It’s certainly been an interesting primary season here in western Massachusetts.
A lot of new candidates have emerged, injecting new ideas and energy into a political debate badly in need of it. And as wacky as some of those ideas may have seemed, their introduction has added a level of texture not often seen during primary campaigns.
But, save for some last minute stumping this weekend, the campaign is over. Tuesday we vote, so it’s time to start getting serious about what is really at stake in this election.
Perhaps at no time in our history has the western Massachusetts Beacon Hill delegation seen an exodus of talent, experience and seniority akin to what we are experiencing this year. The untimely death of Peter Kocot, the political implosion of Stan Rosenberg, and the retirements of Steve Kulik and John Scibak this year, as well as Ellen Story two years ago means we will have an entirely new crop of people advocating for our interests beginning in January
And because there is no Republican opposition to speak of, your vote Tuesday will decide who sits in those seats for at least the next two years — making this arguably the most significant primary election in our lifetime.
So who you vote for Tuesday is pretty important, and that’s where it gets tricky, because we’ve been hearing a lot of promises about plans to protect the environment, provide more funding for education while eliminating standardized testing and establishment of a single-payer health care system — all while promising to speak “truth to power” and change a Beacon Hill culture badly in need of it.
Sounds great, but it doesn’t jive with the reality a freshman representative or senator will face when stepping foot under the “golden dome.”
To understand this reality requires a willingness to grasp a few realities of state politics, the first being that we here in the west don’t have anything that Boston needs. A freshman rep. or senator has nothing really to offer the power brokers, except a vote here and there in a close debate, and how many of those are likely to occur in an overwhelmingly Democratic Legislature?
They need nothing from us, whereas we need everything from them, which is where this idea of speaking “truth to power” becomes potentially dangerous. Being passionate about issues is great, but when that passion manifests itself in a public showdown with a member of the leadership, it could land said rep on the back bench for two or three terms, hamstringing the district in the process.
The second unpleasant reality is the recognition that there are two separate and distinct constituencies to be served — the people who elected you, and the leadership that largely holds the keys to whatever success any rep. is likely to have.
The first is sacrosanct. No one gets anywhere without serving the people who put them in office, which is why strong constituent services is such a crucial part of the job. The second are the aforementioned power brokers, which in the House is the speaker, and in the Senate is the president.
Anyone who has had any degree of success in those jobs will tell you that establishing and maintaining a strong working relationship with the leadership is crucial. That’s why it bothers me when I hear certain candidates talking smack about current House Speaker Robert DeLeo on the campaign trail.
It may play well in front of people out here who don’t like the guy or suspect he is corrupt, but DeLeo’s still going to be holding that gavel when the House session begins in January, and you can bet he’s going to know exactly who the first year reps. are, and how they got there.
That brings me to the third, and perhaps most important, reality facing a new rep. or senator, which is the recognition that their job, first and foremost, is to bring as many state resources as possible back to this area. Improving health care, improving education and protecting the environment are all important issues that need to be addressed, but not at the expense of “bringing home the bacon,” which, in case you haven’t been paying attention, is something at which the people we endeavor to replace were especially well-skilled.
This is what I meant a while back when I wrote about the difference between an “activist” and a “representative.” We need representatives, and the good news is, there are a couple of candidates this year who fit the bill. Some are on the ballot, some will have to be written in, but if you look really closely, they won’t be hard to spot.
It’s time to do your homework one more time, people, because it’s likely that no primary votes you cast will ever be as important.
See you at the polls.
Chris Collins is a former staff reporter for the Recorder, and is a Greenfield native. Over the years he has continued to keep his eye on local politics from a variety of perches for different news outlets.