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District includes: Abington, East Bridgewater and Whitman |
Allen J. McCarthy
Democrat, East Bridgewater |
R. Andrew Burbine
Republican, Abington |
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AGE: 36
ADDRESS: 10 Rolling Hills Drive, East Bridgewater
OCCUPATION: Trial attorney; former assistant district attorney.
EDUCATION: East Bridgewater public schools; Boston College; Boston College Law School.
MUNICIPAL EXPERIENCE: None
CIVIC ACTIVITIES: Legal counsel to the Student Transportation Association of Massachusetts
FAMILY: Wife, Diane; two children, Abigail and Stephanie.
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AGE: 46
ADDRESS: 30 Lantern Lane, Abington
OCCUPATION: Attorney in private practice in Holbrook.
EDUCATION: Abington High School; Suffolk University; Suffolk University Law School
MUNICIPAL EXPERIENCE: Abington town moderator, seven years; Abington Finance Committee, two years; Abington School Committee, six years; Abington Charter Review Committee, two years; Abington Bylaw Review Committee, two years; Massasoit Community College Board of Trustees, eight years.
CIVIC ACTIVITIES: Coach for Abington Youth Basketball, Abington Youth Soccer and Abington Youth Baseball; Abington Lions Club.
FAMILY: Wife, Carolyn;
two children, Jonathan, 9, Matthew, 8. |
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Whitman gave edge to McCarthy
By DIANA SCHOBERG
The Patriot Ledger / Nov. 8, 2006
Democrat Allen J. McCarthy beat Republican R. Andrew Burbine for one of the only two open seats on the South Shore, pulling a 500-vote victory to win a representative seat in the 7th Plymouth District.
McCarthy gained 52 percent of the vote in the district’s towns of Abington, Whitman and East Bridgewater to post the win over Burbine’s 48 percent.
“I’m feeling great,” he said last night, as supporters congratulated him and his campaign staff. “We knew it was going to be a tight race.”
McCarthy posted a win by a margin of about 1,400 votes in his hometown of East Bridgewater. Burbine did the same in his native Abington, carrying that town by a margin of about 1,300 votes. That left the town of Whitman to decide the race, and it supported McCarthy by a margin of about 400 votes.
Burbine, 46, an attorney from Abington, could not be reached last night for comment.
Asked what might have made the difference, McCarthy said he thought it was his focus on local aid.
McCarthy and Burbine were at odds throughout the campaign over a state income tax rollback, with McCarthy in favor of waiting to reduce the tax to 5 percent until a “responsible plan” was in place.
“The message we had in our campaign about protecting local aid and core services in the district; that’s the job of the state rep.,” he said.
McCarthy said he was proud of the type of campaign that he ran, and commended Burbine on the same.
Both candidates had made a point of keeping focused on the issues rather than letting them get mired in the attacks that marred the race for governor.
McCarthy, 36, is a trial attorney and a former assistant district attorney in Middlesex County. He and his wife Diane, a teacher in the East Bridgewater Public Schools, have two daughters.
McCarthy was aided on the campaign by Democrat Kathy Teahan, who was leaving the 7th Plymouth seat after 10 years in office.
“Kathy’s been great,” McCarthy said. “She endorsed me early on in the race. More important was the hard work she put into the campaign. People in the district had so much respect for her, I’m sure it had an impact on my campaign.”
While this was McCarthy’s first run for office, he’s no stranger to politics. His father, Robert McCarthy, was a state representative and senator for the district in the 1970s.
“It was emotional; he’s the person I respect most,” he said of following in his father’s footsteps. “To have him work so hard on my campaign ... it’s quite an honor.”
Diana Schoberg may be reached at dschoberg@ledger.com.
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Monetarily speaking, this contest couldn’t be a whole lot closer
The Patriot Ledger / Nov. 2, 2006
Democrat Allen J. McCarthy still has the money edge in the race to succeed Kathleen M. Teahan as the 7th Plymouth District’s state representative, but Republican Andrew Burbine isn’t far behind.
Between Sept. 2 and Oct. 20, McCarthy, of East Bridgewater, spent $13,099 to Burbine’s $8,448.
Burbine, of Abington, had $10,058 left to spend in the final weeks of the race. McCarthy had $13,347.
The 7th Plymouth District consists of Abington, Whitman and East Bridgewater.
The following people and organizations donated $100 or more to the candidates’ campaigns between Sept. 2 and Oct. 20:
McCARTHY
$500 - Abington Democratic Town Committee, Abington; Bridge - Structural Iron Workers Union Local 7, Boston; Cope UMass Faculty Federation, Westport; East Bridgewater Democratic Town Committee, East Bridgewater; I.B.E.W. Local Union 223, Lakeville; I.B.E.W, Local 103, Dorchester; Massachusetts Laborers District Council, Hopkinton; Plymouth County Democratic League,; Whitman Democratic Town Committee, Whitman.
$400 - Thomas Kennedy, Brockton.
$300 - I.B.E.W. C.O.P.E. Massachusetts, Washington, D.C.; Kathleen Repice, Abington.
$250 - Diane Lincoln, Royalston; Plumbers Union Local 12 Political Action Committee Fund, Dorchester; Michael Power, East Bridgewater; David Strong, Mount Tom; United Food And Commercial Workers Union Local 791, Easton; United Food And Commercial Workers Union Local 328, Providence, R.I..
$200 - Rosemary McCarthy, Washington, D.C.; Shawn Reilly, Abington; Rosalie Rodick, Whitman; Kimberly Salisbury, East Bridgewater; Timothy White, Hingham.
$150 - Arthur Connelly, Plymouth; Yvonne Evans, Whitman; Russell Pollock, Sherborn.
$100 - James Cantwell, Marshfield; Deborah Cirelli, East Bridgewater; James Coffey, East Bridgewater; Committee to Elect Geri Creedon, Brockton; Committee to Elect Robert McCarthy, East Bridgewater; Committee to Elect Robert S. Creedon Jr., Brockton; Colleen Egan, Whitman; Joanne Erickson, East Bridgewater; Norma Fenochietti, Marshfield; Friends of Joe Driscoll, Braintree; Michele Hayes, Whitman; William Kane, Abington; Carl Kowalski, Whitman; Robert Luddy, Whitman; Judith Lyons, Whitman; Richard Mackinnon, East Bridgewater; Richard Mackinnon, Whitman; Patricia McCarthy, Whitman; Shannon O’Brien, Whitman; Nancy Payton, Whitman; Kathryn Rosen, Whitman; Kurt Saltmarsh, Whitman; Florence Sexton, East Bridgewater; Susan Sullivan, Boston; Tom Kennedy Committee, Brockton; Jeffrey Welch, Abington.
BURBINE
$500 - Carol and Tom Breuer, Winchester; Darrell and Nancy Crate, Beverly; Scott Fitzgibbon, Belmont; Edward Gee, Natick; Raymond Ruddy, Dover; Thomas and Madelyn Shields, Beverley Farms.
$300 - East Bridgewater Republican Town Committee, East Bridgewater; Walter Weld, Dover.
$250 - James and Lisa Cashman, Abington; Michael Thomas, Abington.
$220 - James Sacchetti, Bridgewater.
$200- Ruth Brady, Charleston, S.C.; Gregory Gaudette, Las Lunas, N.M.
$150 - Christine and Robert Kenney, Hanover; Whitman Republican Town Committee, Whitman.
$120 - Joseph and Patricia Jackman, Abington; Stephen Palombi, Dedham.
$100- Robert and Barbara Alexander, East Bridgewater; John Burke, Weymouth; Mark Burns, Abington; Mark and Cheryl Burns, Abington; John Cruz, West Bridgewater; Kelly-Anne Defao, Canton; Alice Heenan, Rockland; Rodney and Allene Henrikson, Abington; Bruce and Lori Hinman, Charleston, N.C.; Lori Hinman, Arlington, Va.; Rita and Nishan Ketchejian, Brockton; James Morgan, Marblehead; Maureen Morgan, Marblehead; Keneth Shine, Duxbury; Nancy and Kenneth Shine, Duxbury; Francis Sullivan, East Bridgewater; The Rogeness Committee, Longmeadow; Ronald Whitney, Whitman.
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Candidates at odds
on state income tax rollback
By DENNIS TATZ
The Patriot Ledger / Oct. 31, 2006
MARSHFIELD - In their final debate before next Tuesday’s election, Republican R. Andrew Burbine and Democrat Allen J. McCarthy continued their friendly sparring about why each should be sent to the State House to represent the 7th Plymouth District.
Both candidates said they were more interested in talking about the issues than have their campaigns engulfed in the negativity that has touched the gubernatorial race.
Burbine, 46, of Abington and McCarthy, 36, of East Bridgewater said voters are telling them that local aid and education are issues that concern them most.
“I can deliver the message of funding for schools and local aid so towns can do long range planning,” Burbine said.
McCarthy’s campaign carries a similar message.
“I will be fighting for your needs,” McCarthy told voters listening to the debate on radio station WATD.
The winner will replace Democrat Kathleen Teahan of Whitman, who chose not to run for re-election after serving five terms. Teahan has endorsed McCarthy.
The district includes Abington, East Bridgewater and Whitman.
Burbine and McCarthy are at odds over a rollback of the state income tax to 5 percent.
Burbine said lawmakers continue to ignore a budget surplus and the fact that a majority of voters support the rollback.
“The funds are there,” Burbine said. “The people deserve it.”
But McCarthy said he could see the rollback hurting towns and now wasn’t the time to be thinking about it.
The two candidates, both attorneys, also disagree on a voter referendum defining marriage and abortion.
Burbine believes voters should have a chance to decide the marriage issue while McCarthy insists it would amount to writing discrimination into the state constitution.
When it comes to abortion, Burbine is pro-life. McCarthy supports a woman’s right to choose.
Both candidates said they would vote no on the ballot question asking voters if grocery stores and supermarkets should be allowed to sell wine.
Burbine said voters should consider his experience in municipal government that has included stints on the school and finance committees in Abington and on the board of trustees at Massasoit Community College in Brockton.
McCarthy, a former Middlesex County prosecutor, said his work had put him in touch with local officials and state agencies so he had an insight on the issues facing the district.
Dennis Tatz may be reached at dtatz@ledger.com.
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Debate civil as candidates
try to distinguish themselves
By DIANA SCHOBERG
The Patriot Ledger
/ Oct. 27, 2006
WHITMAN - Candidates for the open seat in the 7th Plymouth District spent last night trying to distinguish their views on the issues. But when asked to name one thing that distinguishes them from their opponent, neither would answer.
Republican R. Andrew Burbine and Democrat Allen J. McCarthy have stressed that they’re trying to keep the campaign for the seat that Kathy Teahan is vacating positive, and it was illustrated by the respectful tone of the debate at Whitman Town Hall.
“I don’t want to tell you why Allen wouldn’t (do a good job),” Burbine said. “I want to tell you why I would.”
The two did draw distinctions on their positions on issues such as a proposed amendment defining marriage, stem cell research, abortion and a state income tax rollback.
Burbine, 46, of Abington, was in favor of allowing a voter referendum on marriage to move forward, while McCarthy was against it.
“I think this is something the people of this commonwealth need to decide,” Burbine said. “It will resolve this issue one way or another.”
McCarthy said that he was opposed to writing discrimination into the state constitution. He said that voter referendums are a powerful tool but “are not, cannot and should not be an absolute power.”
Burbine is pro-life and opposes embryonic stem cell research. McCarthy supports a woman’s right to choose and favors embryonic stem cell research, saying he’d be in favor of funding it with taxpayer dollars.
Perhaps one of the bigger issues for voters is the two candidates’ views on the income tax rollback.
McCarthy, 36, of East Bridgewater, said he favors a rollback once the state has a “responsible plan in place.”
He said that as state representative, his responsibility first and foremost is to protect core services in the district.
To that, Burbine responded that he thinks his utmost responsibility would be respecting the will of the people and rolling back taxes immediately, and said it could help spur economic growth in the state.
The two sparred over how much of a budget surplus is actually available and how rolling back taxes might impact it.
Both said they oppose giving in-state tuition and driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants, with McCarthy’s view running contrary to that of Democratic candidate for governor Deval Patrick.
McCarthy said he believes the federal government needs to straighten out the immigration situation before the state could begin to take those steps.
“I do disagree with Deval Patrick on this,” he said.
Both candidates were in favor of getting more counseling and education built into Melanie’s Law. Neither said they favor dropping the legal blood alcohol limit for drunken driving down to 0.02 percent, which was proposed in prior versions of the legislation.
Neither candidate supported an effort to allow police to pull over drivers for not wearing a seat belt without having some other violation, too.
“It’s a bit too much of an infringement on someone’s rights,” Burbine said.
Both candidates are lawyers, and said they’d continue with their law practice on the side while dedicating themselves full time to the job of state representative.
Burbine has held several municipal offices in Abington, including six years on the school committee and four years on the finance committee.
McCarthy spent several years as an assistant district attorney in Middlesex County. He moved back into the district to raise his family.
Diana Schoberg may be reached at dschoberg@ledger.com.
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2 with similar backgrounds
vie to replace Rep. Teahan
By DIANA SCHOBERG
The Patriot Ledger / Oct. 11, 2006
Two lawyers. Two graduates of local high schools. Two parents, each with two children.
The two candidates vying for state Rep. Kathleen Teahan’s seat in the 7th Plymouth District have similar biographies - it will be their stand on the issues that will distinguish them in the election campaign.
Democrat Teahan, who was called “the nicest person on Beacon Hill” by a government watchdog group, is leaving the Legislature after 10 years in office.
Republican R. Andrew Burbine, 46, of Abington will face Democrat Allen J. McCarthy, 36, of East Bridgewater to try to take her place.
Burbine ran against Teahan in 2002 and received close to 40 percent of the vote against the incumbent.
He said the issues facing the district - made up of Abington, East Bridgewater and Whitman - are the same now as they were back then.
Burbine is in favor of rolling back the state income tax from 5.3 percent to 5 percent, saying legislators have refused to implement the will of the people since a majority of voters approved the rollback in 2000.
“It will help the taxpayer, and it will help the economy, too,” he said.
Their position on the income tax issue is probably the sharpest distinction between the two candidates so far in the campaign, with McCarthy saying he’d wait until more plans for funding were made.
“I don’t think we should immediately roll back the income tax,” he said. “I am in favor, but when we can do it with a responsible plan in place.”
Burbine has held several municipal offices in Abington, including six years on the school committee and four years on the finance committee.
“Some people think I’m nuts,” he said. “I love it. I love public service.”
While this is McCarthy’s first run for office, he has been involved in politics his whole life. His father, Robert McCarthy, was a state representative and senator for the district in the 1970s.
“I saw firsthand what it takes,” the younger McCarthy said. “It’s something really in my blood. You have to have a passion for it. It’s very hectic, very demanding.”
Diana Schoberg may be reached at dschoberg@ledger.com.
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