PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray joined local Democrats on Monday to kick off the final leg of the 2010 campaign season.

Some 75 party members and officials were on hand to open the campaign office at 31 South St., just recently the headquarters for Tom Bowler's successful campaign for sheriff.

"We forged some tremendous and wonderful friendships - we hope everlasting friendships - we developed some fantastic partnerships working from this location," said Bowler. "We wish the coordinating campaign all the success on Nov. 2 that we did on Sept. 14."

The get-out-the-vote drive may have greater significance on the statewide level where recent polls have Gov. Deval Patrick and Republican challenger Charles Baker in a dead heat than at the local level.

In the heavily Democratic Berkshires, the 1st Berkshire District and county sheriff were decided primary night when no Republicans chose to run. Going into the general election, only Democratic nominee Paul Mark of Hancock has a GOP opponent, Michael Case of Washington; both Reps. Christopher Speranzo of the 3rd District and William "Smitty" Pignatelli in the 4th District will be vying against Green/Rainbow Party candidates Mark C. Miller and Scott Lee Laugenour, respectively.

Patrick, on the other hand, is working hard to fend off Baker, former head of Harvard Pilgrim; Murray's opponent is Richard Tisei, state Senate minority leader. Trailing behind are Treasurer Timothy Cahill, running as an independent, and Green-Rainbow candidate Jill Stein for governor and Stein's running mate Richard Purcell for lieutenant governor. (Cahill's running mate Paul Loscocco jumped ship last week.)

Murray reminded those present that he was selected by them, not the governor, but kept his sharpest comments for Patrick's opponent. Baker, a state budget secretary in the 1990s, is running on his fiscal acumen, but Murray dismissed his reputation, saying he raised insurance premiums 150 percent while at Harvard Pilgrim and pointed to his role in the state's modern symbol of waste and fraud.

"The architect of the Big Dig financing plan now wants to be your governor," he told the appreciative crowd.

U.S. Rep. John W. Olver, who is facing Republican Bill Gunn, was supposed to attend but had to cancel. Also missing was Attorney General Martha Coakley, who was in Lee that morning and at The Berkshire Eagle in the afternoon, and Suzanne Bump of Great Barrington, who's running for auditor.

Olver's campaign manager Debra Guachione stepped in to make a pitch for the entire Democratic ticket. "Only four years ago, we broke a 16-year chain of Republican leadership," she said of Patrick and Murray. "Those governors wanted to be in Mexico, Canada, Washington and New York — not Massachusetts."

Murray said Patrick had the perfect cover for the leaving the state during its worst years: "The president of the United States asked me serve."

"But he didn't. He didn't cut and run," the former Worcester mayor continued.

Downing, a former Olver staffer, said it was important to return the Amherst professor to office.

"We need him to continue to be our voice on Capitol Hill," said Downing. "When Democrats remain in power in 2010 and when we make sure the president's agenda isn't stalled by a party that just wants to say no to anything."

In addition to the candidates, the local party members attending included Mary K. O'Brien; Mayor James M. Ruberto, who gave a passionate plug for his friend Patrick; former North Adams Mayor John Barrett III, who has been a strong backer of his former mayoral colleague Murray; Daniel Bianchi; Sherwood Guernsey; and Pittsfield Councilors President Gerald Lee, Christine Yon and Melissa Mazzeo.

Field organizer Josh Hochberg said the vote drive would depend on "friend banks," to prevent people from being inundated with phone calls.

"Open up your cell phone, open up your address book and call your friends," he said.

Deval Patrick will be stumping in Adams on Monday evening, Aug. 8, for one of several campaign events planned across the state. Patrick, a Democrat, is running for re-election as governor.

The "On Our Side: Communities Connecting For Deval Patrick" campaign stop will be held at Forest Park Country Club beginning at 6 p.m.

The meet and greet is open to the public. The Adams Selectmen on Wednesday said they had been informed of the stop as a courtesy and made it clear that Patrick was visiting in his role as a candidate for re-election, not in his capacity as governor.

However, Chairman Michael Ouellette encouraged citizens to attend the event and ask questions of Patrick so to be informed for gubernatorial election.

In a statement on his campaign site, Patrick said: "Policy only matters at the point where it touches people. So, I look forward to the chance to talk with people about the progress we have made in education, health care and job creation, and the work we hope to finish in a second term. This is what grassroots campaigning is all about."

The Adams campaign is the second for the western end of the state and will complete a campaign swing that starts today in Hyannis, followed by Nantucket and Quincy. Patrick has also held a "community connection" in Springfield and in a number of eastern cities.

For more information, go to  devalpatrick.com.

Charlie Baker, the Republican candidate for governor, was in Hancock and Pittsfield on Thursday. He first visited Jiminy Peak Ski Resort and then had lunch at the Highland Restaurant.
 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The nonpartisan League of Women of Williamstown is sponsoring a public forum for the candidates running in the Democratic primary elections for the offices of the Sheriff of Berkshire County and State Representative from the Berkshire 1st District. 

The forum will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 17, from 7 to 9 p.m. on the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts campus, in the auditorium on the second floor of the Church Street Center. League President Anne Skinner will moderate. Each candidate will make opening and closing statements, and members of the audience will have the opportunity to ask questions.

According to the League, all of the campaigns have indicated that their candidates will be attending. The Democratic candidates for the office of sheriff are Daniel E. Bosley and Tom Bowler. The Democratic candidates for the office of Berkshire 1st District representative are David Bissaillon, Gailanne Cariddi and Edward MacDonald. (There are no Republican candidates for these offices).

WUPE/WNAW radio is also planning an on-air debate for the sheriff' candidates in early September that iBerkshires has agreed to participate in. More information will be released when the date and time as been confirmed.
 
The primary election will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 14. Because of the dearth of Republican and independent candidates for sheriff and the 1st district, the primary will essentially decide the winners for the two positions.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Candidate for sheriff Thomas N. Bowler will throw out the first pitch of the game between the Pittsfield Colonials and Quebec at Wahconah Park on Tuesday, July 27, to kick off a night out for campaign volunteers, supporters and anyone who loves the game of baseball.

General admission tickets will be reduced to $4, and box seats to $7 for the evening. This is not a fundraiser for the campaign. According to Bowler, the night out at Wahconah Park is an opportunity for everyone in the area to bring family and friends to the renovated Wahconah Park to enjoy professional baseball. The game begins at 7 p.m.

Bowler is the former captain of the varsity baseball team at Taconic High School. He also played varsity baseball at American International College in Springfield for four years, where he also served as team captain. As an adult, he has helped coach his children's teams.

"As a campaign, we decided we needed a night off and there's nothing better on a summer evening in the Berkshires than baseball," Bowler said. "I'm hoping that all of our volunteers and supporters and everyone who hasn't yet had a chance to see the Pittsfield Colonials play will join us at the park."

Tickets are available at Bowler's Pittsfield campaign office on Park Square and his North Adams campaign office on Eagle Street. Tickets for the reduced prices can also be obtained at the Pittsfield Colonial's office at 2 South St. and at the gate on July 27.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Flanked by state troopers, sheriff candidate Daniel E. Bosley stood outside the Berkshire Juvenile Resource Center on Thursday afternoon to announce that he'd received the endorsement of the State Police Association of Massachusetts.

"I sent very few letters out looking for endorsements but one of the ones that I did send out was to the state police association," said Bosley, who added his experiences with the state police goes back 23 years when he was serving on a criminal justice training council for the Legislature. "We've had a good working relationship."

SPAM, as it's known, represents nearly 2,000 troopers and sergeants across the state; the Commissioned Officers Association of Massachusetts represents those the rank of lieutenant and above. The association's 15-member Executive Committee voted on the endorsement several weeks ago but the announcement was delayed in part by accidents that caused the tragic death of one trooper and injuries to two others in less than two weeks.

"We've supported Dan in this race because he's a huge supporter of the state police association," said SPAM President Rick Brown, noting the state representive's strong advocacy in keeping the Westfield barracks open and for making the state police the primary law-enforcement agency for gaming, should it be approved. "Whenever we've asked Dan to step forward for us, he's always been there."

Though standing outside a center operated by the sheriff's department, the North Adams Democrat was technically in enemy territory. Signs for Tom Bowler, a 20-year Pittsfield Police detective and native son, dotted the neighborhood.

This is Bosley's first endorsement from any group. Bowler's wrapped up local endorsements from the district attorney, corrections officers and police officers locals, and the Berkshire County Police Chiefs Association, all of whom he's worked with at one time other, as well as the local representing court officers and the Central Berkshire Labor Council.

Their different backings from law-enforcement agencies not only reflects their long careers but their deep philosophical difference on the role of the sheriff: lawman or warden.

Brown made it clear SPAM believes the job is that of an administrator.

"The sheriff's departments are experienced in taking care of care, custody and control, and transportation," he said. "Our job out on the road is law enforcement; their job is to take care of people inside the facility and maybe have a chance to rehab these people and maybe we won't have to encounter them when they get out of jail.

"Every candidate we've supported in these races believes this."

Bosley has touted his experience in the Legislature, from drafting bills to leading committees, as providing him with an understanding of corrections, education and rehabilitation as well as a continuing relationship with Beacon Hill leaders that will open doors.

"Our job is a public safety job, not a law enforcement job," said Bosley. "We need to work together and that's why I proposed the regional lockup ... we need to work together faciliate the law enforcement part of this as well as the rehabilitation and public safety portion."

Brown said the association does not seek out candidates to support but will consider those who request endorsements. Bowler did not approach the organization for an endorsement, he said. Normally, the group also doesn't endorse candidates in primaries, but with both Bowler and Bosely running as Democrats, the primary will determine the winner.

"He's not going to be carrying a weapon, he's not going to be going out there doing law enforcement, he's going to be administering, bringing funds in and making sure the inmates that are behind the bars in that jail stay within the facility," said Brown. "If anybody can get the resources to make that happen, Dan bosley can because of the relationships he has on Beacon Hill."

Original press release received July 14, 2010.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Sheriff candidate Daniel E. Bosley has been endorsed by the State Police Association of Massachusetts. Representatives of SPAM will appear with Bosley to announce the endorsement at a press event Thursday, July 15, at 3 p.m. outside the sheriff's Juvenile Resource Center, 264 Second St., in Pittsfield.
 
"Representative Bosley understands the value of a strong working relationship between the sheriff's office and the state police in the effort to better protect residents of Western Massachusetts," SPAM Secretary Ed Hunter said of the Executive Board's vote to back the state representative.
 
"During the past few months of his campaign, Representative Bosley has stressed the importance he places on taking care of business within the jail – focusing on care, custody, and control – while working with the state police outside of the jail. He has articulated a clear strategy for sharing information with the state police, preparing for the re-entry of state prisoners, and partnering on common goals such as the creation of a regional lockup.
 
"Based on his past record of support for SPAM, his assertion of these goals, and his stated commitment to the State Police and Public Safety, the Executive Board believes the residents of Berkshire County will be best served by his election."
 
Bosley, of North Adams, is seeking the Democratic nomination for the post of sheriff in order to continue his service to the people of Berkshire County. Bosley has represented the First Berkshire District since 1987. As sheriff, he said he will draw on his experience in public finance, public administration and public safety to ensure the Berkshire County sheriff's office, the jail and House of Correction, and the programs run by the sheriff's office receive fair funding from the state. Additionally, he said he would bring an innovative approach that will allow him to improve systems and programs, making Berkshire County a safer place to live while conserving taxpayer dollars.