by Josh Resnek
Those of us who know local businessman and possible political candidate Greg Antonelli understand this: he is driven; he is successful; he is entrepreneurial; he is clearly a cut above your average Everett candidate seeking office for the first time.
Antonelli doesn’t have it over veterans of the city’s political wars because he’s never put his name on the ballot.
That is and will be his defining moment – if he places his name on the ballot.
He has until July 19 to do this. Will he do it or not?
Many of those who know him say he will not do it.
Others claiming to have an insider’s vantage point into the working of his mind say he is ready to jump into the frying pan.
The article that appeared in last week’s Leader Herald has played well on our website and on our Facebook page.
During the first 24 hours on our Facebook page more than 500 viewers logged on to the piece – a good sign for Antonelli.
This shows his name excites some interest among the Everett voting base, many of whom search our site daily.
There were also, so far, ten comments, nearly all of them favorable, another positive sign that if he should run, he may have a clear road to an at-large seat in a crowded field.
Antonelli has told the Leader Herald if he runs, he will treat the campaign like a construction job, by meticulously carrying out everything that must be done to end up victorious on election night.
Construction jobs require coordination, cash, technical knowhow and how to get over the proverbial bumps in the proverbial road.
Antonelli certainly has all these skills. He is adept at what he does. But can he beat out Councilor at Large Wayne Matewsky to top the ticket? Unlikely but not impossible.
Even more simply, can he beat out the lower scoring at- large candidates to capture a seat?
Antonelli says he will run a campaign like no other, leaving no detail to perfection out of the scheme he has in his mind to score a victory.
“I am almost ready to pull my papers,” he told the Leader Herald Tuesday.
“Above all, I believe I would bring a new, exciting, ambitious voice to the council.”
Whether or not he can do this remains a mystery – that is – until he pulls his papers and gets running.
Then we will all witness exactly what happens with his candidacy.