Sullivan enters race to become town’s first mayor: Former state rep. assembles campaign team

Sullivan

By RICK COLLINS
The Patriot Ledger

BRAINTREE - Ending more than a year of speculation, former state representative and state Lottery director Joseph C. Sullivan has announced he will run this fall to become Braintree’s first mayor.

Sullivan yesterday confirmed that he will run, sending out a press release that announced the creation of a campaign steering committee, as well as the date of his planned campaign kickoff, which is scheduled for May 17.

The lifelong Braintree resident said he would wait until then to comment formally about his decision to enter the race.

However, he did say he was proud of his campaign team, describing them as a ‘‘healthy cross-section of interests, experience and commitment throughout every corner of Braintree.’’

‘‘I’m very pleased with the people who have signed on and indicated their support,’’ Sullivan said. ‘‘This campaign is about Braintree and the historic opportunity that we have to get it right.’’

The 18-name list includes longtime friends and aides, including Peter Morin, who is chairman of the steering committee, former Selectman Joseph Hubbard, and Paul McConville, who was Sullivan’s chief of staff in the Legislature.

Whether Sullivan would enter the mayor’s race has been one of the most popular topics of discussion among Braintree’s politically wired.

While most assumed he would, others wondered if Sullivan would be tempted to forgo the headaches associated with becoming Braintree’s first chief executive and instead trade his years of government experience for a six-figure private-sector salary.

Sullivan’s entry now sets the stage for a political showdown with another longtime Braintree official, Selectman Joseph Powers, who has already announced his candidacy.

William O’Neill and Brian Muello have also expressed their desire to run for the seat.

Sullivan, who is married with two children, was a selectman for six years before unseating state Rep. Suzanne Bump in the 1992 Democratic primary.

In the Legislature, Sullivan rose to chairman of the influential Transportation Committee and in 2002 was hired by Treasurer Timothy Cahill to run the $4 billion state Lottery system.

Sullivan left the Lottery in January and has most recently been working with the South Shore Chamber of Commerce on regional transportation issues.

Rick Collins may be reached at rcollins@ledger.com .

Copyright 2007 The Patriot Ledger
Transmitted Tuesday, May 01, 2007