The Line-Up
By Josh Resnek
Here’s the Election Day line-up and some handicapping.
For City Council in Ward One I am predicting unequivocally that Fred Capone is going to be a big winner.
Obviously, he can’t do anything but win as the longtime councilor with aspirations for the future is running unopposed!
Ward Two pits former councilor Jason Marcus, who has been out of office for five years, in a last hurrah type of comeback effort against Stephanie Martins.
Martins has worked long and hard on this campaign and is looking for a win.
Marcus, too, has been stumping all over the city in an effort to come back home again to the council.
Ward Three empresario Anthony DiPierro, one of the busiest young men doing the mayor’s bidding in this city is a guarantee to win, I am predicting. He, too, is running unopposed.
Ward Four should be won by newcomer Jimmy Le, the real estate guy who is on the ballot by himself.
However, Le has a write-in candidate running against him.
Write ins are tough elections to win. I predict Le becomes the councilor.
Ward Five councilor Rosa DiFlorio is facing Vivian Thuc Nguyen
who has made a race out of the contest in recent weeks.
Whether or not Nguyen can unseat DiFlorio is problematic as Di Florio has been around for a long while, has name recognition and therefor has a big edge over Nguyen.
Ward Six Mike McLaughlin versus Al Lattanzi, well, if everything is equal, this is a closer race than most know it alls are speculating about. Nothing will surprise me in this race.
Whatever the outcome is, I won’t be surprised.
The School Committee this time around may be changing just a bit. At-large candidates Millie Cardello, Cynthia Sarnie and David Lindsey, Jr. are making it tough for newcomers to crack the at-large division on the school committee.
Name recognition is almost everything in this type of race citywide.
Look for Ward One Alan Panarese to likely subdue his opponent Edgar Ruiz.
Joseph LaMonica should best Thomas Messina, Jr. in Ward Two.
In Ward Three Longtime School Committeeman Frank Parker is facing a real candidate for the first time in quite a while.
Robert Santacroce has run a very vigorous, highly public media campaign that should have its effect.
Parker has run his basic campaign and is relying on his name recognition and reputation.
Can Santacroce best the longtime school committeeman?
Ward Four’s David Ela, Jr. is a spit and polish kind of guy. He pays attention to details. He has a strong place on the school committee and has held it for years.
Can Dana Murray beat him?
Very difficult thing to do.
Ward Five School Committeeman Marcony Almeida Barros is as smart and highly respected as they come in this city.
This is not your average Everett politician – and his vote total should reveal this. He is running unopposed.
Ward Six School Committee chair and chair of the superintendent selection committee Thomas Abruzzese is facing John Mavilio, Jr. Abruzzese has strong name recognition, large family with lots of friends who vote here, and as chair of the school committee he wields a heavy gavel with influence and the perception of power.
Mavilio has not waged a vigorous campaign.
That should tell you everything you need to know about this race.
What might change?
If Gerly Adrien, Jerry Le and Stephanie Martins are elected to the council, it is an almost brand new council to look upon whether you watch the council on cable tv or you are the mayor trying to arrange the next vote in your favor.
Adrien’s election will be a game changer if it happens.
The big question remains, who does she push off the council if she wins a seat?
Does she push off Richie Dell Isola or Peter Napolitano?
Adrien is unlikely to push out John Hanlon or Mike Marchese.
She certainly won’t be bumping Wayne Matewsky, who should top the ticket in lighter than usual balloting citywide.
There are more than a few folks predicting Adrien’s finish could be startling and that if life is set to change around here politically, it is she that tops the ticket.
Who knows?
No one, not until the votes are counted on Election Night – and the Leader Herald will be there and on Wednesday, the results will be announced on our front page as well as out website and Facebook.
Thanks for the audience.