachusetts doesn’t have a revenue problem, it has a spending problem,” Gillespie said. “We need the income tax rolled back. The district voted overwhelmingly for it, but Rep. Nyman keeps pushing it back. Is there even something such as the will of the people anymore?” Nyman said he appreciates his opponent’s energy and enthusiasm but stands by his record of accomplishment. “I’m going to run on my record of the past eight years serving the people of Hanover, Norwell and Rockland,” he said. “The job of state representative is a serious one, and I think experience is an important thing.” Asked about the more notable accomplishments in his most recent term, Nyman cites his efforts to get state reimbursement for school renovations in Hanover and Norwell and state money for a Hanover senior center and the Rockland Community Center. Gillespie recognizes that he is young and that balancing school with legislative work would be a challenge, but he said his grade-point average has actually gone up as he has campaigned - an effort that has included knocking on more than 3,000 doors. “We need youth, vitality and energy to represent the interest of the people,” he said. “The district is very diverse, but what it comes down to is understanding the issues of the commonwealth.” Kristen Walsh may be reached at KRWalsh@ledger.com.
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