Tomorrow is Election Day for the primary races in Massachusetts. Given that this is more or less a one-party state, that means the likelihood that primaries are the de facto elections. In Boston, there’s really only one race that’s up for grabs: the Suffolk County sheriff. Neither candidate - current appointee Andrea Cabral or challenger Steve Murphy - are without blemish. This in fact, may be the choice between the semi-corrupt and the semi-ridiculous. But I’ll be casting my lot with Cabral, for many of the reasons that Adam at Boston Common lists:
On the one hand, the current Suffolk County sheriff has actual experience with the criminal system - she was an assistant district attorney and has been running the jail for 18 months or so now.
On the other hand, she’s done some stupid things - and refuses to admit they’re stupid. For example: Trying to use government money for blatant political advertising in the weeks before the election.
On the third hand, we have her opponent, Steven Murphy. He’s a Boston city councillor with no criminal experience whatsoever and no real experience as a manager. He seems to expect to have the job handed to him and has refused to meet with Democratic groups or newspapers he thinks are out to get him.
And this Globe article shows he’s also willing to play fast and loose with government money, in this case, handing out large Publishers’ Clearinghouse-like checks to city officials in Revere, Winthrop and Chelsea (which are also part of Suffolk County), even though the checks are actually worthless and he had nothing to do with the grants the checks supposedly represent.
In addition to Cabral’s experience, I’d probably add that, having seen them debate, I trust someone who speaks in specifics rather than the glittering generalities that Murphy does. And the city councellor should know that sheriff post is not Police Commissioner, yet he constantly attacks Cabral for the city’s crime problems.
Like I say, other city races are pretty quiet, but if you’re in Somerville or a further suburb, do check on your State Rep’s position on the gay marriage issue. The next few elections will be crucial in the outcome of next years’ constitutional conventions. Freedom to Marry coalition has a list of endorsements.
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