Four seek Magnani's seat
Three Democrats, Republican in race
Despite efforts to field one candidate to stand uniformly behind, Democrats will instead present three for the seat of departing Democratic state Senator David Magnani, setting up a battle for party support and fund-raising dollars.
With nomination papers due to town clerk's offices Tuesday, state Representative Karen Spilka, former Framingham town moderator Jerry Desilets, and Adam Sisitsky, a former Framingham Board of Health and Town Meeting member, will duke it out at a Democratic primary on Sept. 7. The victor takes on Republican James Coffey for a chance to represent the 2d Middlesex and Norfolk district, a seat left open by Magnani's surprise announcement last month not to run for reelection.
Republicans say the Democrats' inability to present one candidate is another example of how the party doesn't know what it wants. Party members acknowledged that was unfortunate, but they said it shouldn't be a surprise, considering the vast number of Democrats in the region.
''It's unusual for the Democratic Party not to have a contested primary," said Jane Lane, a spokeswoman for the state Democratic Party. ''There are so many of us and so many are activists."
Coffey, a 41-year-old political newcomer and lawyer from Hopkinton, said he is pleased that the Democrats will be in a run-off. Instead of fighting a stronger candidate with accumulated dollars from Democratic donors, he figures he'll end up facing a weaker opponent with depleted funds.
It will be interesting to see if one of the Democrats emerges as the favorite. Each appears to have their distinct advantages.
Spilka, 50, has been in the Legislature a relatively short time but has established herself as a visible voice for the region. Desilets, 53, has been active in Democratic politics and has strong ties in Framingham, which typically accounts for more than 40 percent of the vote in the Senate district. And Sisitsky, also from Framingham, has the benefit of name recognition in town; his father, Charles, is chairman of the Board of Selectmen and his mother is a public school teacher.
Desilets, however, counts some notable figures among his backers, including former Framingham representatives John Stefanini, Barbara Gray, and John Stasik. Current Framingham Representative Deborah Blumer has also said she will support Desilets.
''It's the hands-on work that he's done," said Blumer, referring to Desilets's position with the South Middlesex Opportunity Council and as a former associate commissioner of the state Department of Public Health.
Desilets, who last month quit his SMOC job to focus on the race, also has the advantage of campaigning full time. Spilka, who said she, too, has received the backing of several former and current legislators -- she declined to name them -- must carefully balance campaigning with her role as a legislator during budget season.
''I'm certainly ready to be senator on Day 1," said Spilka, who hopes to expand her work on education and health-care issues. ''I've been doing this job and I feel I've made some wonderful accomplishments."
Sisitsky, 33, believes his diverse job portfolio and work experience make him a broad-minded and more politically moderate candidate. He touts his experience in government and in business -- he was a prosecutor for the Middlesex district attorney's office and now is a securities legal specialist.
''In terms of how hard I'll work and resources and the support that I'll get, I don't see myself as an underdog," he said.
As for the Republicans' contention that the internal fight will weaken them, the Democratic candidates counter that a race for the primary will increase public awareness of and discourse on what is most important to Democratic constituents. 