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REGION
So far, there's only one officially declared candidate to replace state Senator Pam Resor, who recently decided against running for reelection after nine years representing the Middlesex and Worcester District.
State Representative Jamie Eldridge, who like Resor is a Democrat from Acton, may be the first to announce an intention to run for her seat, but he could end up facing some serious competition out of Marlborough. Local elected officials who are considering runs include two Democrats, state Representative Stephen LeDuc and Mayor Nancy Stevens, and a Republican, City Councilor Steven Levy.
Eldridge is already positioning himself as the natural heir to Resor, 66, who is known for her devotion to environmental causes. He cited his green record in a phone interview last week and said he has the endorsement of Bob Durand, Resor's predecessor, who subsequently served as the state's environmental affairs secretary.
Resor, however, said she has not decided whether she will endorse any candidate. She emphasized that she hopes whoever succeeds her will continue the work that was her trademark as a state senator, and during her eight years before that as a state representative.
"Certainly, both Senator Durand, who preceded me, and I have had a strong commitment to the environment and to maintaining the environmental quality of the region," said Resor who is the Senate chair of the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources & Agriculture. "I would hope to see that kind of leadership continue."
Her district, which stretches along Interstate 495 north of the Massachusetts Turnpike, covers Marlborough, Acton, Ayer, Boxborough, Hudson, Littleton, Maynard, Shirley, Stow, and part of Sudbury in Middlesex County, and Harvard, Southborough, Westborough, and part of Northborough in Worcester County.
In discussing her environmental accomplishments, Resor highlighted the Community Preservation Act, which she cosponsored. The measure, written by Durand and passed in 2000, allows communities to qualify for state matching funds for open space, historic preservation, and affordable housing efforts.
Eldridge, 34, lost his bid last year to replace Martin Meehan in Congress. He has managed campaigns for Resor and Durand, and is in his third term as state representative for Boxborough, Shirley, Harvard, Lunenburg, and parts of Acton and Lancaster.
"Senator Resor is the environmental conscience of the Legislature," he said. "I would work hard to meet her standards to be an incredible advocate for environmental legislation."
Resor said the job, of course, stretches beyond green issues.
"I think one of the top priorities of the district is the quality of education, and continuing to fight for adequate funding and support for our school systems throughout the district is a key part of it," she said. "With the current economic situation, making sure that jobs continue to be available and that businesses continue to move here and seek to locate in our region is also important."
Eldridge said he and Resor together filed legislation last year that helped attract
All three potential Marlborough candidates said they expect to decide in the next few weeks. Papers must be filed by April 29 to secure a spot on the November ballot. If there is more than one candidate from either party, they would square off in a primary in September.
LeDuc, 39, has been a state representative for 11 years serving Marlborough, Berlin, and part of Southborough. He was first elected at 21 to the Marlborough City Council, where he served six years.
He said one of his top priorities has been workforce development. Also, he is the House's vice chairman of the Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities.
LeDuc is lead sponsor on a bill this term that would integrate financial literacy lessons into the public schools curriculum.
"I look at the mortgage lending crisis we're in, I look at the state of our economy," said LeDuc. "People aren't conscientious of the impact of their spending decisions . . . We need to have an aggressive financial literacy curriculum in our school system."
Levy, 42, is in his second term as a city councilor and is chairman of the Marlborough Republican City Committee. Levy also runs his own accounting firm.
Asked what he would like to work on if elected to the state Legislature, he pointed to better deterrence of sex offenders. He initiated Marlborough's sex-offender ordinance, which the City Council passed last year. It bars registered sex offenders from living within 1,000 feet of a school, day-care center, elderly housing complex, group home for mentally disabled residents, park, or other recreational facilities.
The city addressed it because the state wouldn't, said Levy, who added that the issue needs to be taken up at the state level.
"I see that as a definite opportunity," he said. "That's probably one of the biggest reasons I'd consider running at this time."
Stevens, 46, was just elected to her second term as mayor. Before that she served two years on the City Council and four years on the School Committee.
One of her key priorities would be financial issues, Stevens said, and she touted the city's fiscal health under her watch.
"I'm looking for additional help for cities and towns," said Stevens. "I think we really need a comprehensive plan for infrastructure improvements and how to help cities and towns mitigate the effect on property taxes."
She said she would plan to continue serving as mayor if elected to the state Senate.
"I absolutely love what I do," said Stevens. "And that's the hardest thing right now: to decide if this would in fact be better for the people I serve."
Lisa Kocian can be reached at 508-820-4231 or lkocian@globe.com.
© Copyright 2008 Globe Newspaper Company.
