Often, the state primary election is considered a significant turning point for legislative races.
After all, these party-based contests determine who will be the party’s standard bearer for the general election, someone the party’s voters consider the best person to represent them in the Legislature, and they hope, most likely to win.
Imagine, then, the surprise among 2nd Franklin District residents of the North Quabbin region, to hear that Denise Andrews had decided — after the primary confirmed her as Democratic contender — to withdraw from the race for the state House of Representatives.
In a release announcing her decision to drop out, Andrews said, “I have made a very difficult decision to withdraw from this race and to accept a recently offered opportunity in the private sector; I believe this decision is best for my family and me.”
No one should fault Andrews for putting her family first. For an elected official, the long hours and demands of the job can be a grind on both the public servant and loved ones. We can only imagine the meals or other events missed because a lawmaker is taking care of the public’s business.
Andrews, however, knew all that and the commitment necessary when she decided to try reclaiming the 2nd District seat that she had held for two terms following her initial run in 2010. She knew the hours, the scrutiny and her opponent — Suzannah Whips Lee, whom she had faced twice before, including the loss in the 2014 general election.
We can fault Andrews on her timing, though. Dropping out of the race a few days after the primary leaves little time for the district’s Democrats to find another candidate to challenge Whipps Lee for the seat. Although not impossible to find someone to mount a write-in candidacy, Andrews’ decision essentially provides her Republican opponent with a victory.
And regardless of the job Whipps Lee has done as representative, a contested race is better for the district — providing voters with information as well as keeping the candidates on their toes.
To Whipps Lee’s credit, though, she says she’s not taking the results or the voters for granted. “Running for office and deciding what is best for you and your family are very personal decisions. I wish Denise the best of luck with her new job opportunity. My campaign for re-election is going to continue as planned. We will be working just as hard and taking no vote for granted from now through Election Day.”
Perhaps Andrews’ decision about the job offer couldn’t be delayed until after the election. Maybe this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that came at an awkward moment. It’s just too bad that voters are deprived of a choice at this late date.