McGonagle v Marchese

The Only Political Race To Follow On Nov. 7

By Josh Resnek

The local rep race between incumbent Joe McGonagle and challenger Mike Marchese takes central stage as we approach election day.

It is the only contest between two well known local politicians, one, McGonagle, who is on a substantial winning streak, and the other, Marchese, who is trying to end McGonagle’s winning streak.

To this point in time, the campaign has been dominated by Marchese’s effort to power himself over McGonagle with his name recognition, his recent finish top ping the ticket on the city council where he is a councilor at large and with emphasizing with full page advertisements in the Leader Herald that he can’t be bought, doesn’t represent special interests and does not walk in a lock step with the mayor.

To date, McGonagle has not been highly visible.

He tends to do his business on the Hill, and to keep a low profile, which has been his recipe for success.

McGonagle signs are noted throughout the city, and it is expected his signage will be boosted in the next four weeks before the election.

Marchese has put up about 75 signs. He has been receiving calls for signs, he told the Leader Herald.

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McGonagle vs Marchese

The most interesting political race coming up in November, bar none, is Rep. Joe McGonagle versus Councilor at Large Mike Marchese.

Marchese is running as an Independent.

McGonagle is an incumbent Democrat.

McGonagle can be expected to do his thing, which has been the cause of his repeated success in the past three elections.
He has proven himself not unbeatable, but very hard to beat. Marchese will discover this as he goes about his business trying to undo McGonagle.

Marchese is on a bit of a high right now.

His public support for the former Pope John facility to be used as a school to reduce overcrowding has been roundly applauded by the new voices rising up here.

His topping of the ticket last time out is another reason for his rise in popularity.

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Fresh Off 600 Vote Victory, McGonagle Now Faces Councilor Mike Marchese

By Josh Resnek

Last week’s primary victory for Representative Joe McGonagle revealed he still has the winning magic with Everett voters.

He decisively defeated his opponent Guerline Alcy by more than 600 votes.

The citywide tally was 1,642-1,006.

In the final weekend of the campaign, McGonagle sent out a number of expensive citywide mailings that appear to have cemented his victory against Alcy.

Those expensive citywide mailings are a bone of contention for Councilor Mike Marchese, McGonagle’s opponent in the November finale.

“Where did he get that kind of money to make all those mailings?’ Marchese asked the Leader Herald.

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Pope John Apartments Put On Hold; School Use Demand Rises

By Josh Resnek

Mike Marchese at Pope John Saturday. (Photo by Joe Resnek)

The administration’s plan to give away an existing public school to developers and to rip down the former Pope John site and to use it as affordable housing at a time when the public schools are overcrowded by more than 1,000 students has been put on hold by the city council.

The city council Monday night showed its growing apprehension about turning Pope John into yet another apartment complex when the public schools are straining at the seams with nowhere to put students who need classrooms and desks.

The council appeared unified and adamant that the school crowding crisis far exceeds the affordable housing crisis in magnitude and importance at this moment in time.

All this, despite a warning from the mayor’s mouthpiece, Chief of Staff Erin Deveney, that the taxpayers would be made to pay the cost of repairs to the former Pope John site if it is used as a school.

Deveney offered no short term solution to relieve the overcrowding issue, rather, just her admonition that taxpayers would pay for the upgrades to make more space available.

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McGonagle, Alcy and Marchese Battling in Primary Next Week

By Josh Resnek

Rep. Joe McGonagle, the incumbent, is running hard against Guerline Alcy, the challenger.

Alcy is campaigning daily in a type of political dance these two have been performing for much of the summer.

However, there is a fly in the ointment this year in the local representative race.

That fly in the ointment is Councilor at Large Mike Marchese.

Marchese is running for representative as an independent.

Following balloting on September 6, Marchese will be opposing whomever wins the McGonagle-Alcy race.

In a city where politics is toxic as well as interesting, Marchese’s presence on the ballot

has some potential to alter the final outcome on September 6.

McGonagle has the power of incumbency in his corner – that – and the support of the mayor and what remains of his strongest backers.

McGonagle is also well liked and affable. McGonagle supporters are inclined to come out and to vote for their man on Beacon Hill, and they will come out to vote for him on Primary Day.

Alcy’s candidacy comes off a strong city-wide showing in last November’s election.

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