High level of excitement for local pols
By JOSH RESNEK
A total of 43 candidates for public office are now certified by the Election Department and are ready to go.
With a major mayoral race between Gerly Adrien, Fred Capone and the mayor, the primary on September 21 will prove to be exciting, and in large part, with an outcome right now in question and unknown.
Early intensity has marked many races, and especially the mayor’s race.
The mayor has not been challenged with two candidates in a primary in 14 years of political life as mayor.
Former Councilor Robert Van Campen was the last to challenge the mayor some years back.
Van Campen ran a tepid campaign.
The mayor beat him convincingly.
Adrien and Capone present a different scenario for the mayor this time around.
All three candidates have been campaigning hard throughout June and July.
August is expected to be frenetic with campaigning between these three.
Each of the candidates has a large voter base. With expected desertions and vote splits, the primary should be close.
The mayor has repeatedly said he cannot be beaten, that he will be the mayor forever.
Those beliefs, it is thought, will be put to the test on September 21.
The council at-large race has 11 candidates.
This translates into a race with many vying for five seats, three held by entrenched and popular incumbents.
Incumbents John Hanlon, Mike Marchese, and Richard Dell Isola Jr. are running for re-election.
Two seats are available.
Adrien is vacating her seat.
Wayne Matewsky is vacating his seat. He will be running unopposed for a ward seat.
Geruline Alcy, Stephanie Smith, and Allen Panarese look to be solid candidates with name recognition and large personal followings.
James Mastrocloa, James LaVecchio Irene Cardillo, and Angelmarie DiNunzio round out the highly contested at-large race.
Matewsky in Ward 1 is getting a free ride.
Stephanie Martins in Ward 2 is also running unopposed. Ward 3 councilor Anthony DiPierro is being faced by
Darren Costa.
Ward 4 features the hard-to-beat Jimmy Tri Le.
Ward 5 could be a contest with Rosa DiFlorio being challenged by an aggressive
Vivian Nguyen.
Ward 6 offers up a classic confrontation between the mayor’s candidate Alfred Lattanzi, the well-known local businessman, and Ross Pietrantonio, a much younger man, also a well-known EHS assistant football coach and former EHS football star from a large and respected family.
This is a real battle.
With the mayor trying to pack the School Committee with a slate in order to remove Superintendent Priya Tahiliani, it appears there will be several vigorous campaigns.
The at-large contest appears to be evenly divided between seven well-known and recognizable candidates, including incumbents Cynthia Sarnie and Samantha Lambert.
Millie Cardello is running unopposed in Ward 1.
Longtime and well-known Everett politician Jason Marcus is facing first-timer, Caitlin Steinberg, in Ward 2.
In Ward 3, the popular Jeanne Cristiano, the city’s Veterans Agent, is facing Samantha Hurley.
The Ward 4 contest features incumbent Dana Murray versus Mike Mangan, the well-known clerk of the city council.
Ward 5 well-known and highly respected School Com- mitteeman Marcony Almeida Barros is running unopposed. In Ward 6, popular longtime School Committeeman Thomas Abruzzese, who is not aligned with the mayor, and who was key in bringing Superintendent Tahiliani to the
EPS, is facing Catherine Hicks and Mike McLaughlin. Hicks is very popular.
McLaughlin has a large following.
This is the race to watch.