Imagine a U.S. Rep from Somerset [PHIL-OSOPHY]
A Newton City Councilor and Marine veteran, Jake Auchincloss, is the fifth candidate running to succeed U.S. Rep. Joseph Kennedy, who is challenging U.S. Senator Edward Markey. He joins a Democratic field that includes candidates from Newton and Brookline, exclusively.
State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg, another Brookline Democrat, had been preparing a congressional campaign but recently decided against it. It's hard not to notice the obvious; all of the candidates come from "up there."
While the 4th Southeastern Massachusetts district stretches down through the working-class cities of Fall River and Taunton, all the candidates seem to have affluent next to their names. Is this what they mean by class warfare?
I'd love to see a U.S. rep hail from the SouthCoast. Take Pat Haddad from Somerset, for instance. She has better qualifications than many of the folks from Brookline and Newton. Haddad has served in the State House for nearly 20 years. She's the chamber's speaker pro tempore, and as a former school teacher, she can identify with blue-collar workers.
I remember reading that she wouldn't dismiss running but at the time wasn't ready to jump in with both feet.
In the meantime, crickets from my Republican friends.
Phil Paleologos is the host of The Phil Paleologos Show on 1420 WBSM New Bedford. He can be heard weekdays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Contact him at phil@wbsm.com and follow him on Twitter @PhilPaleologos. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.