Peter J. Abair, a Holyoke Republican, officially announced his bid for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives on the steps of Pittsfield City Hall Tuesday, March 21.
Abair is running with a campaign slogan: “People, not Politics.†His opponent will be Democratic incumbent John W. Olver (D-Mass., Amherst).
Pittsfield was the 8:30 a.m. first stop in a series of announcements that also took Abair to Holyoke, Amherst, Greenfield and Fitchburg. Abair, 35, was born and raised in Pittsfield. The announcement started off with an endorsement for Abair by state Rep. Shaun P. Kelly (R-Dalton), Berkshire County’s only GOP state legislator.
With his wife, parents, and brother nearby, Abair said he’s been in public service for 13 years.
“I’m running for Congress because I know I can be an independent, energetic, and effective congressman for the people of the First Congressional District,†Abair said. “I’m running to put the people before the politics.â€
He added, “Congress is the greatest expression of national democracy that we have to show the world. Regrettably, Congress has too many congressmen and -women more interested in party politics than in working for real solutions to our nation’s most important national issues.â€
A bipartisan spirit
“I’m running to change our Congress,†he said. “I intend to be a new voice in Congress — committed to build consensus in Washington for real solutions to our most pressing national needs.â€
After graduating from Boston University, Abair joined the Washington, D.C. staff of the late Congressman Silvio O. Conte, R-Pittsfield, who in 32 years in office became something of a local icon and gained national recognition.
“For his entire 32-plus years in Congress, Mr. Conte was a member of the Republican minority in Congress,†Abair noted. “Despite this, he was one of the great legislators of his era. Mr. Conte was a consensus-maker. He knew how to work across party lines in order to solve problems.â€
“I’m not Silvio Conte,†he added. “But, I hope to work in the same bipartisan spirit that he did.â€
In Massachusetts, Abair has worked for a state senator, and held a number of positions with the Massachusetts Executive Office of Education, including as director of the Massachusetts Parent Information Center and as director of governmental affairs.
In 1996, Abair mounted an unsuccessful campaign for the Republican nomination for state senate. Paul Babeu won the nomination, but lost in the general election against Democrat Andrea Nuciforo.
In 1997, Abair was appointed by then-Gov. William Weld to be the director of the governor’s office in Western Massachusetts. He also served as coordinator of Gov. Paul Cellucci’s Berkshire Jobs Task Force.
In August 1999, Abair became director of municipal development programs at the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development.
Abair said in his statement that he will work in a bipartisan fashion to ensure that every senior citizen has access to the same high-quality, affordable, secure health care that every member of Congress enjoys.
“I will work to ensure that working families can obtain the same kind of tax benefits for health care costs that large corporations receive,†he said. “I will work to ensure that the federal government helps, not hinders Massachusetts in improving its public schools. We can have the best public schools in the world.
“I will work to eliminate the marriage penalty, a great affront to American families. I will work in a non-partisan way to ensure that Social Security is solvent, not only until 2030, but well beyond,†he said. “We can remove, once and for all, the taint of special interests, soft money, and negative campaigning from our elections. If elected, I will not only talk about campaign finance reform, I will practice it.â€
On Olver
After Abair’s prepared remarks, he was asked where he thought Olver would be vulnerable.
“I think that it’s difficult, for example, to vote for an energy tax in Congress when you represent the 25th coldest district in the country,†he said. “You talk about home heating oil costs. Imagine what they would be if that tax made it through.
“And it’s those kinds of things. You can’t always go with your party, and I think he does that too often,†Abair said. “And I think we need an independent voice in Congress, and I intend to be that voice. And the people will always come before the party politics.â€
He was asked whether his focus on bipartisanship would resonate with voters this year.
“We can only start right here in the first district,†he said. “That’s a starting point, and we can hope like-minded people across the country react the same way and want a Congress that is truly responsive to their needs, and doesn’t engage in the kind of vicious partisanship that divides people.
“And they use these issues like Social Security and Medicare as weapons against one another. I mean these are critical issues. We have to make sure that these programs exist in the future and work in the future,†he said. “We can’t use those issues as weapons against one another.â€
On abortion
Abair was asked about his pro-life stand on the abortion issue. Many Bay State Republican candidates have become pro-choice over the years, but Abair did not change his stance when he ran for the Republican nomination for State Senate in 1996.
“I’m pro-life, and I’ve been pro-life all my life,†Abair said. “I believe in the sanctity of life, and it’s an issue that I can’t flip-flop on.
“I’m Catholic; I’m an active Catholic. I don’t feel it’s something that I can change so easily,†he said.
He added, “I should point out, I mean, on that issue I think I’m the less extreme candidate. John Olver has voted time and time again against the ban of partial-birth abortion.
“And I think most reasonable people think that ... partial-birth abortion should be banned,†Abair said. “And most reasonable people believe that there should be some restrictions on abortion. But he doesn’t. He’s ... extreme on the issue.â€
A late start?
A reporter noted that when Jane Swift challenged Olver in 1996, she started her campaign in 1995. Will Abair be able to get his message out between now and November in such a geographically big district?
“I know the district very well, fortunately. I’m a native of the Berkshires,†he said, noting that he and his wife now live in Holyoke. “There’s a lot of work to do, but we intend to have town meetings in every town in this district to talk about these issues, because I think the people deserve to hear what candidates have to say.
“So I’m going to go everywhere, speak with as many people as possible, and maybe it’s a little bit of a late start, but I think people this year are going to be paying attention to this campaign and other campaigns. It’s a presidential year. I think there’s more interest in politics this year, and so I think the opportunity is there.â€
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Winter Storm Warning Issued for Berkshires
Another snowstorm is expected to move through the region overnight on Friday, bringing 5 to 8 inches of snow. This is updated from Thursday's winter weather advisory.
The National Weather Service in Albany, N.Y., has posted a winter storm warning for all of Berkshire County and parts of eastern New York State beginning Friday at 4 p.m. through Saturday at 1 p.m.
The region could see heavy to moderate snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour overnight, tapering off Saturday morning to flurries.
Drivers should exercise caution on Friday night and Saturday morning, as travel conditions may be hazardous.
Saturday night should be clear and calm, but warming temperatures means freezing rain Sunday night and rain through Monday with highs in the 40s. The forecast isn't much better through the week as temperatures dip back into the teens with New Year's Eve looking cloudy and frigid.
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