Kerry rival fails to make ballot
By Frank Phillips, Globe Staff
In a major embarrassment to Republican leaders in Massachusetts and in the US Senate, Jim Ogonowski, the party's anointed candidate to challenge Democratic Senator John F. Kerry, failed by a razor-thin margin today to qualify for the GOP primary ballot.
With Ogonowski's stunning blunder, the only GOP name on the primary ballot will be Jeff Beatty, a little-known security expert from Harwich.
According to Secretary of State William F. Galvin's office, Ogonowski's campaign delivered just 9,970 certified voter signatures to its election division today just before the final deadline, 30 short of the 10,000 he needed.
His only options now are to seek relief in the courts by saying some local officials lost his signatures, as he claimed late today, or to mount a write-in campaign for the September primary.
Early in the day, Ogonowski had claimed he was about to file over 10,000 certified signatures and also lashed out at his opponent, Beatty, accusing him of practicing ''gutter politics'' and attacking his character for questioning the validity of his nomination papers.
''The ease of which my opposition has distorted the facts and has created lies and innuendo to attempt to keep me off the ballot just illustrates why most Americans do not trust politicians and why Congress has such a low approval rating,'' Ogonowski said. ''He wants to resort to gutter politics, character assassinations, legal maneuvering and questionable tactics.''
Beatty delivered over 17,000 signatures to Galvin's office. He declined to respond to Ogonowki's attack.
Ogonowski, a 28-year Air Force veteran from Dracut whose brother was one of the pilots lost in the Sept. 11 attacks, had earned a good deal of support within GOP circles for running an unexpectedly tough race before losing to Niki Tsongas in last year's Fifth District special election to fill Marty Meehan's seat. Meehan had resigned to become chancellor of University of Massachusetts at Lowell.
Despite what you may have read, I am proud to tell you that I will be turning in more than the required 10,000 certified signatures to get on the ballot. I am thankful to the 22,000 people across Massachusetts who signed my nomination papers and for all the hard work of the town clerks who had to go through all the names and certify them.
But there is a down side. Through this process, I have seen the underbelly of politics and the win-at-all-costs mentality that has tarnished the American election process. My character and integrity have been called into question. On blogs, you will find accusations and procedural and legal threats to prevent your right to vote and my access to the ballot. You will find an attempt to disenfranchise the voters not through the process, but through intimidation.
The ease of which my opposition has distorted the facts and has created lies and innuendo to attempt to keep me off the ballot just illustrates why most Americans do not trust politicians and why Congress has such a low approval rating.
Ballot access is a fundamental American right and my opposition is trying to deny people the right to choose their nominee. Instead he wants to resort to gutter politics, character assassinations, legal maneuvering and questionable tactics. This is not what this process was intended to accomplish. Our system was by. I have always served with honor, and I continue to do so.created so that any individual could have a chance to represent his community - not as a platform to deny access through false accusations.
I take great offense to these recent attacks on my character and I will not sit idly
This is the politics as usual mentality that I am fighting against in this campaign. We have a Washington that has become too big, too corrupt, and too controlled by special interests. The people are demanding change and I am listening.
I proudly served my country in the military for over 28 years. The Ogonowski family has had more than 20 members serve our country in the military and I have been deeply ingrained with a commitment to public service. I wish to continue my service to America in the United States Senate. I firmly believe that the foundation of democracy is the right to vote and the right for people to participate in Government. I will not allow anyone to take away your right to vote. It is what our forefathers fought and died for and it is what we continue to fight for today.
I will be on the ballot and I will win in November. I want to thank the large majority of communities who have followed the law and worked to enforce the process in the proper way. I thank those in the Secretary of State's Office who have done the same. Lastly, I want to thank all of you. I look forward to campaigning this summer and hearing all of your ideas for bringing positive change to Massachusetts.
On to November!
Sincerely,
Jim Ogonowski
Despite what you may have read, I am proud to tell you that I will be turning in more than the required 10,000 certified signatures to get on the ballot. I am thankful to the 22,000 people across Massachusetts who signed my nomination papers and for all the hard work of the town clerks who had to go through all the names and certify them.
But there is a down side. Through this process, I have seen the underbelly of politics and the win-at-all-costs mentality that has tarnished the American election process. My character and integrity have been called into question. On blogs, you will find accusations and procedural and legal threats to prevent your right to vote and my access to the ballot. You will find an attempt to disenfranchise the voters not through the process, but through intimidation.
The ease of which my opposition has distorted the facts and has created lies and innuendo to attempt to keep me off the ballot just illustrates why most Americans do not trust politicians and why Congress has such a low approval rating.
Ballot access is a fundamental American right and my opposition is trying to deny people the right to choose their nominee. Instead he wants to resort to gutter politics, character assassinations, legal maneuvering and questionable tactics. This is not what this process was intended to accomplish. Our system was created so that any individual could have a chance to represent his community - not as a platform to deny access through false accusations.
I take great offense to these recent attacks on my character and I will not sit idly by. I have always served with honor, and I continue to do so.
This is the politics as usual mentality that I am fighting against in this campaign. We have a Washington that has become too big, too corrupt, and too controlled by special interests. The people are demanding change and I am listening.
I proudly served my country in the military for over 28 years. The Ogonowski family has had more than 20 members serve our country in the military and I have been deeply ingrained with a commitment to public service. I wish to continue my service to America in the United States Senate. I firmly believe that the foundation of democracy is the right to vote and the right for people to participate in Government. I will not allow anyone to take away your right to vote. It is what our forefathers fought and died for and it is what we continue to fight for today.
I will be on the ballot and I will win in November. I want to thank the large majority of communities who have followed the law and worked to enforce the process in the proper way. I thank those in the Secretary of State's Office who have done the same. Lastly, I want to thank all of you. I look forward to campaigning this summer and hearing all of your ideas for bringing positive change to Massachusetts.
On to November!
Sincerely,
Jim Ogonowski
What incompetence!!! I can only imagine what kind of Congressman he would be.
I'll write your name in Jim. My two Senators went against this state's vote and supported Obama and McCain will get my vote as well.
There are many of us out here that want you on the ballot. If the people of Masschusetts really want "change" then it's time we give the Republican candidates a chance. Nothing will ever change if we continue to have a one party system.
Go Jim Go!, we're here for ya...
Ballot access is a fundamental right for regular people to be able to run for public office. It is ridiculous for a candidate to have to collect 10,000 signatures, especially for a Republican who has to get 10,000 signatures where the signatures of registered Democrats do not count.
what a complete and total incompetent moron.
Ah yes, the "one party system" we have here in Massachusetts is responsible for all the ills in this state. Funny how you GOP loyalists never breathed a word against the "one party system" down in Washington when it was run by Republicans. No, it's only worth screaming about a "one party system" if the Democrats are in charge.
Poor Weld/Cellucci/Swift/Romney - just think how much they could have actually accomplished if they only hadn't been hamstrung by an embittered opposition party.... oh wait, Romney was too busy running around the country slamming this state to rednecks down South on his asinine quest for the Presidency to actually, you know, do anything of value here.
I guess we can expect another tirade from Jeff Jacoby in the Globe not to mention further Republican talk radio pollution. Self-pitying tantrums along the lines of "Let the people decide!" and "it's not FAIR nobody wants our stooge on the ballot." Given the fact Ogonowski couldn't even scrape up 10,000 signatures I'd say the people HAVE decided: No more Republicans and their endless self-serving nonsense.
what about that deadline?
Rules are rules...
Jeff Beatty is hardly little known. He is an excellent and dynamic speaker and has an impeccable record of public service and a business owner. I look forward to seeing either Jeff Beatty or Jim Ogonowski representing Massachusetts in the Senate. Kerry should just retire (he seems to be already). AND LET'S DEFEAT OBAMA. McCain should win in a landslide!
OMG Jim. I never saw your "people" looking for a signature and the only negative comments I saw associated with your name was in this article. Stop your whining and get behind Jeff Beaty. You obviously don't deserve to run for Senate if you can't get enough signatures to be on the ballot.
I can't believe this has happened!!! Is this true?? I can not believe this!! How can this happen when he had 22,000 sig.'s??? There is something fishy in this story. I'm sure this situation will change! It has too. This makes NO SENSE!!!
the something fishy seems to be incompetence in the part of the campaign leadership.Maybe he can sue his campaign manager.... that's just plain embarrasing Jim. I expected better from you.
We need free and fair elections in this country. Maybe it was always an American myth, but when the Chinese have fairer elections than we do here in the People's Republic of Massachusetts then it is time for the next American Revolution.
I promised John Kerry that if he came out for Obama, I would vote for his opponent and I keep my promises. I will gladly vote for whomever is running against Mr. Kerry. It is impossible that he,she or it could be more ineffective. A potted plant could do as well.
OK, you can't manage to get you sig's in order before the deadline, but you SUPPOSEDLY will be able to get legislation through the senate, as a NUBIE senator, that will provide aid to MASSACHUSETTS? give it a rest buddy
With this level of competence, he cannot be a senator; let's put him in FEMA.
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